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GCBFC Under 11 Leopard's 2008/09 Match Reports
League Table, Results and Fixtures (link opens new browser to an external website)
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The Leopards fought put up a valiant display against top flight opponents, but ended up on the wrong end of a big score-line.
Within a couple of minutes of the kick off, a bit of loose play at the back left City a goal down. Despite this set-back, the team rallied and Alex McWilliam and Charlie Summersby began to win some important midfield battles, with Nick Roberts and Danny McNamara both troubling the Cougars wide, and Alex Chalker a constant threat in the centre of the pitch. The game settled in to an end to end rhythm, with each side building in turn. Peter Butler and Josh Harris broke up opposition attacks effectively, with Harvey Crouch doing the same, often operating as a sweeper from his left back position. After good work from Nick Roberts and a positive touch from Alex McWilliam, Charlie Summersby played an excellent through ball for Alex Chalker to run on to and hammer home. Back to equal terms, City looked like genuine contenders almost up to half time. Perhaps with one eye on a well-deserved rest at the break, the Leopards failed to deal with a well-constructed Cougars short corner and cross, and finished the first 30 minutes a goal behind.
With only 11 players, none of the Leopards players could be rested, and injuries twice reduced them to 10 in the second half. This was too much to ask against a strong Cougars side, who began to play in some excellent through balls and capitalise on City’s increasingly heavy legs. No-one could fault the boys for effort, and Peter Butler & Connor Hall in particular showed enormous reserves of energy and fight. At the back, Leopard’s man of the match, James Elliott, again made several unbelievably good saves, once again demonstrating the remarkable development in his confidence and abilities over the last couple of seasons.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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City produced a performance full of heart & determination to take the three points from a strong Jaguars side.
Fiercely contesting every 50:50, and playing some excellent possession football, the Leopards took until the second half to establish a lead. Connor Hall ran on to a Nick Roberts through ball, sending in a dangerous cross. In the melee that followed, a Stanley Murton effort was saved before Danny McNamara pounced and forced home from close range.
Five minutes later, he was celebrating his second after a solo run in to the box.
At the other end, man of the match Peter Butler, Bobby Harvey, Harvey Crouch and centre half Josh Harris were working together to keep Fleet’s dangerous forwards under control. Behind them, James Elliott was producing a string of remarkable saves, athletically turning shots on to post and bar in quick succession.
Despite a late goal from Fleet, and the sustained pressure that followed, Alex Chalker, Charlie Summersby, Connor Hall and Reece Haslett maintained their midfield composure, passing and work rate and saw the team home.
City have now played all the top three teams away from home, winning twice and getting the better part of a draw in the third match. A close, tough league forces them to give of their best every week, and it’s great to see them forging a stronger team spirit with each match.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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The Stags started sharpest on this cold rainy morning and put the Leopards under severe pressure for the first ten minutes. The Guildford back five of Peter Butler, Josh Harris, Harvey Crouch, Reece Haslett and Alex McWilliam held firm, though, with debut goal-keeper Ben Turnbull producing good saves whenever called upon.
From one of their first break-aways, Guildford took the lead. Danny McNamara broke free on the right, laid the ball precisely in to Stan Murton; his shot was then parried in to the path of Alex Chalker, who provided an emphatic finish. The Leopards hung on to their lead until half time, playing most of the football & looking the better side against the table-topping Stags.
Aldershot’s frustration was already resulting in a very physical approach on their part and, early in the second half, a Stag’s player ran straight through Nick Roberts after he’d played the ball away. Although worthy of a booking, the challenge was not rewarded with a free kick and Stags equalised as the bemused Leopards waited for a decision. A second Aldershot goal followed quickly afterwards, as Guildford struggled to regain their composure.
Heads back up again, the Leopards were lifted further by a wonderful overhead goal from man of the match Alex Chalker. Connor Hall and Stanley Murton both worked & narrowly missed opportunities to win the game in a grandstand finish where Guildford’s heroes were again in the ascendancy.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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The Leopards bounded back from last week’s disappointing performance with a strong and disciplined show to qualify for the SPL Senior Cup.
Bisley came to play football and put up a good fight, but territorial control eventually told and their spirit was finally broken half way through the second half when Danny McNamara pegged the ball back from the bye-line for Connor Hall to finish. A few minutes later, Bobby Harvey James collected the ball 30 yards out, beat four players on the run and then struck a firm finish to the keeper’s right for number 2.
Sam Pirie added a third with a fine near post header from a free kick, and Reece Haslett capped a strong performance with a lifting wonder strike from the edge of the area to make it 4. Alongside some great goals, the foundation for the victory was laid with a hugely improved defending and tackling performance through the whole side, exemplified by Alex McWilliam, back to his best, and by City Man of the Match Josh Harris.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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Two weekends off clearly did the Leopards no favours in the build up to this match, and a first half holiday hang-over saw them leave the pitch four goals down at half time. Walton & Hersham started the brighter and played some clever passing football, showing up sluggish Leopards’ cover play & capitalising on a series of errors. Individual heroic efforts couldn’t make up for a general lack of marking and cover between defence and midfield, and the Leopards’ accurate passing game deserted them – just when they really needed to re-gain control and retain possession for a period.
Half time gave an opportunity for reflection, and Guildford started the second half with passion and energy. The combative Harvey Crouch latched on to a chip from a hard-working Connor Hall, ran from the half way line and finished emphatically from distance as the keeper closed him down. Vital momentum was then halted by a further Leopards lapse, as Walton slotted a fifth goal. Bobby Harvey James’ cracking penalty provided some consolation for the stripes, but the match as a whole provided a hard lesson on the importance of disciplined team application & effort in adversity.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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The first 10 minutes of this encounter saw strikers having a field day, as both sets of defenders struggled to come to terms with their opponents’ pace and penetration.
First, a measured pass from the Leopard’s Nick Roberts ended with Connor Hall being tripped by the Colts’ keeper; Bobby Harvey James stepped up to finish coolly from the penalty spot. Following an instant equaliser from the Colts, Alex Chalker then ran the ball from the half way line on the left and, following a check back in the area, found the back of the net through a number of defenders.Once again, the Colts struck back, this time with a fine lob from their central striker. James Elliott, City’s keeper, then kept his team on equal terms with a crucial leap to defy yet another Colts’ lob.
The second half saw Josh Harris, Peter Butler and Harvey Crouch nail things down much tighter at the heart of the Leopards’ defence, with Charlie Spence and Sam Pirie always busy just in front and on the left. As the game entered its last five minutes, Alex Chalker and Connor Hall combined to put Stanley Murton through; Stan didn’t disappoint with a fine lifted volley over the advancing keeper for his first goal of the season.
The drama wasn’t over yet; James Elliott capped a great performance with a penalty save down to his right, securing a memorable away win for City.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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The Leopards fought out a tough goal-less draw at Stoughton Rec. Both sides created chances and played some good football but, in the end, neither deserved to go away without a point.
Josh Harris, Peter Butler and Harvey Crouch all demonstrated encouraging progress in their defensive understanding and abilities, while Stanley Murton’s forward movement improved as the game went on. He was unlucky not to snatch a winner, foiled by a brave Albion keeper as he latched on to an excellent cross from Connor Hall.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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The Leopards started brightly in the rain, passing well and opening up the Vikings’ defence twice in the first ten minutes. First, Pirie and Hall combined on the left flank with a three pass interchange that sent Hall through to slot home. Second, the ball reached Hall unmarked in the opposition area and he struck home powerfully from fifteen yards out.
Far from lying down, Walton began a determined fight back. Long clearances found Vikings forwards sweeping through and some Leopards frailties began to appear. Spurning several chances to clear their lines, City conceded a first goal after a protracted goalmouth scramble. A second and third followed as defensive organisation failed and allowed Walton space and time to inflict damage.
The second half saw Hall restore parity & complete his hat-trick after latching on to a through ball and despatching firmly. Walton then edged in front, again making use of space allowed on the edge of the Leopards area with another well taken strike. The final 15 minutes were then a see-saw affair, although the Leopards played most of the football and created some great opportunities.
In the end the luck was not with City and, despite valiant efforts from Chalker, Haslett and McNamara, and a couple of strikes against the woodwork, Walton held firm and took the points.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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On a warm sunny afternoon the Leopards kicked off their League campaign with a hard fought home victory. The City side kept their shape well throughout the match and used width and space well against a Worplesdon side more inclined to bottle play up in midfield.
In the first half, it was Pirie, Roberts and Crouch who worked the most opportunities, with intelligent and accurate pass and run sequences that saw both Crouch and Hall getting in to good shooting positions. Despite several changes of personnel and positions at the back, City keeper Elliott marshalled his defence well and was rarely troubled, as Butler, Harris, McWilliam and Haslett combined effectively to snuff out forward forays.
In the second half City continued to hold the upper hand, with Hall, McNamara and Crouch each working hard to carve out chances for themselves and each other. However, it was Harvey James who capped a fine performance on the right by breaking the deadlock some 5 minutes from the end. He latched on to a precise Summersby ball out of a midfield melee and hammered an unstoppable shot in over the Sharks keeper’s head.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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The Leopards faced a tough test in their second pre-season seeding match. Fleet started brighter & penned the Guildford side back for the first 10 minutes. City’s brightest moments were a smooth turn & pass from Roberts, setting Hall up for a run and cross, and a slide rule through ball from Chalker, putting Murton in for a run on goal. Fifteen minutes in, Fleet scored after hesitant defending, and added a second when their rangy centre forward broke to space & finished with a long range lob.
Half time was a chance for the Leopards to take stock, and they came out with firm intent in the second half. Despite a third from Fleet, spirits stayed high, and Hall produced a reward by crashing a shot from the left side in to the far corner. Summersby then began to exert control in the centre of the pitch and Hall continued to rampage forward, unlucky not to add a second to his tally as he struck three times just wide of goal. This proved to be the Leopards best period and they conceded one more from a Fleet corner with just a few minutes to go.
The boys need to disregard results from these games, and focus instead on the many positives in terms of quality football and developing understandings on the pitch. Overall, we need more movement, & better movement, off the ball – better anticipation, & quicker reactions, on loose balls. Much of this will come simply from playing the game, and learning to read situations better. There’s also plenty of work to do on different aspects of defending and attacking, but the passing improved considerably as this match went on, despite the enduring strength and quality of the opposition.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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This first SPL seeding match gave Guildford City Leopards the opportunity to test themselves against a strong, fast Beaulieu team. Both sides played good passing football, despite their inexperience at the 11-a-side game. After 20 minutes of cut and thrust, Beaulieu struck with a crisp finish as Leopards failed to clear a cross ball. Despite determined attacking play & scoring chances for McNamara and Murton, Beaulieu resisted Leopards’ efforts until half time. Meanwhile, Elliott kept his side in the game with a superb triple save.
Early in the second half, Crouch chose a direct passing route, from the back & down the Leopards’ left flank, and found Hall sweeping in to level things up with a positive run and an assured cross shot. It was then more or less honours even, with Leopards best chance falling to Spence, who was unfortunate not to convert. In the dying minutes, however, Beaulieu managed a firmly struck winner from close range, taking the honours in a game from which both teams will have learnt a great deal.
Pitchside: Steve Summersby
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