Time to rally a battle cry....

Another nail-biting game this week, made all the more exciting as we near the end of the season & the points battle is hotting-up!
We could have done more... Should have done more, but these boys never take an easy route to reach their aim! This leaves the Division title available but with requirements... Failings on the part of Long Crendon Youth & expectations from Hale Leys... Its a win every game up to the last to attain the full 9 points & with luck Long Crendon will at best only achieve 3. I need to lay down in a darkened room again!!

Under 16’s – Division 2

Chalfont Saints 1 - Hale Leys Youth 0


A shock defeat away from home has put Hale Leys Youth dreams of a 3rd back-to-back division title in jeopardy yesterday (Sunday).

An early push from the Leys squad earned them a corner. Pat Hurst delivered a superb ball over the box & when keeper Gregor Wallace fumbled his save a scramble erupted to tip the ball in past him, it was only through the swift action of full back Billy Hunt that the strike was quashed.
Despite the visitors stringing together a good series of passes & a few breaks through the wings, Leys were just unable to break the deadlock & at halftime the game remained goalless.

The second half was a mirrored image of the first; a corner for Saints & Nathan Keys got a head to it but placed it just wide of the far post.
Leys responded with a forward push, a cross over the box to Luca Forchione that he guided towards goal. Wallace came out to gather it up but a second mishandling error left the ball loose; Forchione stepped in to re-target the net but again Hunt managed to block & clear the ball to safety.
The deadlock was eventually broken in favour of the home team midway through the half; an awarded corner was swung over the box & Saints forward Keys netted it past Gary Bidgway.
Saints tightened themselves up & held the visitors sufficiently to maintain their lead to the final whistle.

Keep them motors running...

A real hum-dinger of a match this week... It had Thrills... Spills (Tony)... And best of all, Goals (but not as many as we deserved)...

Under 16’s – Division 2

Penn & Tylers Green 1 – Hale Leys Youth 2

Hale Leys Youth pulled out a sparkling performance yesterday (Sunday) against what was set to be a strong opposition. Having been nudged from the top spot, which they have held all season, nothing less than a win was going to appease them.

The Aylesbury squad were switched on from the first kick & set the tempo high pushing many attacking chances forward & keeping the home side ‘Penn-ed in’. An attack down the right wing, eight minutes in, cleared through the defence & when the ball swung across the box Nathan Scarfe made light work of tipping it over keeper Stefan Yates.

Rattled, the home teams reply was to launch the ball forward when under pressure but despite the best efforts of forwards Connor Kelly & Tom Fifield they were unable to provide a significant threat to the visitors. Leys continued to make chances that kept Penn & Tylers defence & keeper Yates working hard to keep a clear area.

As the match approached halftime Leys continual harrying of the defence proved worthwhile. A move through the middle of the pitch by Scott Turner & a blunder in the Penn & Tylers defence came together in perfect harmony; Turner raising the ball over Yates once more.

The second half should have given the home side a slight advantage as they then had the slope of the pitch in their favour; but with the Leys ‘engines’ looking ‘turbo-charged’ fewer opportunities came their way than they expected.

Despite the advances having to be made uphill, Leys continued to push on, but it was a free kick awarded to Penn & Tylers that was to be an undoing of the previous 55 minutes. Delivered well the ball took a bounce that caught Leys off guard, giving Penn & Tylers Green number 10 the chance to tuck it away past Gary Bidgway.

With the home team gee-d up by their turn of fortune they continued to push hard changing their formation to bring a definite ‘three up front’ presence, but Leys wanted the win more & kept pushing to increase their lead.

Having seen their teammate from the back line (Turner) sink a goal away, both Leys left & right backs fancied in on the action. James Marsh on the left took a stretch of his legs & having taken the ball forward up to the edge of the area was unable to get a clear cross in to his supporting forwards; Chris Pope form the right however had a better chance, making a mazy run along the right wing & getting around the huge defender Kieran Reed but although he had a clearer view on goal it wasn’t clear enough & with the box filling up with both defence & forwards the shot at goal was scuffed wide of target.

The visitors held the score line up to the final whistle & with another 3 points in the bag the contest at the top of the table is going to go down to the wire.

Another resting weekend coming up so I'll be back with more at the end of the month...

Sadly my reporting days are nearing the end, changes of shift mean that as the battle at the top of the table hots-up Im going to have to hand the notebook to an assistant (sob-sob) But, all being well I can take their notes & keep writing the blog (yippee!)

A regal return to form...

After a few weeks out of action the Under 16's were again on the pitch & proving their fight has been in no way crushed after the last couple of disappointing results away from home. Every player had a part in the success, with notable mentions for Jeanmal Prosper who had his head on everything at the goal scoring end with the other end being covered well by ScottTurner & Chris Pope (for some reason any opposition that has come up against these boys in the past seems to steer clear of making attacks along the right wing.... maybe something to do with the left back??)

A great match to spectate, against a team (& inparticular a coaching team) that has a gentlemanly approach to the game in hand & the opposition (coaches, squad & spectators)

This manager is one of the few that I hold in high regard for his friendliness (even to a two-bit hack like myself!)

Under 16’s – Division 2

Marlow Royals 0 - Hale Leys Youth 3

Hale Leys Youth were back in control yesterday (Sunday) after a period of no games due to postponements & the last two away matches both going against them.

Leys fell quickly into a groove that worked for them, dominating the opposition half with the forwards keeping pressure on the defence & the midfield work rate at maximum.

Midway through the period a free kick for Leys, just inside their own half, was delivered cleanly by Jordan Murphy to late runner Chris Hawes. Keeper Ollie Atkins came forward to block the attack & when stretched on the ground left a clear opportunity for Hawes to tip the ball over Atkins before having to step over the floored keeper. Atkins required some attention for an injury sustained.

Royals responded hard with Laurence Griffith sending a targeted blast at goal but keeper Gary Bidgway blocked it without hesitation. Another push between Griffith & Ben Hegarty also failed to produce an equaliser before the break.

The second half saw Marlow push to get the game levelled again, another Griffith blast had Bidgway at full stretch to palm the ball onto the crossbar.

With the warning shot fired at them Leys settled down & with Pat Hurst running the ball along the right wing he turned it back into the box. Although not a great cross, the defending was less accurate & Luca Forchione made the gamble & slotted it past Atkins again.

The game continued on a pace with the visitors looking to put it beyond doubt & the Royals equally looking to swing it back. After a series of challenges on both sides along the wings Leys left back, James Marsh, came out of a clash with a minor concussion & was pulled off the pitch for treatment locally.

The match was put beyond doubt minutes into injury time when Durrelle Palmer targeted beyond Norths’ reach.

So with another win in the bag Hale Leys remain at the top of the table with the rest of the table biting at their heels.

As far as the concussed teenager goes.... well Im hard-pressed to tell the difference between the normal expression & that of the resultant injury! He came home & promptly insisted he was starving.... I think that means no change there then!!