26.2.09
Year 9 House Matches - Thurs 26th Feb
The School Year 9 Hockey house matches were played again down at the Bebington Oval on Thursday 26th February. This was a chance for all of the boys to represent their house and show the progress that these boys have made this year. It again took a little while to set up the pitches, moving the goals, get the goalkeepers ready and all players down at the Oval after Rugby 7's practices but we started on time so we could get the three matches in.
Once ready the three umpires (Bush, Walker & Elias) and myself were able to start proceedings. There was some excellent hockey played with strong performances in the first game from Dodds who ran out winners 3-1 against Barber, Edwards scoring two good goals and McGilloway finishing fortunately from close range after Morris had scored. A late surge from Barber saw Greenall put away his chance into the roof of the net 3-2.
In the game on the other pitch the skills of Wilkinson were back as he scored a hatrick against Lever. But some good defending and good goalkeeping from all four keepers, Graham, Cartwright, Weston then Davidson and Berry!!
In the second round of games there was good chances missed in the Lever and Barber game but Lever came out 3-0 winners with goals from Gouldson and Lamen (2). In the game on the other pitch a close fought 0-0 draw was played out between Hodgson and the ever improving Dodds!
As we went into the final set of matches it was between Dodds and Hodgson for the title, but after a good start from Barber taking the lead through Parsons against Hodgson they were to come back and take the title with goals from Burchill and Wilkinson, 2-1. In a fiercely competitive game between Dodds and Lever it was again a 0-0 draw that was the result, good defending, but at times poor finishing was both teams downfall.
Barber v Dodds 2-3
Morris Edwards (2)
Greenall McGilloway
Hodgson v Lever 3-0
Wilkinson (3)
Barber v Lever 0-3
Gouldson
Lamen (2)
Dodds v Hodgson 0-0
Dodds v Lever 0-0
Barber v Hodgson 1-2
Parsons Burchill
Wilkinson
Overall a very impressive display by the four houses and all of the players, goalkeepers. A special thank you goes again to the umpires and Mr Thomason for setting up and running the games. Well done guys, an enjoyable evening!!
AJM
25.2.09
Wirral v Merchant Taylors (2nd's / U16's)
In the second game of the day, the players of the future and many of our Year 11 side played against a side who had earlier in the season beaten them 12-0. We started the brighter and from the first corner had a couple of shots and then the final rebound fell to Wright, who on debut scored from close range, 1-0. We had further chances falling to Spink and Evans who could not finish. This lead as the half progressed a major mix up between Elias, Crawford and Byrne that left the Merchant's centre forward to finish smartly past a helpless Burgess, 1-1. This remained the score till half time with good performances from Plimley, Oldham and at times when not hacking Elias and Dennis.
The key to this side is confidence, shape and just playing hockey together, we went behind a the start of the second half following a basic mistake made in the dee, 2-1. And as tiredness crept into our game mistakes happened especially around our dee, teo became three, until the excellent Wright attacked down the right skipping past three players before the ball was crossed towards Denis who took his time and finished in the bottom left corner.
The last 7 seven minutes saw us make silly errors around our circle and leave poor Burgess exposed to close range shots. The score flattered Merchants, but left our boys knowing that a good shape and structure followed up with confidence and real determination is all this team needs!! The final score as 6-2, but a man of the match debut from Wright showed me this side have some real promise!
AJM
Wirral GS v Merchant Taylors School (Oval)
Wirral 1st XI 6-0 Merchant Taylors
Wirral 2nd / U16's 2-6 Merchant Taylors
Wirral 1st / 2nds v Merchant Taylors (Oval)
On a very sandy pitch as you can see by the picture we set up at home for two fixtures against Merchant Taylor's School from Crosby. On the back of a very good solid performance away at Kings Chester we all arrived at the Oval before two prepared for the game. With the 1st team staying the same after the committed Harvey returning from Leeds to captain the side we started well. We kept a good shape and started moving the ball well on the beach like facilities. This lead to us carving out chances in the first five minutes. That fell to Hankie and the less said the better. But it was encouraging and as the half developed we had some good solid work from Gawith, Bush and an excellent link up between Evans and Frank lead to a smart turn and close finish by Lyness. Once in front we have been susceptible to conceding, but the sturdy back four of Walker, Eastwood, Harvey and Gawith and Frank held firm, often covering for each other making Smithy's life a lot easier.
Some very good interplay saw Lyness double the lead in a very similar position down the left after good work from the improving Rid!! We have just now started to see what confidence, control and simple hockey can do. We continued to defend well getting in front of men and the best move of the game saw Steadman set a very quick Lyness away down the right who crossed accuratly for Evans to finish smartly, 3-0. Merchants still looked to impose thmselves, but the hustle and bustle of Taylor and the good work by Bush and Lyness was causing havoc on the break.
As we started the second half the confident Rid cut inside and V dragged out beating his man twice and playing some neat hockey with Bush. This lead to our forth from a corner that broke down but Bush was quickest to react and score from an acute angle on the left, 4-0. The fifth came to the excellent Harvey who had advanced forward and finished from close range to add to his tally for the season. But to rub salt into the wounds against a Merchants side that beat us earlier in the season, Bush scored a sixth beating the keeper at the near post. In truth we could have scored more had it not been for Davies lifting his stick and Rid using his back stick among other chances.
An excellent performance from players who have worked very hard this season, and now have learnt how to play effectively together and win!!
Well done!
AJM
16.2.09
Half Term
I hope that all players have a good half term, stay fit and be ready to go for the last 6 weeks of the season when you get back.
AJM
AJM
12.2.09
11.2.09
Wirral 1st Team v Kings Chester
In our first fixture of the year against Kings Chester, who are the North West regional winners, we started very well after a good warm up. On a wet day it made a very good looking pitch play well. The first five minutes saw a great chance fall at the feet of Davies who didn't connect well enough and his shot was saved. His replacement after 8 minutes was Lyness who linked up superbly with Evans to play a great one two together around the Kings defence and score one of my contenders for team goal of the season in which Evans slotted his shot into the right corner,
1-0.
As the half went on the Kings side came into the game, but with excellent organisation from Harvey and Frank the Wirral team defended well getting in front of their men and in possession of the ball making good passes. Excellent battling games from Eastwood and Taylor enabled us to create chances through the skills of Bush and Riddiough predominantly down the right. As changes were made throughout the game the quality of hockey was maintained and Crawford who replaced Walker stopped on the line from the Kings short corner! Only to put the ball back into the mixer for the Kings player to fire a powerful reverse stick shot above Smith and into the roof!
As the second half progressed we kept breaking forward and with some neat hockey down the left between the ever improving Gawith, who linked well with Bush the ball made its way across the dee off the keeper and to Riddiough who scored with an excellent reverse stick shot into the net! 'Happy days' There were many very good performances from this great team. The main thing that impressed me was the fact that we played some excellent hockey that was superbly organised on the pitch by the engines of the team Harvey, Frank and Taylor!
Well done guys, beating a Kings Chester side who are through to a North West final is an brilliant achievement and shows what progress and potential this side has when you put it all together!!
AJM
Wirral U14 v Neston HS - League
In a tightly fought game at the Neston Rec a slightly altered team started well against Neston. With good driving runs from Wilkinson, Lewin Lamen and Roberts chances fell to Gouldson, but to no avail. As the half progressed we had further chances that fell to Roberts and Lamen. Our key strength was the ability to get low and defending well from the back. The outstanding Corcoran and McGilloway were complemented in defence by the ever improving Deakin and Clegg, on full debut at left back. I was please with the first half performance but we just had to press home our possession and take our chances,
It took until the last couple of minutes for Wilkinson to drive inside and strike a reverse stick shot powerfully for Roberts to deflect well into the corner of the goal, 1-0. Brilliant again fellas, well done. This was another example of positive hockey, good effort and work rate from the whole squad!
AJM
U16's v St Anselms
In a highly competitive game down at the Oval the U16 team set out to gain revenge against St Anselms. These matches are usually close and with a slightly disrupted side we saw Tom Smith make his school team debut in goal. In a tight first half St Anselms took the lead but the hardest part of the first half saw Clegg caught in a challenge by a Saints shoulder following a Dennis foul. This ended Cleggs game and a trip to hospital resulting in a broken nose in four places!! As the second half started Saints doubled their lead but some good attacking hockey saw Wirral get back into the game through a well struck Dutton corner, 2-1.
But St Anselms again scored and took a two goal lead only to see Farrington score a definite goal of the season contender, with a great lob to bring the score back to 3-2. But we could not seem to take our chances and the St Anselms team further added to their lead to 4-2 until Dennis smashed in from the edge of the circle, but as Mr Thomason said, man of the match must go to Tom Smith on debut who played in goal with two left handed gloves and without a good quality chest pad.
The 4-3 result with a slightly altered side and full debuts for Shenck and Smith and recalls for Turner was a real positive and considering that we struggled in our last fixture against Saints we have progressed well this year. Well done guys. Have a good half term break and you guys have a game at home on the first Wed back against Merchant Taylors.
AJM
Denstone College game (U15 & U14)
On Wed 4th Feb our annual fixtures against Denstone College come around and our trip down to Denstone this year only just happened. It was not due to anything human we could really have done just the freak weather that sweeped the UK, bringing SNOW!!
On speaking to Rod at Denstone on the morning of the game he said they were doing there damnedest to get the games on and so we ventured down towards Stoke with the U15 and U14 teams. On arrival I thought we had no chance as there was snow everywhere. But to my amazement the old pitch had been totally cleared!! Game on!
The U14 's were on first and we started well moving the ball around well against a large and physical side. Whatever they feed their boys they have their affect. They put themselves about. But our skills and strength on the ball and simple hockey helped us to carve opening and we took and early lead through Roberts who stabbed home a goal from close range. Once ahead we struggled to front mark and often left their centre forward unmarked leading to chances for Denstone. It meant that Graham was the busier of the two keepers, but doing a very good job.
As the second half started we started to make good progress down the right with Wilkinson, Lamen and Lewin creating opportunities for Gouners and Roberts but to no avail. As we looked for a second goal we gained some good corners and we doubled and then tripled our lead through two Wilkinson reverse stick shots, 3-0. The exit the of Wilkinson saw Denstone score a consolation from a short corner to leave us with a good 3-1 victory. Well done boys!!
The U15 team started solidly and looked confident moving the ball around, this team has made a lot of progress over the last 3 months and some players are making their mark. The illustrious Dutton lead the way with 2 stunning solo goals and with Hodgson adding with a close range effort after a melly in the dee we were always ahead. But as we missed further chances the strong and competitive Denstone team kept pegging us back. Overall I think we deserved our 3-2 win. Well done fellas, special mention should also go to the ever improving Broom and Cheung as well as Dutton's two excellent goals!
4.2.09
Games against Denstone College
The games on Wed 4th of Feb should have seen us play the 1st and 2nd teams at the Oval, but they have been abandoned due to the poor weather and facilities at the Bebington Oval.
The junior sides the U14 and U15's are still on and playing away at Denstone College, we are leaving school at break. All players to meet at the Gym changing room.
AJM
Thurs 29th Jan v St Anselms
In a good very competitive game the mixed under U15 with some U16 player played down at the Oval. With a debut for Wirral GS of Wright, we started well with good passing a solid performances from Evans, Broom and Hayat, with the effervescent Dutton looking to link the play with the attackers we looked strong. But it was as the first half went on that we were unable to convert good chances and short corners (6) to any effect!! Something to work on!!
An error by Evans lifting a ball saw the St Anselm's have a quickly taken free hit that was struck home from close range. As the game progressed St Anselm's enhanced their lead only for Wirral to fight back with a good neat finish from McCann and from a good well worked corner in the second half Clegg finished with aplomb from 5 yards. This brought the scores back to 2-2 a good performance and a commendable performance that saw Wright make his debut and 17 players play on Thurs evening.
This group of players certainly have a lot of potential and the more games they play the better they will become! Well done again lads.
AJM
Wed v St Anselms (1st & 2nd team)
On a cool day down at the Oval the 1st team were playing first against as always a highly competitive game. The first ten minutes saw the Wirral back four moving the ball around the back well but as the ball went back into midfield we struggled to keep possession this meant that the St Anselms team were able to press. In the usual end to end games we have against Saints, we had chances for Evans and Plimley. The team went behind to again another poor goal due to silly errors. The St Anselms lead was doubled in the second half as we looked to get back into the game.
The major loss in the second half was that of Harvey who twisted his knee as he was caught on the knee by the ball. This was a big loss and we struggled to take the chances that were created in the second half, 2-0 loss!!
The second team played a good solid game creating opportunities but as chances went begging the St Anselms team scored on the break. This was a shame as Burgess had made some good saves and the game had been quite even. There is definate progress being made and good performances from Byrne, Spink, Shum and Eastwood. Well Done guys
AJM
Training
We had a good attendance at the Bebington Oval on Tuesday with a good first team attendance and a small select U14 group down preparing for the games against St Anselms this week.
AJM
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