Stanway Villa FC - Under 8's Yellows - Season 2008/2009

Match Reports for Season 2008/2009:

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Under 8’s Singles League 2008/2009

7^th December 2008 – Lexden Saints u8's   1    v    2     Stanway Villa u8’s Yellows

                                                                                    (Dan Kiernan, Bowen McCrory)

Match twelve of the season, on a bright but crisp December morning, away to our local rivals Lexden Saints who were unbeaten at home and 2^nd in the league by virtue of games played. With an early kick off the pitch was still frozen underfoot, which was going to make the ball just a little more difficult to control, but just about playable. We started brightly from the kick off, immediately looking to play the simple balls in midfield, hoping to unlock the defence, but Lexden were very well organised and were certainly up for the challenge looking to avenge their defeat from earlier in the season. We were dominating possession and territory, but found it almost impossible to break into the Saints penalty area, as their defending was excellent, however we won half a dozen corners or more without success, these were also dealt with very well by Lexden, but we switched taker to Dan and he hit an in swinging corner to the near post which was helped on its way into the net by a Saints defender and past the unfortunate keeper, just the breakthrough we deserved and 1-0 to the Villa. Lexden didn’t let their heads drop, in fact it inspired them to battle harder, however we still had most of the possession, but Lexden looked to soak it up and then catch us on the break, we had a couple of warnings of this and our defensive pairing of the two Harry’s looked a little shy in the tackle when Lexden broke forward. As we went searching for our second, with almost every player committed forward we lost possession, and as we failed to get goal side of the lone Lexden striker, they played a great ball through for him to break up the right, unchallenged as he entered into the box, firing into the net leaving George no chance to make it 1-1. This goal encouraged the Saints to come forward which gave us a little more space to break into, and when Roman broke through beating the last defender he was blatantly chopped down to earn a free kick. Following a lot of practice in training the day before Bowen stepped forward and cracked the ball into the top left hand corner leaving the goalie no chance, it was just reward for the tackle and we went into the break 2-1 up.

We made a change at half time bringing Thierry on for his pace and dropping James back into defence, as we were very wary of the counter attack, this didn’t unsettle us and we continued the second period in the same manner, having most of the possession, trying to pass the ball around but unable to penetrate the Saints box with any real conviction. Harry R suffered from an earlier knock and was replaced by Harry C, our Midfield of Bowen, Dan and Roman worked tirelessly trying to unlock their defence, when a pattern developed that the tired Lexden players would pull Roman down at every opportunity to deny him entry into the box, this was identified by the Referee who stopped the game, called over both Managers and warned that if it continued the offender would have to be removed from the pitch. Unfortunately there was some controversy over the distance of the wall with Lexden refusing to withdraw more than 2 Yards, offering us no advantage from their deliberate foul play, however this is not surprising considering our teams strike rate from free kicks this season! We did have one scary moment within the half when a Lexden corner was almost touched in at the near post, but was fortunately cleared off the line by Harry C and Bowen and then pounced upon by George to preserve the lead. Much of the remainder of the half was spent in the Lexden Half with Dan having a couple of first time efforts that may have gone in on another day, Jake and Thierry were unselfishly looking to feed each other the ball, but we never really looked like scoring in open play and the score remained at 2-1 which was a fair result on the day.

This was such a difficult game, but so rewarding and enjoyable to watch, this was the type of challenge that the team should face every week as Lexden were so well organised, defended admirably and were extremely dangerous on the counter attack, the result may have been different if the defensive walls had retreated 5 Yards in accordance with FA guidelines, but the tight score line just made it so much better for everybody watching. Every player on the team was patient, unselfishly passing the ball and working as a unit to create opportunities, although these were few, Terry and Myself could not be more proud. It was another difficult choice for Man of the Match as every player had their moment in the game but it went to Bowen McCrory who was so strong in both his defensive and attacking duties on the left hand side and topped it off with a cracking match winning free kick. Well done Lads, 12 wins from 12 and the double over Lexden Saints, you can hold your heads up high!

30^th November 2008 – Great Bradfords u8's   0    v    14   Stanway Villa u8’s Yellows

(Roman Carvell 3, Bowen McCrory 3, Harry Runicles 3, Dan Kiernan 2, James Craig 2, Jake Patrick)

Our eleventh game of the season, and top versus bottom with us away to Great Bradfords, the team talk was all about showing respect for the opposition and to practice our passing, even up hill on a very sticky pitch! We started a little cautiously, perhaps showing too much respect, but after a couple of minutes our passing game come together and the midfield of Bowen, Dan & James combined well playing the ball through to Roman for the opener, 1-0 to the Villa. We continued to apply pressure up the pitch when the unfortunate keeper then cleared a goal kick straight to Dan who struck the ball back into the unguarded goal to make it 2-0. Our third goal was quality with Bowen and Dan linking well, then laying the ball through to James on the right who looked up and played a delightful ball over to Roman who volleyed in at the far post, what a goal! The fourth followed soon after with Bowen breaking down the left, taking on the last defender and cracking the ball in at the near post for a well deserved goal, James followed this with a break down the right and a lovely cross come shot that was missed by everyone and nestled into the net to make it 5-0. We were totally dominant in the game barely allowing Bradfords a touch of the ball as we continued to pass and move around the pitch, the sixth goal came from Roman bursting through the middle unchallenged for his hat-trick. James repeated his magic once again from an inside right position unselfishly crossing the ball, leaving Jake a tap in for 7-0, Bradfords soon conceded another with Dan firing in from the edge of the box to make it eight. The opposition kept their heads up and bravely tried to venture into our half leaving themselves light at the back when we broke away with 3 players charging towards goal with Bowen leaving the goalie no chance for his second and ending the half at 9-0.

We decided to mix things up in the second period as both Harry’s and George had barely a touch between them in the first half, however the 2 Harry’s looked like fish out of water in their forward positions. George came out on pitch and looked steady at the back, Roman had always fancied his chance in goal but decided it was a very cold and lonely position. In fact for the first 5 Minutes of the second half with individuals playing in new positions there was not a lot between the two teams until James showed some composure and started off the goal train again to make it ten, Bowen added another completing his hat-trick to make it 11-0. Harry R finally got his strikers goal after a host of chances, and then moved back into his defensive position where he looked much more at ease and then cracked in a 25 yard punt leaving the goalie no chance, to making it thirteen, Harry R was still not finished and was getting a taste for goals when he put pressure on the goal kick, knocking it in for his hat-trick to make it 14-0. Dan and James both chased their hat-tricks and when Harry C was chopped down in the box, there were no shortage of volunteers, but Harry C stepped up and to our complete surprise placed the ball narrowly wide! The whistle blew soon after but not before the Bradfords keeper made a brave save in the final moments to a massive cheer from both sets of supporters.

We showed our quality and great maturity in the first half, always looking for the easy pass, which is what we have worked on in training, it is very pleasing to watch and the goals were inevitable. It was an opportunity in the second half to try things a little differently, but it was frustrating and highlighted just how strong and organised each and every player is in their regular position. The Man of the Match award going to Bowen who showed great awareness, knowing when to play the early ball, and when to go for goal! I think we should mention what great spirit the Bradfords players showed throughout the game and thank their Referee for a great and honest performance! Next week will be our toughest test to date, away to Lexden Saints. 

23^rd November 2008 – Stanway Villa u8's Yellows   6     v      0    Lawford Juniors u8’s                                   (Jake Patrick 2, Thierry Ajala, Roman Carvell, Dan Kiernan, Harry Runicles (Pen))

It was the home fixture against Lawford, with freezing temperatures and the snow falling just prior to kick off, it was a difficult decision to go ahead with the game, but with authority from the club and Lawford very keen to start after their journey, we decided to go ahead. From the kick off we applied pressure, but it was clear that Lawford were going to get players behind the ball leaving one up front for the breakaway and with five defending players in around the box, we were finding it very difficult to get the breakthrough. Jake looked very lively up front and was linking well with Dan to force many corners, however these were well taken by Harry C but were hitting bodies or skidding off the surface away from danger, eventually the first goal did come following a firm strike outside the box from Dan that gathered speed off of the surface and beat the keeper to the bottom left hand corner, 1-0. We continued to push forward in search of more goals, with Roman and Jake coming close, Villa dominating possession, but unable to play any quality football due to the conditions underfoot. In fairness Lawford were very resilient and had a couple of breakaways of their own, which were dealt with well by the two Harry’s restricting them to a long range effort that was comfortable for George in goal. We got our second following a strike from Roman that the keeper struggled to hold, it spilled out and was touched by Thierry as it crossed the line, the whistle for half time came soon after with the score at 2-0.

The second half continued very much as the first half with us having the bulk of the possession in the opponents end with Lawford defending well, frustrating us and looking for the long ball on the break. We did however try to play a bit of football, James trying to organise the team with a few passes into and around the box and this resulted in our third goal, where Dan broke into the box and chipped the ball over the Lawford keeper to Roman, who headed in at the far post for a goal of some quality in the conditions. Lawford’s heads never dropped and they did have a couple of ventures into our half resulting in a corner and a free kick, but nothing that really caused any threat to George who was looking very much in control of his area. With Lawford looking to get forward and not so tight at the back Jake picked up the ball and skilfully took it past 2 defenders before coolly flicking the ball past the approaching keeper to make it 4-0. With the cold starting to get to the boys, we had a short spell with just 6 on the pitch but Jake returned unmarked and instantly struck a 25 yard shot which fizzed off the surface and went through the despairing keepers legs, 5-0. We continued to put pressure on Lawford with both Dan and Roman making many solo runs into the opponents box, following a trip resulting in a penalty, it was time for Harry R to step up to the ball, which he punted like a rocket into the bottom right corner to make it 6-0, with a big cheer from everyone involved in the club as every squad member has now scored a goal this season, this was to be the last action in the game, final score 6-0.

It was a hard earned victory in freezing Sleet and Snow, Lawford were much more resilient than in the first game of the season, but each and every Villa player gave everything through to the end. It is nice to play pretty passing football in perfect conditions but it shows a lot of character to grind these results out through the Winter. George and the Harry’s looked comfortable, composed and kept the 7^th clean sheet in a row, Thierry added a goal to his tally in the short time that he was on the pitch, Jake had one of his best games to date with 2 great goals, and the Midfield of James, Dan and Roman dominated as usual, with Dan picking up the Man of the Match for showing great strength on the ball playing a great chipped cross to Roman and scoring a well taken goal of his own. Well done Lads, I hope you have all thawed out!

16^th November 2008 – FC Clacton u8's   0    v    4     Stanway Villa u8’s Yellows                                                                                                                               (Jake Patrick, Dan Kiernan, Roman Carvell, George Walters (pen))

Our ninth game of the season, in the rain, away to 4^th placed FC Clacton, who were unbeaten at home, their pitch was small, sticky and had a 1:4 slope to one corner, so it was never going to be the greatest arena for quality football. With a squad of just 7, my concerns seemed to affect the boys and we started cautiously, failing to close down the opposition, which resulted in some scrappy play in our half and around our box, and at one stage a good save from George was required. This was going to be a tough match, however we got the breakthrough after about 5 minutes, when Roman threaded the ball through to Jake who with his back to goal turned sharply and placed the ball into the bottom left hand corner to make it 1-0. This settled our nerves, and we attempted to play football with James linking the play well in midfield, but the more we passed and moved the ball, the later the tackles were that we endured, and it wasn’t until Dan was rugby tackled to the ground that we eventually won a free kick. Dan stepped up and fired the ball from some 25 Yards through the crowd and past the unsighted keeper to make it 2-0 and just reward for the tackle. We pushed forward for more goals but when Harry C was kicked to the floor, Clacton broke free for a two on one but Roman raced back making a vital tackle on the edge of the box, as the ball broke free Harry R cracked it goal bound ahead of the advancing attacker only for George to make a fantastic diving save to push the ball out for a corner. The half time whistle came soon after, time for some well earned Jaffa Cakes, as the boys were going to need plenty of energy for the second half.      

We started much more brightly in the second period, pushing forward in the flatter half of the pitch, and almost scored following a Clacton clearance, when Harry C hit a 30 Yard looping volley (David Bentley Style) which was brilliantly parried by the keeper. Soon after Harry C attempting to keep the ball in play slid a pass through to Roman who skilfully took the ball round 2 players and slotted home but following a goal line protest from the Clacton Players and Parents the ball was pulled back 30-40 yards for a rightful throw. Soon after Roman got his rewards and made another wiley run in and out of half the Clacton team and slotted home to make it 3-0. Dan also decided to practice his dribbling and weaved his way in and out of almost the entire Clacton team, and with just the keeper to beat he placed the ball agonisingly wide. With Clacton defending desperately Jake came close, Roman hit the bar and the post from close range, all gilt edged chances which on any other day would have gone in. James was then bundled to the floor in the box, but the game continued, and Jake kicked the ball into touch to allow James treatment, but the play was surprisingly called back for a free kick, Harry C buoyed by his effort last week curled the ball round the wall only for their keeper to brilliantly parry the ball again to deny a certain goal. The fourth goal eventually came following confusion caused by the Referee, a Clacton player picked up the ball in the area thinking that play had already stopped. Despite all the protests the penalty stood and George Walters encouraged by all his team mates run up and took the penalty, struck low to the right and in off the post for 4-0. We were barely troubled in the second half but Harry R had to be strong and positive as his defensive partner Harry C had taken one physical challenge too many and tearfully struggled to finish the match. When the final whistle came it was a welcome relief that we had maintained our 100% record and the players were relatively unscathed.

This was a performance that was up there with the best, not for the quality of the football, but for the bravery and strength of character shown by the whole team. It was like Arsenal going to Bolton in years gone by, but coming away with the result. Each and every player stood up to their opponents, rose above them, and ground out the result. The referee struggled to take control of the game and fortunately the boys escaped without injury. It was a day when every player could have won Man of the Match, and most have earned the award for less, but the award went to Roman who showed great skill and quality as always scored a solo goal and was so disciplined by not reacting to the torment he received from the opposition. We are once again so proud of you all!

9^th November 2008 – Stanway Villa u8's Yellows   8     v      0    Harwich & Parkeston u8’s                     

(Roman Carvell 4, James Craig, Dan Kiernan, Harry Chambers, Thierry Ajala)

On a bright but crisp November morning, and following a well respected minutes silence, It was down to football against Harwich & Parkeston, who had done a bit of homework following our last 2 games against their local rivals Little Oakley and Dovercourt. We started brightly, getting instantly into a passing game on a difficult and sticky pitch, H & P were getting bodies behind the ball, but it was not long before we got off the mark with a long shot come pass from Dan that was controlled by Roman who turned and struck the ball past the keeper, 1-0. The next goal came from a break down the right flank again with a square ball to James on the edge of the box who looked up, turned to his normally weaker left foot and struck the ball hard and low into the bottom right corner, such a mature and composed finish, 2-0. We continued to pressure Harwich & Parkeston and they defended desperately in and around their box and were lucky not to concede a couple of penalties, but after a succession of quality corners from Bowen without reward, Bo played a short corner to Dan who ran the ball into the box and laid it off to Roman, who finished comfortably, 3-0. Dan was strong and a constant threat down the right and soon got rewards for his efforts with a goal of pace and quality following 3 quick diagonal passes from defence to attack to make it 4-0. We totally dominated the first half and any attempts to get forward were thwarted by the 2 Harry’s who are growing in confidence and composure week by week.

We started the second half in the same manner, pressing around the Harwich box and Roman completed his 4^th hat-trick this season with a simple tap in, 5-0. Following some more desperate defending, Roman’s wiley run earned a free kick just outside the box, with advice from Terry, Roman unselfishly placed the ball for Harry C who ran up and fired a curling rocket of a shot into the top right hand corner to massive cheers and applause for the unlikely goal scorer, his first of the season, but what a way to get it! At 6-0 and with the game won we mixed things up a bit and played Harry R out of position to get a share of the goals, it caused us a few problems at the back giving Harwich a couple of chances with Harry C using his back side to clear off the line and George diving bravely at the feet of Bowen who cleared a goal mouth scramble. With us pushed back a bit deeper Bowen broke from deep on the left and played the ball to Roman who weaved in and out of 3 players to finish well for his 4^th on the day to make it 7-0. The 8^th goal was all about pace, Bowen the Colchester Inter-Schools Cross Country Champion broke into the opposition half with the ball, only for Thierry to storm past nick the ball and coolly place into the bottom left corner, Jake come in a gallant third in the race, with the defence a long way back. We regained our composure and pressed for more goals with Bowen and Harry R doing everything they could to score, but it was just not going to be their day and the match ended at 8-0.

It was a fantastic performance with a great mix of pace, passing and movement from the midfield, composed finishing from the goal scorers, but some great teamwork and unselfish play, which as always means more than the result. The defensive partnership with the 2 Harry’s supported by George in goal, worked so hard in training and it showed in the match with their confidence boosted the Man of the Match going to Harry Chambers who won every tackle, and almost every ball that came into our half and topped it off with a goal that has to be contender for Goal of the Season!  Well done lads, you are just getting better and better!!

2^nd November 2008 – Dovercourt United u8's   0  v   9  Stanway Villa u8’s Yellows

(Roman Carvell 3, Jake Patrick 3, James Craig 2, Dan Kiernan)

Our seventh game of the season, against the newly formed Dovercourt United who started the season with a great win and draw from their first 2 games but have struggled in recent weeks to get any sort of result. Dovercourt started off much the brighter of the two teams, winning the early ball, passing through our midfield and creating an early chance which struck the inside of the post and was well saved on the line by George to preserve the score line. We were shell-shocked and continued to sit back and watch United play football, both Harry’s and George had their busiest half of the season so far, conceding more goal attempts than they had in the last 6 games, but still managed to keep Dovercourt out. Mid way through the first half we got the breakthrough with Roman taking his chance well following a pass from James, this settled the tension and Roman soon broke free but was tripped just outside the box, James supported well and would have scored but the free kick was awarded and we were unable to capitalise. Dovercourt continued to defend well and always looked to threaten on the break, we had plenty of corners and another free kick on the edge of the box but never looked like getting a second goal in the half, when just before half time Bowen took a long Rory Delap style throw found Roman in space who finished well for his second of the day to end the half with a somewhat fortunate 2-0 lead.

Many questions were asked of the lads in the half time team talk, we were all in agreement that things could only get better, and they did, United encouraged by their first half performance came out looking for goals, this was to be their downfall. Early in the half Roman broke free from the defence and was tripped, with James supporting and overlapping once again, the Referee played the advantage and James coolly slotted home to make it 3-0. The 4^th came from the one and only page of the ‘Stoke City Tactic Book’ with Dan making the throw this time and Roman finishing to get another hat-trick this season. Soon after James broke free into the opposition half and ran unchallenged for a one on one with the keeper, which was to have just one outcome 5-0 to the Villa. With Roman switched to the wings he turned to provider and crossed the ball to Jake to open his account for the day, 6-0. Soon after Roman played the ball through to Dan who struck the ball well from the edge of the box, with the keeper beaten Jake emerged from the crowd celebrating and claiming his second goal of the day, 7-0. With our defence untroubled in the second half, Harry C pushed forward and played a defence splitting ball for Dan to burst through and finish well to make it 8-0.Our ninth came from a quick and cleverly worked corner and once realised by the opposition, Jake was left unmarked and finished well to get his hat-trick. With minutes left, and us totally dominant we were pushing for double figures, however the brave United keeper pulled off a string of fine saves to deny us and in particular Bowen who worked so hard but did not get the reward of a goal on the day. The final whistle came with the score at 9-0 and the 100 % record still maintained.

It was a game of two halves, as we were poor in the first half, which could be credited to Dovercourt who never allowed us to impose ourselves on the game. However, in the second half we made amends and totally dominated the game scoring 7 goals and could have had many more, towards the end of the game there were some glimpses of quality, but we were nowhere near our best. It was however good to keep another clean sheet, especially considering the early pressure, the transformation in the second half was worthy of the result and our goal difference has taken another boost. The Man of the Match award going to Jake Patrick who was keen, alert and managed to score a second half hat-trick. A good result, but we went about it in a difficult manner!

26^th October 2008 – Stanway Villa u8's Yellows   6   v    0   Little Oakley u8’s                                                            

                                (Jake Patrick 2, Thierry Ajala 2, Dan Kiernan (Pen), OG)

A would be top of the table clash, involving two teams with 100% records in the league, It was clear that Oakley are a well organised side, physical but fair, comfortable on the ball and worthy of their position. The game started with us playing high up the pitch, applying pressure around the opponents box but unable to penetrate, suddenly a long Oakley clearance was miss-timed by Harry C allowing their striker to break free and fire the ball hard and low into the bottom right hand corner, but George got down well and saved with his knees to preserve the 0-0 score line. We continued to dominate possession in the opponents half with play being switched from one wing to another and we earned a corner on the right from one of Dan’s runs, the short corner from Dan to Bowen was crossed with such quality that the Oakley defender had no option but to knock it into his own net (the execution of the corner was like watching Fabregas and Van Persie) we were 1-0 up. Oakley then came looking for an equaliser and when Harry R was put under pressure by 2 attackers Harry C made amends for earlier, covering well and clearing for a corner. The game become more open and our passing game gelled; the next goal came following a passing move involving Harry C, Bowen, and the final pass from Roman threading Jake in for a quality goal to make it 2-0. Dan was having an excellent half, tackling back in defence and then terrorising the opposition, and on one of these runs, was tripped in the box, he stepped up for the penalty and was never going to miss, 3-0 Villa. Following another well taken corner by Bowen, James was stood in the right place at the edge of the box to fire the ball goal bound only for the defence to stop it in its tracks and Thierry to lob the ball from 6 yards over the despairing keeper to make it 4-0 at the break.

The second half continued very much as the first half with us having the bulk of the possession in the oppositions end with them defending well and looking dangerous on the break. Our fifth goal came from Thierry a looping cross come shot from the touchline with the goalkeeper stranded like David Seaman after Ronaldinho’s goal in the 2002 World Cup. This was soon followed by Roman who attempted a fantastic bicycle kick, which was well cleared by Oakley as were many attacks during this period. Harry R was a lone figure at the back but dealt very competently with any balls that came his way. With our midfield tiring, it was time to make a couple of changes; Jake returned and fired an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box to make it 6-0. We continued to push for more goals and was playing exhibition football, with the highlight being James’s overlapping run with a deft little back heel for Harry C to hit first time into the box, the only thing missing was the finish. However Little Oakley never gave up and with us chasing more goals we got caught at the back, their striker burst through with the ball and entered the box firing an unstoppable shot towards the roof of the net, George stood tall and amazingly palmed the ball, taking the sting out of the shot and caught the rebound competently to a massive cheer from the Villa crowd. The game ended soon after at 6-0 with Villa deserved winners.

It was a fantastic performance with every player fully committed to the team; our strikers Jake and Thierry are playing with such confidence now, received good service and took their chances well. The midfield of Bowen, Dan, James and Roman is exceptional with a great blend of speed, strength, awareness and skill with a work rate not matched by any opposition to date. The defensive partnership with the 2 Harry’s is developing well, both talking and covering for each other, with us looking more solid when both are together on the pitch. The Man of the Match however goes to George Walters who is developing into a great keeper and proved that on 2 occasions in the game, he was wholly responsible for another clean sheet, the teams 4^th this Season!  Well done lads, you make us all so proud!

19^th October 2008 – Clare Town Lions u8's  0  v  7 Stanway Villa u8’s Yellows

(Bowen McCrory 3, Roman Carvell 2, James Craig, Jake Patrick)

Our fifth game of the season, on a bright Autumn day in the lovely town of Clare, however taking in the surroundings my first concern was with the size of the pitch, two thirds of the size of what we are used to, so I was expecting goals a plenty from both teams. Surprisingly though in the first half, goals were not forthcoming as Clare were very resilient in defence and their keeper was outstanding. It seemed an eternity before we got our first goal, but it came from a long throw in by Roman finding James in loads of space on the edge of the box to coolly finish in the corner, 1-0 to the Villa. Clare kept battling and always looked a threat in the first half playing the long ball game, but both Harry’s in defence and George in goal did just enough to keep the Lions out. The second goal came following a darting run through the defence by Roman and just as he was about to pull the trigger, Bowen nipped in and slotted the ball into the net to end the half at 2-0.  

In the second half Jake came on and instantly had an impact picking up the ball on the edge of the box turning and slotting the ball in the corner, 3-0. Dan was a real threat down the right hand side, and there was a strong shout for a handball infringement just outside the box, but the fourth goal came from Roman following Dan’s corner. Our next goal followed soon after, chasing a defensive clearance and making up yards on the last defender Roman shoulder barged the largest player on the pitch off the ball and fired the ball into the net leaving the goalie no chance to make it 5-0. We continued to press in the Clare Town half and any attempts by the Lions to get out were now being dealt with by a more confident and composed defensive partnership. Roman seeking his hat trick made another darting run towards the box this time however Jake nipped in to shoot forcing a great save from the keeper for Bowen to pick up the rebound for his second. The best goal of the day came from a stunning shot from Roman, which hit the bar and literally lifted the goal off the ground with the rebound coming out to Bowen who then volleyed the ball into the roof of the net for his hat trick with applause from both sets of supporters for the quality of the goal. The game ended soon after with the final score 7-0.

It was another solid performance, really pleasing to keep a clean sheet, with a good defensive partnership forming, and George looking more comfortable in goal. The midfield and attack as devastating as ever with another 7 goals, it was also nice to see Jake on the score sheet again, Roman and Bowen scoring at will but the Man of The Match award going to James Craig who scored a great goal of his own, came agonisingly close on two occasions, found loads of space on his overlapping runs, and always looked for the easy or early pass to his team mates. Overall a good game, on a tight pitch, which may excuse the lack of passing and teamwork that we have been working on in recent weeks, but with a bit more work we will not just win, but will win in style!

12^th October 2008 – Oyster Youth u8's   0   v   9  Stanway Villa u8’s Yellows                                                                        (Roman Carvell 3, Thierry Ajala 3, Dan Kiernan, James Craig, Oyster OG)

Our  fourth game of the season, against Oyster Youth, a team that we had beaten twice before at under 7’s but now looked much larger and more intimidating than before. We started with a different formation to recent games but got off to a very good start with both Bowen and Thierry looking very dangerous down the flanks, always looking up to feed the ball to Roman and Jake in the middle. Following one of Bo’s runs he picked out Roman who was brought down on the edge of the box, this was punished by Roman who stepped up and fired the ball into the top left corner, 1-0 we were on our way. The football being played was as good as I have ever seen us play, with passing, movement and support not normally seen at this age, totally dominating the game and frustrating Oyster’s Giants. Following a succession of corners Bo fired one into the box which crashed into the back of the net off of an Oyster player under great pressure from Thierry, 2-0. Despite Oysters best efforts they struggled to enter our half and if they did both Harry C and James picked up the ball with ease and fed it back to the wide boys to start another attack, and from one of these Roman made it 3-0 following a cross from Thierry, Roman also had a great solo run tip toeing past 3 players before unselfishly laying the ball off to Jake who was so unfortunate not to pick up a goal of his own, Harry C had a great drag back and long range effort but the score remained 3-0 at half time.

In the second half a tired and frustrated Oyster came out desperate to get a hold of the ball but it wasn’t long before Thierry added another goal to our tally following a cross from Roman, 4-0. Soon after that a solo effort earned Roman his second Hat trick of the Season, 5-0. By this point the quality football played in the first half had stopped with the Players, Parents & Myself frustrated by some of the tired but late tackles, it was up to the lads to do their own thing, with 5 budding strikers, it was just to shoot on sight! Thierry followed up one of these shots and robbed the brave but unfortunate keeper of the ball to make it 6-0, James picked up the ball on the left hand side, turned inside to his right foot firing a shot through the crowd into the bottom left hand corner, 7- 0, Dan returning back to the pitch after an earlier knock scored a similar effort on the right, 8-0, and Thierry completed the scoring with his Hat trick to make it 9-0. At this point George came out of goal and had a couple of half chances himself and Harry R had his only 4 touches of the game when Oyster had their sole venture into our half.

It was a performance of sheer quality in the first half, solid and patient at the back, supporting a strong, skilful midfield with some great positional play and runs by Jake up front, who did every thing asked of him but score.  In the second half, we were strong in attack and bored at the back, with the Man of The Match award going to Thierry Ajala who terrorised Oyster once again, scoring 9 goals in his last two games against them.  A very enjoyable game not so much for the result, but for the demonstration of football seen in the first half, well done lads and keep it up!

5^th October 2008 – Stanway Villa u8's Yellows  5     v     2  Clacton United u8’s

                             (Dan Kiernan 2, Bowen McCrory 2, James Craig)

Our third game of the season, against an unbeaten Clacton United, the Heavens opened from the kick off but despite the weather we could see that Clacton were up for the challenge, a well organised side, and comfortable on the ball. However, we got off to a good start and following some sustained pressure in and around the opponents box the ball was laid back for James who had just one thought which was to bury the ball in the back of the net, 1-0 to the Villa. We continued to press hard and it was only a matter of minutes before a confident Dan made it 2-0 and celebrated with a cartwheel – good finish but we are looking for a Gymnastic Coach? Roman and Bowen were proving to be a constant threat and Bo soon got rewards for his efforts with a great strike from the left to make it 3-0. If it wasn’t for the heroics of the Clacton keeper we could have extended our lead but Clacton came back strong and managed to pull a goal back of their own following a good save and a brave but unfortunate dive by George at the feet of the United Striker, so we went into the break at 3-1.

Clacton were boosted by their goal and looked to be a real threat in the second half with both Harry’s and James working very hard to thwart their attacks.  We however still seem to play with the Kevin Keegan philosophy that if you score 1 we will score 2, and Dan soon scored a great 2^nd goal with his left foot from outside the box celebrated this time with some Tim Cahill style boxing at the corner flag. We pushed forward again in search of more goals and Clacton broke well in numbers, this caught us short at the back and closed the deficit to 4-2, if Clacton had scored another at this stage it could have been a very different story but Bowen fired a powerful shot into the far corner with such little back lift that amazed me, the gap was restored, 5- 2 . This eased the tension with Jake and Roman coming close, the Clacton keepers made some great saves to preserve the score, one of which taking a full on strike of the ball to his face for their cause stopping a certain goal. The final whistle came bringing an end to an enjoyable game despite the weather, with the final result at 5-2.

It was a good performance with every player fully committed despite the weather, we were strong in attack with plenty of chances, Dan’s confidence is back after his Man of the Match performance last week and Harry Chambers gave probably his best performance to date but just pipped to the post with the Man of The Match award going to Harry Runicles for thwarting some very dangerous attacks.  A very enjoyable game against a very competitive and good natured club.

21^st September 2008 – Stanway Villa u8’s Yellows  5   v   1  Lexden Saints u8’s

                                    (Dan Kiernan (Pen), Thierry Ajala, Bowen McCrory, Jake Patrick, Roman Carvell)

Our second game of the season and against our local rivals, a fixture which will be relished by both sides for many years to come. The game got off to a lively start with some individual battles developing in the middle of the pitch, minutes into the game we won a corner which was fired into the box when a Saints player raised his hands for protection, handled the ball and left the Referee no choice but to award a penalty. Dan stepped up and fired the ball into the net leaving their keeper no chance and the Villa an early lead. Lexden responded well and pressed up the pitch and soon earned themselves a corner, this passed safely through the box and was met by Harry C who looked up and instantly played the ball to Thierry on the halfway line who turned and used his pace to storm past the last defender and slotted the ball home to make it 2-0. The second goal eased any nerves and we attempted to pass the ball around, but Lexden continued to work hard and did not give us any time to settle, however we earned another corner, which was well delivered by Dan and volleyed into the net by Bowen to make it 3-0, we also had a free kick from Dan that unfortunately struck the post, but all in all an excellent half.

In the second half Lexden came out strong and after some sustained pressure, the Saints crossed the ball and whilst our defenders stood rooted to the spot, they pulled one back leaving George no chance in the goal to make it 3-1. This just inspired our team to search for more goals, James started to push forward and on one of these ventures crossed the ball to Bowen who unselfishly slotted the ball through to Jake for a tap in to make it 4-1. Soon after we earned a free kick just outside the Saints box which Dan fired at the goal, the keeper did well to palm it against the bar only for it to come down hit him on the head and bounce into the path of Roman’s advancing run to slot home and make it 5-1.  We soon had another identical free kick but unfortunately Dan struck the post for the second time in the game. With the score at 5-1 it was time to shut up shop and Harry R was a rock as always at the back with just one scare but Bowen tracked back well and made a necessary tackle to avoid any chance of a shot by the opposition and the score remained at 5-1.  

It was an outstanding performance with every player giving 110% commitment or more, the defence was solid restricting a very good team to just one shot on goal, our finishing was clinical with 5 different goal scorers, but with the Man of The Match award going to Dan Kiernan who scored the penalty, assisted 2 goals and struck the post twice from set plays! A much tougher game than last week, and a different style of performance, but very, very rewarding, well done lads! 

14^th September 2008 – Lawford Juniors u8's  0   v   8  Stanway Villa u8’s Yellows

                                                                                    (Roman Carvell 4,Bowen McCrory 2, Dan Kiernan, James Craig)

Our first ever league game, and with a late kick off I was expecting us to be lethargic, but I could not be more wrong, the team were eager to get the ball and really showed some great awareness of each other with some great passing and movement, it wasn’t long before we were 1-0 up following some good play from Bowen, passing to Thierry and then on to Roman to bury in the net. Roman soon got his second following a cross from Dan who was having a great game on the right wing, and Dan soon got reward for his efforts with a goal of his own to make it 3-0. On one of the rare occasions when Lawford entered our half we quickly retrieved the ball and Thierry broke from the halfway line and charged on goal only to see the keeper make a great save, with the rebound going to Roman to score his hat trick. We continued to press forward playing exhibition football and following a scramble in the box Bowen stepped up to make it 5-0, James took his chance well and added another following a cross from Roman to make it 6-0 at the break.

In the second half we continued to put pressure on Lawford but failed to add to our tally for about 10 minutes with Harry C coming close on 3 occasions, the Post being struck on at least 2 others and their keeper making numerous saves, with frustrations growing the team lost the passing and movement shown in the first half and it was an individual effort from Bowen down the left that finally hit the net. Soon after Thierry made a great break down the right with a pin point cross to Jake to fire at the goalkeeper with Roman picking up the rebound for his 4^thto make it 8-0. Harry R was as solid as ever at the back not allowing Lawford a single shot on goal, and George after playing 25 minutes in goal without a touch enjoyed his run out on pitch.

It was an excellent performance by the team, possibly one of our best to date, with every player showing understanding of passing and movement of which we have focused on heavily at training, with the Man of The Match award going to Roman with 4 goals and an assist, well done lads, what a great start!

Stanway Villa Pre Season Tournament

6^th September 2008 – Stanway Villa u8's Yellows 4     v     Harwich & Parkeston u8’s 0
                                  (Bowen McCrory 3, Roman Carvell)

With a long Summer break, this tournament was to be a measure for what to expect next season, with our first match against H & P who will be in our league next year. 

It was a good performance against a disciplined team that definitely tried to play football in the right manner, with a fantastic young goalkeeper, however the pace and finishing of our midfield and attack could not be matched and with 3 quality goals from Bowen McCrory and 1 from Roman Carvell without reply we ended up 4-0 winners.

6^th September 2008 – Stanway Villa u8's Yellows 4     v     Stanway Villa u8's Blues 2
                                  (Bowen McCrory 2, Roman Carvell, Jake Patrick)

What a shocking start, the Blues got off to a flyer and scored a great long range effort, and while we tried to regroup, they did it again and hit us with another to make it 0-2, we pushed forward in the search for goals but it didn’t look like it was going to be our day.

In the second half though it was a different story, and time for desperate measures with a 0-4-2 formation, we pressured further up the pitch and started to find the target, we quickly closed the deficit and it wasn’t long before we gained the lead with goals once again from Bowen & Roman, as the Blues heads started dropping we rubbed salt in the wounds after the Blues keeper made a slight mix up for Jake Patrick to knick the ball and walk it into the net to make it 4-2 at the end.

6^th September 2008 – Stanway Villa u8's Yellows 0     v     Colchester Athletic u8’s Blues 0
                                     

This was a tough test of u8’s football against a very strong and physical side, we struggled against Athletic and certainly did not look comfortable in a very scrappy game where we lost our shape and had no time on the ball.

Both teams had their chances but in this game it was time for Harry Runicles to shine as both his defensive partners of James Craig and Harry Chambers came off injured Thierry Ajala had to track back regularly and George Walters was brave in goal when needed, this was a very hard earned but goalless draw.

 6^th September 2008 – Stanway Villa u8's Yellows 1     v     Cornard Dynamos u8's Blues 1
                                   (Roman Carvell)

Another end to a tournament against our old rivals Cornard, and following the defeat at Sporting we were out for revenge, and in the first half we were at our best, passing in triangles and terrorising down the flanks when Bowen looked up and floated a cross into the box which was headed into the roof of the net by Roman for a goal of sheer quality to make it 1-0 and that’s the way it stood until half time.

In the second half though Cornard closed us down much quicker and did not allow us the time on the ball, the pressure was then on us and following one of their breaks with a 3 v 1 George made a great save but unfortunately Cornard picked up the rebound while we stood and watched to make it 1-1. Both teams pressed for the winner but in the end the result stayed at 1-1 proving that there is little or nothing between the 2 sides.