Marsh-Wright ------------------- from the sidelines

The ground might have thawed.... but my feet haven't

2010-01-26T13:12:00.003Z

Sunday saw the Aylesbury Town U18's back in action away to Pitsone... at Wingrave(?)
A pretty solid first half for the visitors giving them the lead after 7 minutes but the celebrations were short lived when Pitsone equalised within minutes. Town continued to battle on & put a further 2 away midway through the half. The home team worked at reducing the deficit & were successful in the 40th minute only to have Town plant the ball inside the far post after a well placed cross found the head of the charging forward.
The second half was a more scrappy affair, with Town having to work up-hill but Pitstone not really capitolizing on the advantage. Pitsone clawed another goal back 15mins into the second half & both sides missed out on spectacular goal-mouth melee's with the ball miraculously staying out of the net leaving the scoreline unchanged at 4-3 to Town.

A good start to the New Year which gave one Town player the chance to chant the quote of the day "Unbeaten in 2010!!"

(Apologies for the lack of name detail)

I'll be back on the sidelines again...

2009-12-02T12:19:00.004Z

(The lesser known follow-up to Steve Winwoods - Back in the High Life)

No.... It's true..... Just look at the links opposite>>>>

J has re-signed for Sunday football joining Aylesbury Town (U18's Corinthians)

So I remembered very quickly the requirements needed for spectating parents.... hat, gloves, thermals & coffee....

Sadly (with the exception of the coffee, TWO HUGE flasks to serve three... yep the sidelines include Mr Mac) I remembered the other three items when reaching the oppositions car park in Milton Keynes!

I've also remembered three other key items I used to carry.... the notebook, pen & stopwatch...
I'm not planning to match report as regularly as I have in previous seasons but do intend to keep my hand in every now & again.... so let that be a warning to you!

Watching & Listening links updated

2009-11-19T16:00:00.001Z

Sidebar links have been updated.

Watching & Listening links updated

2009-11-10T09:01:00.002Z

Sidebar links have been updated.

Aylesbury FC....

2009-10-23T11:14:00.003+01:00

Aylesbury FC had the privelage of displaying the FA Cup last night as they are the only "Step 5" team still playing in the Cup Qualifying rounds. A good turn-out went down to the club for the photo opportunity which was displayed from 6pm until around 9pm. Plenty of media coverage has also been generated with the FA's own web team & BBC South East sports crew along with various newspaper journo's.

Steve MacDonald & myself with the prize that ALL football teams long to adorn their trophy cabinet.

Steve MacDonald made the comment of the evening just prior to the Cup being returned to the security guards...

"Ladies & Gentlemen the FA Cup will be available for photo's to be taken for the next 10 minutes..... It will be back again in May!!"

Aylesbury FC's cup run can be followed via the link on the menu or through the FA's own website

TheFA.com

Good luck to the squad in this weekends cup home fixture against Wealdstone.

Watching & Listening links updated

2009-10-22T14:23:00.005+01:00

Sidebar links have been updated

Below is just 1 more listening link that I couldn't get to fit the sidebar;

Jason Derulo Watcha Say (featuring Imogen Heap)
Featured on Radio 1 ALL last week as "Record of the Week" & soon to be released.

Watching & Listening links updated

2009-09-18T17:48:00.002+01:00

Sidebar links have been updated

Watching & Listening links updated

2009-09-04T21:11:00.001+01:00

Sidebar links have been updated

Watching & Listening links updated

2009-08-26T20:25:00.003+01:00

Sidebar links have been updated.

Quit nagging already....

2009-07-01T10:01:00.005+01:00

Ok, apology.... I said I'd review the season & I haven't.... I normally try to keep the watching/listening links fresh too & I haven't.... Sorry!

Having met up with a former cohort, it was suggested that I haven't been keeping on top of things at the blog & despite his regular checking nothing had been updated for a while; I reminded him that the season had ended, the under 16's may well go on to under 18's etc but not together & having irritated some of the footballing fraternity I hadn't got anything to update!

His response..... "Well update it with...I've got nothing to update!!"

Nothing to update!!!

I shall endeavour to keep the sidebar links refreshed and although I'm not going to Post-Mortem the season, a review is available - simply click the blog archive, read the original reports & enjoy the season again as much as I have.

On a final note for the season:
I would like to wish everyone linked with Hale Leys Youth (& previously Aylesbury Vale Youth) every success for the future & I'd also like to pass on my thanks (in no particular order)

The players of Hale Leys Youth & Aylesbury Vale Youth
The parents who stood the sidelines regardless of weather conditions
Sarah M-W & Macca (for looking after my insanity)
David & Sue Hawes, Paul Thorp, Murph (excuse the familiarity), Steve Kent, Tony Forchione & Barry Scarfe

Anyone who feels left out of the mentions I apologise (send a comment & I will amend the list.... if worthy!!)

In Limbo....

2009-05-12T13:48:00.003+01:00

The final match of the season scheduled for Sunday 10th May against Thame sadly wasn't played.
It is currently in the hands of the league whether the fixture will be played or the points awarded to Thame as an away win.

Personally I'd like to see the match played giving Hale Leys Youth the possibility to claim 2nd on the table (so long as Penn & Tylers Green miss out to Prestwood)

The season end beckons...

2009-04-29T13:46:00.005+01:00

Another short line or 2 this week due to work commitments...

Under 16's Division 2

Hale Leys Youth 2 - Penn & Tylers Green 2

Hale Leys youth tackled the first half well & in a game that was set to be tight had a 2 goal advantage as they went into the halftime break.
As the two squads returned to the pitch Penn & Tylers made a tactical change; the home side made an attempt to alter their shape but were unable to counter the visitors attack & the lead was reduced to a draw by the final whistle.

Another short break now until the lastgame of this season to be played on May 10th.

Title hopes slide away...

2009-04-21T17:31:00.006+01:00

A sad result for the Aylesbury lads this week made worse for me as the new shift pattern has kicked in & I wasn't able to attend & give a first-hand report, so brief is probably understatement of the decade...

U16's Division 2

Hale Leys Youth 3 - Prestwood Colts 5

The first half gave the home side a 3 goal advantage but the second half was a complete reversal of fortunes with the visitors finding themselves not only levelling but taking the game by storm.

I don't know at what point their game plan went awry but its safe to say that it definitely wasn't the result required to keep the possibility of the Div 2 title...

2 games left to play & even if the top spot is beyond your grasp that doesn't mean you have to retract your hands & stop trying, every point is another point to your gain.

For all:

I would like to distance my feelings from those of (former) manager David Hawes. 2 season back-to-back titles gives a bloody good indication of the level of these boys, (and I use the phrase boys because that is still what they are!) A 3rd title, although certainly a highly acclaimed prize, was always going to be tough. Having watched older & higher division teams play during the last couple seasons, it has proved (to me at least) that each year up brings with it a stronger opposition, each division up makes that even more apparent. The squad through all its variations over the last three seasons has always performed to a high level (even if on less than a handful of occasions it hasn't been quite high enough) & this season has been the toughest so far.

For the boys:
I have an obvious bias to be proud of my own son, James Marsh, who has given his all in his position as left back for the last 3 seasons, but I would also like to make it known to all that follow this blog that I share an equal level of pride for ALL the boys that have played with the squad through its current & previous incarnations. Despite what you may have read (on other blogs - now removed) You have conducted yourselves with a huge level of decorum & have set a true example of how teams should behave both on & off the pitch. Like myself, your parents should be rightly proud of each & every one of you, continue to conduct yourselves in this manner through the rest of your lives & you wont go far wrong.

A bigger appraisal of this season will follow after the last match of the season is played on 10th May, a game that I am hoping to be able to see & give a proper report on.

Time to rally a battle cry....

2009-03-30T13:35:00.003+01:00

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...

2009-03-16T13:26:00.005Z

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...

2009-03-02T11:38:00.006Z

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!!

What a difference a Ref makes....

2009-02-02T15:16:00.005Z

After last weeks farcical..... no, outrageous nonsense of a game, it was fantastic to see the Leys squad set with clear-minds ready to take on the job in hand. The quality of play was present (sadly finish wasn't) but the game was conducted well & the one-sidedness of last week was put well behind them.

On a further note of last weeks...... no, words have failed me..... Emails have been passed forward to the Referees Secretary for consultation at the next league committee meeting, I am looking forward with great anticipation to some feedback on the subject & will keep you updated to their actions on the matter.

In the meantime, there is this weeks report to peruse & a fine selection of my viewing & listening for this week (albeit in my most humble opinion)

Under 16’s – Division 2

Long Crendon Youth 2 - Hale Leys Youth 0

Hale Leys Youth returned disappointed yesterday (Sunday) after what was a closely fought & visually thrilling match.

The first half was filled with attack & counter-attack but was mostly a standoff between the two sides. Long Crendon opened with a bold stance but the visitors where more than ready to hold their position & were prepared to battle, putting in a couple of strikes that kept keeper Dan Taylor-Abreu on his toes.

Long Crendons’ Ryan Scott earned them the lead 2 minutes before halftime; a break from midfield had Scott charging forward, a cheeky “flick-over & run” was enough to get him through the defence & target beyond keeper Gary Bidgways’ grasp.

The second half gave a definite feeling of déjà vu, with play taking a familiar pattern; Leys getting chances that just wouldn’t come to fruition & Crendon replying with dangerous breaks that kept the defence line working hard to quash.

As the match drew to a close Leys looked hard within themselves to try & grab an equaliser, when in the 76^th minute a Long Crendon corner put the game beyond doubt. From the set piece the ball curled over the well-filled box & although the defence managed to turn the ball away from goal Joss Robinson was on hand to sink it away through the confusion.

Add your own title here....

2009-01-26T12:32:00.006Z

I dont envy the match officials job one bit, a thankless task if ever there was one, but why make yourself even more unpopular?
Im not going to use this platform as a soapbox (well, not any more than usual) but the temptation at yesterdays farce to pack up my notepad & climb into my warm car & leave was huge. Leaving the left-back behind (& the managers wife & daughter) oh yes, and Mrs M-W, would have meant almost certain death so I stayed. Then I thought I could use a silent protest... but the local papers dont always run my reports (& no-one reads my blog) so next weeks papers not having my match report is hardly a sign of an uprising!! Anyway, more of my waffle at the bottom of the page, theres the small matter of yesterdays match to read through first....

Under 16’s – Division 2

Widmer End Utd 2 - Hale Leys Youth 1

Hale Leys Youth were swindled into their first loss of the season yesterday (Sunday) away to Widmer End Utd.

Leys started strongly & despite a boggy area of the pitch holding the ball up; made good play towards the Widmer End goal area. Although not completely pinning the home side back in their half they did keep a continual threat present.

A penalty awarded to Hale Leys after 15 minutes gave Luca Forchione the opening goal, cleanly slotting the ball past the keeper.

Five minutes later & Widmer seized their opportunity, a break forward brought keeper Ashley Kent out to dive to & capture the ball; but his outstretched hand was ‘studded’ & the pain left him down as the forward managed to stride over him & turn the ball into the net. Kent was substituted for regular keeper Gary Bidgway when he was unable to re-glove his hand.

Leys narrowly missed out on regaining their lead just ahead of the break when Luca Forchione turned in a masterful strike that targeted the back of the net perfectly but an extremely late line call saw the goal disallowed.

The second half gave an early free kick for Leys that Pat Hurst placed to the top corner of the goal & the keeper did well to punch the ball over the bar.

But from that point the game descended to a farce; poor officiating saw a clean challenge from Leys’ left back James Marsh outside the box result in a penalty being awarded; and when Forchione was brought down in the box play was waved on. This lead to poor feeling from the visiting spectators but the discipline of the visiting squad kept moving towards recapturing the game, but sadly with the poor officiating they were unlikely to get the point.

I've seen matches were this sort of officiating has resulted in on-pitch brawling (managers & former managers reading this may know where Im coming from) so with the 'Respect the Ref' campaign being pushed all the way through football I think its actually up to the Ref to earn it by performing his duties without bias or prompting from either squad (or their coaches).

Commendable discipline of the Hale Leys boys, in my view, showing the greater control (of inappropriate language) & respect to others you are the bigger winners..... the bigger men.

A Thame start to the New Year...

2009-01-19T13:08:00.005Z

Another bitterly cold pitch-side vigil yesterday in a (nearly) local derby. Plenty of passion from the sidelines (from both teams representatives) in a match that became scrappy (at best) & sloppy (at worst)

Under 16’s – Division 2

Thame Youth 2 - Hale Leys Youth 2

After a long break due to poor weather, re-arranged fixtures & of course Christmas; Hale Leys Youth returned home with a point after a scrappy away meeting with mid-table Thame Youth.

A slow start from both teams with Leys getting the first important break; Simon Dunne pulling out a sparkling run from midfield and then slotting the ball across the goal & into the net.
A penalty midway through the half awarded to Leys, which Luca Forchione slotted away, should have put the visitors in a commanding position into the break but a last minute goal from Ryan Murray reduced the Thame deficit.

The second half kicked off with Thame sending the ball directly to the goalmouth of the visitors. Jack Lankester pushing the ball beyond the reach of Gary Bidgway to level the scores.
A Thame free kick from midway in the Leys half was sent over the wall & a melee to secure the loose ball ended in a shot at goal that struck the far post & a parried attempt at the rebound was sent wide.

Neither team managed to get the better of the other & the pace slowed as both sides succumbed to the bitter-cold wind that cut across the field of play & a draw was the best result either team could muster.

The point still keeps Hale Leys Youth at the top of the table.

Happy New Year....

2009-01-05T15:41:00.005Z

... to one & all.

You may have noticed that the ground was rather crisp underfoot yesterday... Infact, concrete has been known to have more 'give' in it!! So having cancelled setting my alarm clock when I got in from work at 4AM (the match bound to be postponed & no point disturbing my bear-like hibernation slumber)
I was woken at 8.30 for the meet & subsequent drive to Chalfont St Peter.
11AM match postponed!! 12.30 back to bed!!

Next week is a resting one again so nothing till the following week maybe?? (Unless of course the snow that made its way in lastnight decides to settle for the long-term)

Fa-la-la-la-lah (la-la-la-lahh)...

2008-12-15T13:34:00.011Z

The weather wreaked havoc through the fixtures this week with most games throughout the league having to be postponed.

So with nothing to report before Christmas it only leaves for me to say;

Thankyou for following the efforts of the squad through the past year & I look forward to bringing you more in the New Year...

click here for seasonal animation

Fixtures restart 4th January...

When the going gets tough...

2008-12-02T15:26:00.005Z

Holding fast their position at the top of Div 2, 6 points clear of the 2nd & 3rd place teams; Penn & Tylers Green & Widmer End Utd, both of whom have a game in hand.
It was always going to be a tough game, (Wycombe teams often are) and it returned a fair result with a turn of fortunes for both sides throughout the 80 minutes.

Under 16’s – Division 2

Hale Leys Youth 2 – Widmer End Utd 2

A full 80 minutes of action played at the Fairford Leys football pitches yesterday (Sunday). Widmer End Utd were always going to be a strong opposition & they held Leys deep in their half for much of the first half.
As the game moved into the 27th minute Leys forfeited a penalty to United, which Jake Sherwin slotted away. Leys, disappointed at the awarding of the penalty, upped their game & started making more chances to push forward.
Three minutes before the break & Nathan Scarfe had pushed along the left wing & closed on the United box. With keeper Tim Warner well off his line, Scarfe took a shot that defied the laws of physics as it swung behind the keeper & in to level the scores.

The opening of the second half & Hale Leys were fully back on form, with two close attempts on goal made in the first 5 minutes. Widmer End were still dangerous on a break though; fast-paced striker Nigel Mprfu receiving a long ball on the left of the box which was swung in but, luckily for Leys, rattled the near post.
The to-and-fro of possession continued throughout the half until, having made a Leys break in the 28th minute, Pat Hurst was caught on his own in the right corner; jockeying to get around the defence Hurst put a cross into the 18yd box. The incoming Luca Forchione sadly scuffed his attempt but Nathan Scarfe was more successful, burying the ball through the defence & keeper to put the home side ahead for the first time in the match.
Leys continued to hold their position & keep United penned into their own half; but having gone from a goal ahead to a goal behind the Widmer End resolve was strengthened. Another quick break for the visitors & again Mprfu was moving at speed along the left wing, having managed to just out-pace the Leys right-back, his shot was accurately targeted & again the scores were levelled which was how they remained at the final whistle.

With resident keeper, Gary Bidgway, out of action for the match Ashley Kent moved back 20 yds from the back four & into the goalmouth & a superb job he did there too. Luca Forchione also put in a great show with two precision targeted shots disallowed through highly debatable line calls.

Another break in fixtures next week for the Leys boys before they resume their league title campaign against Prestwood Colts on the 14th December.

Haven't we met before...?

2008-11-24T11:27:00.004Z

Rumour has it winter is on its way, but those hardened souls that stand the sidelines think nothing of freezing temperatures & laugh at the prospect of sideways rain!! (In truth, we'd all be happily commited to the local loony-bin if only they hadn't built rather swish 3/4/5 bedroom houses on it a few years back!)

....I digress, not too unusual in fairness.... Another home game this week, a back-to-back against Chiltern Athletic Colts. Now I quite like it when fixtures do this, like changes at half-time anything different stands out fresh in your memory (& with a memory like mine I need all the help I can get). It made me smile to see the most obvious change to the opposition. Moved from right-forward (Ollie Raabe) had been shuffled across the pitch on to the left. With James Marsh getting all over what should have been their goal scorer last week it looked like an attack from the left was going to be more favourable...
....Out of the frying pan & into....
....I'd love to know what was going through the strikers heads when they came up against the other three; Jordan Murphy, Chris Pope & Scott Turner...

Anway to the game...

Under 16’s – Division 2

Hale Leys Youth 4 – Chiltern Athletic Colts 0

Hale Leys Youth took a resounding win yesterday (Sunday) at home against last week’s opposition Chiltern Athletic Colts.

Opening with the same strength as last week, Leys took control of the game; Luca Forchione sending a warning blast just wide across goal in the first 5 minutes. Three minutes later and an incident that brought Forchione down in the area gave away a penalty for the home side; and he made no effort in converting it to the score sheet.
With the pressure being piled on the visitors, any errors were capitalized upon & when they were unable to take advantage of a throw deep in the Leys Half the break forward was beyond them to halt. Pat Hurst running through centre knocked on to Forchione, a superb one-touch ball across & forward-runner Chris Hawes slotted it away without hesitation past the reach of Callum Harris.
The Colts gave away a second penalty before the end of the half after a handball in the box & Forchione buried it again.

The half-time team discussion gave a new approach for the Colts & a little complacency from Hale Leys saw two quick breaks only scuppered by a lack of finish in front of goal; but it was enough to wake Leys up to the oppositions capabilities.
Strengthened again, the Leys squad pushed hard to increase their lead & at the 55-minute mark Forchione slid another past the substitute keeper, Andre Dahlgren.
Immediately after the restart Colts made a break from a long lob over midfield. With only keeper Gary Bidgway to beat the shot from the onward running Charlie Kirby was skied over the bar & the threat ended.
In an almost final push for Leys, left forward Nathan Scarfe turned & gave himself a space to target the top left corner of goal; outstretched Dahlgren managed to push the ball wide for a corner, which Colts defended well.
Keeping the momentum to the final whistle Leys held the game without any drama & add another 3 points to their top of the table position.

Back to the winning way....

2008-11-17T10:06:00.003Z

Definitely a November match day yesterday, cold with the threat of drizzle. Not that any of that dampened the spirits of either the team or the supporters. After last weeks tough game against an even tougher opposition, where the boys never let their heads go down, the determination carried over into this weeks match & what a mindset it was too!

Under 16’s – Division 2

Chiltern Athletic Colts 0 - Hale Leys Youth 3

Hale Leys Youth strengthened their position at the top of the table yesterday (Sunday) with an away win over Chiltern Athletic Colts.
Solid performances from the entire squad allowed Leys to take the dominant stance & control the midfield. The back four quashed any breaks that were made for the home team & in particular those of Ollie Raabe.
Despite Leys opportunities on goal, accuracy of finish wasn’t quite as switched on as the rest of their play; the first goal not coming until just ahead of the interval when Chris Hawes squeezed across the halfway line & delivered a well measured ball forward to Luca Forchione; who in turn placed it beyond the reach of keeper Callum Harris.

The second half continued in the same way, Chiltern being held in midfield & often pinned in their own half, with right back Ollie Shaw having to pull out all the stops & keep Leys away from the box.
Nathan Scarfe battled on the left wing for Leys & emerged with the ball; Hawes received & touched it on for Forchione. The shot across the goalmouth cleared over Harris & rattled the far post as it rebounded into the net.
Attacking from all channels Colts barely had time to recover from one onslaught to the next & the match was wrapped-up when Scarfe slotted away the final goal after a break on the right wing by Kasim Zargar.

Next week should be an equally interesting match...
Back at home again.... Chiltern Athletic Colts!

Brothers in Arms....

2008-11-10T12:34:00.005Z

A fantastic effort put in by the whole squad yesterday. Bucks CC under 16's are a most formidable power, Division One winners for the last two seasons & runners up at under 13 level, they are highly organized & exceedingly strong. The result, at a glance, doesn't do the match justice. In fact I have to admit, on reading the report, it doesn't do the match justice. We have all come to know that the collective that make up the Hale Leys squad are highly motivated & never give up. Without doubt, a lesser side would have rolled-over & given away a double-figure deficit without a seconds thought. The HL boys are becoming men & should be proud of their achievement yesterday, a loss yes, but not an annihilation by any stretch of the imagination.

Under 16’s – Berks & Bucks Cup Round 2

Hale Leys Youth 0 – Bucks CC 8

After a bye in the 1st round of the B&B Cup the 2nd round played a local derby against a very formidable Bucks CC. It was to be an exciting match throughout the full 80 minutes.
The teams assembled on the centre circle with 2 minutes silence to mark Remembrance Day. The quiet was quickly broken as the visitors piled on the pressure & pushed hard into the Leys half, a clearance out to the halfway gave a 2nd chance to attack; as the forwards squeezed into the box Joe Pickwick turned in a cross to the bottom left corner of the Leys goal with only three minutes played.
Leys tightened up after the initial surprise & held the midfield well; but 22 minutes into the period & Sam Ward found space to deliver from just right of goal & again found the bottom left corner.
The game continued on & after a brief halt in play due to Leys injuries & Bucks’ made another attempt at goal with a header rebounding off the crossbar & the 2nd strike pushed wide.
35 minutes played & Pickwick found space in the middle to receive & deliver another on target shot. Teammate Marcus Brown joined the scoresheet seconds before the end of the half turning in a cross.

The second half opened, & despite the scoreline, Hale Leys continued to keep a spirited approach to the task at hand. An epic battle for possession just outside the Leys 18yd box & James Marsh emerged with the ball for Leys, sending it forward to safety; but it was only a brief respite, Ward was soon harrying the defence again & found enough space to get a well targeted shot off.
As in the 1st half, Leys tightened their game, which caused frustration for the visitors. Jack Welch provided another goal midway through the period & it was quickly followed up by Pickwick’s hat trick just 3 minutes later.
Hale Leys had a fantastic opportunity denied, Simon Dunne getting a break that brought him almost in front of goal. Keeper Daniel Kelly blocked his attempt & although both Nathan Scarfe & Luca Forchione supported him they were unable to get a targeted shot in before Kelly managed to cover the ball.
As the rain came descended it did little to dampen the spirit of the game, with both sides looking to make a break. Welch concluded the goal tally in the 35th minute, although a last second strike by Pickwick screamed inches over the crossbar.

When the Saints went marching in...

2008-10-20T13:45:00.003+01:00

League Cup round 2 this week against Chalfont Saints. A strong opposition (as they all are at this level) with a well organized midfield that kept the Leys boys on their toes through the first half....

...well, read for yourself......

Under 16’s – League Cup Round 2

Hale Leys Youth 1 – Chalfont Saints 2

Hale Leys Youth were knocked out of the 2nd round of the League Cup by fellow division 2 team Chalfont Saints.
The visitors mainly dominated the first half, however Saints let two opportunities at filling the Leys area slip past in the first 10 minutes. Hale Leys picked up their efforts & held the visitors in the midfield & it took well into the period before the opening goal arrived. A run through the centre by Saints Joe Keogh was flicked back to supporting forward James Whitfield who struck the ball precisely & sunk it past keeper Gary Bidgway.
A Hale Leys corner awarded just ahead of the half-time whistle gave a glimmer of levelling for the break but despite a poor clearance out it was launched over the bar.

The second half opened with a more determined & slightly altered home team. A free kick to Leys was delivered cleanly by Andy Thorp but palmed over the bar by Saints keeper Gregor Wallace.
Chalfont made another break along the left side, delivered towards the 18yd box, Whitfield put a touch in that managed to lob Bidgway & despite scrambling back he was helpless to watch the ball find the back of the net.
Hale Leys tightened their play once more & re-settled themselves into holding the visitors from increasing their lead. Mid way through the period & another scoring opportunity presented itself for Leys; a set-piece corner & Simon Dunn got his head to the ball & put it past Wallace.
The game continued to battle on with neither side managing to get the better of the other & so the match ended with Hale Leys having to accept their first loss of the season.

Some confusion over fixture dates set by the League, (due to school half-term holidays), so next weeks planned fixture against Penn & Tylers Green may be postponed until later in the season.

A dish best served cold...?

2008-10-13T16:48:00.002+01:00

I recall only to well the subdued coach journey home from Marlow back at the beginning of May. OK, back then we were beaten by a more organised squad from a division up, but that didn't stop the "Never Say Die" crew from giving their absolute all. This one deserves more than the usual coffee & Biscuit..... hell, this deserves a party..!!

Under 16’s – Division 2

Hale Leys Youth 3 – Long Crendon Youth 1

In a high-paced & exciting game yesterday (Sunday) Hale Leys Youth took a resounding win over Long Crendon Youth, keeping them at the top of the table. For many of the Hale Leys squad however, there was an even greater personal desire to win. Having met Long Crendon at the end of last season, under the banner of Aylesbury Vale Youth FC, in the Referees Charity Cup Final where Long Crendon took the title.
Hale Leys pushed the tempo high from the start, putting pressure on Crendons midfield & defence; however the visitors were to be dangerous on a break, creating space for themselves & creating options quickly.
Midway through the period & a Hale Leys strike slides just left of target. The goal kick was picked up by Leys but after being dispossessed, Crendon made a break through the centre, assisted by captain Alex Farley. A shot was slotted past the outstretched Gary Bidgway but unfortunately rolled wide of the post.
Hale Leys provided the opening goal after 25 minutes; a free kick, just inside the Long Crendon half, supplied by Andrew Thorp was lofted over the goal area & Simon Dunn managed to get the head in.
The level of play remained high; and it wasn’t long before the visitors managed to capitalize on a break. Managing to find space on the left wing & outpacing the defence to plant a shot firmly beyond Bidgways reach.

The second half opened with a small formation change for Leys, which held them strong defensively for the period and at the striking end of the field they were making every option count too. Pat Hurst received a cross in front of keeper Matt Ricketts but his header struck the crossbar.
Hale Leys resolve was exceptional against a strong opposition. Chris Hawes made a play through the midfield sending the ball forward to Jeanmal Prosper who gave one touch leaving a clear run through for Luca Forchione to finish off.
Forchione put the scoreline another step away from the visitors after being awarded a penalty, in the 63rd minute, which he placed with precision.
Despite some good positional play by Long Crendon they were just not able to get back into the game, the Hale Leys confidence, however, was brimming; this was the result most of the squad would have wanted on May 6th.

Get in!!! Still top of the table, a placing that these boys seem to have made a habit of in the past. Keep putting the effort in lads, that 3rd crown isn't going to be just given to you... there are 8 other teams who want it for themselves.

Weekend Off...

2008-10-07T16:40:00.002+01:00

No match on Sunday but the squad will be back in action this coming Sunday (12th Oct) at home to Long Crendon Youth (see Referees Cup May 7th)

Just like old times....

2008-09-30T15:06:00.004+01:00

Marlow Royals.... an opposition that always makes for a good football match. They were also promoted this season & deservedly so....

Under 16’s – Division 2

Hale Leys Youth 1 – Marlow Royals 1

Hale Leys Youth were held to a draw at home yesterday, (Sunday), against former Division 3 rivals, Marlow Royals. In another afternoon kick off, the start belonged to the visitors. Making play on goal in the first minute; forwards Dean Bonwick & Ben Lutterman were keen to open the scoring. The strike was lofted over the crossbar & Leys had a reprieve. The Royals continued to apply pressure on the home midfield & defence for the next 5 minutes.
Then Hale Leys got a their first real chance, Luca Forchione just inside Marlow’s 18yd box was closed in, touching the ball out right to Pat Hurst who despatched it at goal. Sadly, like the previous Marlow attempt, it was high.
The visitors were awarded a free kick from midway inside the Leys half. The delivery was accurate & found a strikers head. The touch in at goal was palmed away by keeper Gary Bidgway. A second Royals free kick was awarded in the 10th minute, this time just inside their own half on the left wing. Delivered by Ben North, the incoming ball cleared the wall & glanced the head of defence James Marsh & ricocheted over the reach of Bidgway to put the visitors ahead.
A few minutes spent settling themselves & Leys were starting to switch on. Chris Hawes taking a free kick from a good position that left Royals keeper Ollie Atkins only able to block but not pickup the ball. Without sufficient backup in the box Leys weren’t able to capitalise on the loose ball.
Just over midway through the period & two Hale Leys corners in quick succession gave the home side their opportunity. Pat Hurst delivering & with Atkins out-stretched the ball passed between his hands & Forchione positioned almost right behind him turned it into the net.
The Leys morale lifted they toughened up in all areas & started to tip the balance of play back in their favour. Bidgway giving a long goal kick that Forchione took up the pitch, the blast-strike at goal was gallantly blocked & sent away by Atkins.

The second half & Marlow managed to battle their way up to the edge of the area, James Marsh standing his ground against the striker put sufficient pressure on to force a poor cross that Bidgway had no trouble in collecting.
Hale Leys Simon Dunn also managed to get a break & finding space poked a cheeky shot at goal but the score remained unchanged.
The rest of the game descended into a stalemate, with both sides having played hard for the previous 55 minutes; no one was able to break the deadlock. The final score reflected a fair representation of the game.

So unlike previous encounters neither side managed to steal a last minute winner, so over the meetings we've had thats all three results covered; a loss, a win & now a draw!!

As a final note
On Saturday afternoon I managed to get to Aylesbury Vale FC to watch the recent leg of the FA Cup preliminary rounds. Drawn against Gosport Borough, Vale were to be the underdogs; but with 'dogged' determination held the visitors to a draw. Good Luck for the squad, who are travelling to Hampshire tonight for the replay.

The boys are back in town...

2008-09-22T15:18:00.003+01:00

In what was threatening to be a strong match, the HL boys pulled off another thrilling victory. An afternoon kick-off on a warm & sunny afternoon made a pleasant change from some previous games (Berkhamsted 28th April!!) Plenty of goal scoring opportunities for the boys but sadly, as the scoreline reflected, they didn't all come to fruition...

Under 16’s – Division 2

Hale Leys Youth 2 – Chalfont Saints 0

Hale Leys Youth put in a solid performance yesterday afternoon (Sunday) against Chalfont Saints, with the whole squad focused on what was set to be a gritty game.

Leys pushed hard from the start. A lob over Saints midfield fell to the feet of Luca Forchione; unable to get a clean shot off, a cross to the head of Nathan Scarfe was tapped inches past the post. Saints managed to get themselves forward through the efforts of James Whitfield & although they filled the Leys area, were unable to gain any advantage from an awarded throw & subsequent corner kick.
A second Leys attack was inches from target & Saints reply was equally unlucky; having made a run along the right wing edging past the defence, keeper Gary Bidgway came forward to close on the attack. The through ball eluded Bidgway & rolled up to the post & gently rebounded back to safety.
With only 15 minutes having been played, a penalty awarded to Leys for an attack on Forchione was sent skywards & the deadlock remained. The home side continued to make chances & a switch of play delivered forward by Pat Hurst gave Nathan Scarfe the deadlock-breaking goal; slotted just inside the left post in the 22nd minute.
The visitors strengthened themselves making for a stalemate for the remainder of the half except for a last Forchione strike. Saints keeper, Gregor Wallace, blocked the first strike; Forchione struck the rebound & the ball was cleared off the line by a defender.

Refreshed by the break, the Hale Leys squad were on a mission. Forchione, having made a run down the right, pushed the ball just wide of target. 55 minutes played & Leys went one more ahead. Pat Hurst delivering a superbly placed corner & Chris Hawes capitalizing from a late run into the area.
Saints keeper wasn’t given much breathing space just over midway through the half either. Scarfe raised the ball over the midfield to captain Michael O’Neill who blasted a shot at goal. Wallace blocked the first & rebound attacks & managed to stretch on top of the loose ball before O’Neill got another chance on it.
The visitors were battling to get back into the game. Awarded a corner which they took short & then delivered into the heavily filled Leys 18yd box, Joe Keigh getting a shot in which Bidgway palmed away.
Well into the second half & a lofted ball that Hurst picked up & having out-paced the Saints left-back brought him one-on-one with Wallace. The keeper stood his ground & Hurst could only manage to send it wide of the post.
With only the dying minutes of play left a Saints free kick was delivered cleanly over the defending wall but was collected by Bidgway & immediately despatched forward for Leys. Kasim Zargar sent the ball across the defence; only the swift action of Leys Jeanmal Prosper kept it in play just left of goal. Pushing it out to Jordan Murphy to give himself space to receive it back, Prosper despatched the ball towards the target but sailed it across the goalmouth.

Back in the high life again...

2008-09-15T09:53:00.004+01:00

Oh yes... its back to the rituals of the weekends. Lots to catch up on from the summer break.

Firstly a bit of closure on a subjest from way back. Cast your mind back to January & the clash between AVFC U16's & Aylesbury Town (posted 8th Jan). Dean Broomhead, who suffered an horrific injury in the match, is now back on the pitch & played approx 55 minutes for Aylesbury Town last weekend.

I also had a free opportunity to catch up with the Aylesbury Vale 1st team game on Saturday. An FA Cup qualifying round against Downton, which the home team took 2-0 (Full match details via the AVFC link). Draw for the next round is to be announced later today.
Being back at the club also gave me an opportunity to catch up with friendly faces from the last two seasons & Im encouraged to hear (& see) that the club, in its entirity is turning itself upward. Its good to see all involved so positive for the clubs future & the formerly retired Chairman, Steve McDonald, back doing his stuff! (I knew it wouldn't last long!!).

And finally..... Well only chronologically (Sunday coming at the end of the weekend & all that)
Sunday was the opening game of the season for Hale Leys Youth FC in the 2nd Division. Without doubt a battle... but as these boys have proved time & again... If it ain't a battle it probably ain't worth doing!!

Under 16’s – Division 2

Prestwood Colts 3 - Hale Leys Youth 4

The visitors went to work from the opening minutes & when a free kick was awarded to Leys within the first 5 minutes, Chris Hawes was inches from leading the scoresheet, the well-placed ball striking the right corner of the crossbar. The Colts managed to get a break a few minutes later when Gareth Chendlik, playing up front, received a lob that he then turned in at goal. Keeper Gary Bidgway, having moved forward to try & intercept was helpless except to watch the ball clear his reach before a final bounce saw it into the net (6th minute).
Hale Leys kept pushing at the Colts goal area & keeper Richard Smith had plenty of work to keep him busy. A corner delivery into the swarming 6yd box from Leys Kasim Zargar required lightning reactions from Smith. Chris Hawes also had another long strike that Smith managed to block & hurriedly pick up.
Hale leys made a lot of the play through the half but Prestwood were exceedingly dangerous on a sudden break, utilising the pace & timing of Chendlik & Luke Warner.

A few changes to the Hale Leys squad at halftime completely changed the dynamics of the visitors. 9 Minutes played and another set piece corner for Leys; this time delivered by Pat Hurst that found the head of Michael O’neill (capt). The levelled scores didn’t stay that way for long, Charlie Hudson punishing Bidgway for his poor goal kick.
Undeterred, the visitors maintained their focus. In an incident in the 55th minute that brought Luca Forchione down in the area, a penalty was awarded & Forchione sunk the ball away without hesitation. He was back again in the 58th minute when he received a forward pass but quickly had his options cut; passing the ball out left then receiving it back almost immediately he turned it in on goal taking the visitors ahead for the first time in the game.
A Prestwood corner in the 70th minute became a Prestwood penalty* that Chendlik placed beyond Bidgway to bring the scores level once more.
In a final push of determination for the visitors, Simon Dunn managed to battle through from the halfway line. Having got himself on the edge of the 18yd area he slotted the ball through the defence & left Smith too little time to get sight of it.

*Bemusement around the sidelines over this decision as none of the spectators could say what had occured to give rise to the decision; but as this wasn't the first or even the last 'unusual' decision made through the match, who are we to comment...??

'ere we go, 'ere we go, 'ere we go....

2008-09-09T12:12:00.004+01:00

So we're back on the trail again, another year older & another division up. A few new signings this season & sadly the loss of one or two lads that helped achieve that status the team holds to-date(under Aylesbury Vale U15's banner).

Joining the squad (in no particular order) are; Simon Dunn, Kasim Zargar, Jeanmal Prosper & Jordan Wells.
We say farewell to Craig Stillwell, who played up a year group last season to great effect but who is going to pursue his football career elsewhere this season. Segun Fawole is also pursuing interests away from the squad this season. We wish both of them all the best with their futures, they were an asset to the bench & will be missed by those of us that paced the sidelines last season.

Also released from the squad are; Aidan Knight, Alex Drury & Dom Pickles.

But before I go there is the little matter of a pre-season friendly to mention.
Custard creams - Check
Large Latte - Check
Phones on 'silent' - .......enjoy.

Under 16’s – Friendly

Hale Leys Youth 3 – Aylesbury Town 1

The newly established Hale Leys Youth, (previously Aylesbury Vale Youth) gave a sparkling performance in a friendly against last season Div 2 winners Aylesbury Town.

The home team looked in great shape from the start, stepping up a level on last season’s game play, setting the tempo & keeping control. Leys kept play well into Towns’ half through the early stages & it wasn’t until midway through the half that Towns’ George ‘Nobby’ Hatt managed to get a run on the home side; receiving a pass just outside the 18yd box which he despatched towards goal. Hale Leys keeper, Gary Bidgway, came out for the save & cleared back for the start of a break for Leys.
Town now had to defend hard as the surge by Hale Leys gave plenty of options. A keeping error from Liam Twyman and Nathan Scarfe slotted the ball in. Debuting for Hale Leys, Simon Dunn took a chance shot that nearly put the home side two goals clear into the break; his strike from midway into Towns’ half had Twyman stretching to tip the ball out for a corner from the bottom left of goal.

The start of the second half and Hale Leys made some squad changes. The scene wasn’t quite that of the first period with Leys not gelling as they had; a costly error in their defence brought the scores level when Tom Grantham struck an own goal 10 minutes into the half. However it was their only real error of the match & the shape returned to the game.
In the 22nd minute Dunn was on the advance again; & netted two more for Hale Leys within 5 minutes, getting a run on Towns’ quick defender, Gage Boyle. With the final whistle poised to blow; Towns’ Twyman had to react quickly after a misplaced goal kick passed straight to Jordan Murphy who in turn despatched it straight back at goal. The subsequent block by Twyman brought the match to a close.

The season-proper starts next week with an away meeting to Prestwood Colts.

The 2008/2009 squad....

2008-08-26T15:52:00.004+01:00

The 08/09 Squad Hale Leys Youth FC

Pre Season has begun....

2008-08-02T15:47:00.004+01:00

The newly formed, (well, in name at least) Hale Leys Youth under 16's are into their pre-season training through until the season proper begins in September.

I hope to get some pictures uploaded soon....

Roll Out The Red Carpet...

2008-06-24T13:43:00.004+01:00

Aylesbury Vale Youth Under 15's held their Awards Presentation night on Sunday (22nd) & quite an evening it was too. The club was at bursting point with family & friends of the, (to use somebody else's phrase) "group of quite remarkable young men."
The award winners were;

Golden Boot - presented by Mike Stillwell
Luca Forchione
Supporters Player of the Season - presented by Alan "Shakin" Marsh-Wright
James Marsh
Clubman - presented by managers assistant Paul Thorp
Andrew Thorp
Players Player of the Season - presented by Captain Michael O'Neil
Chris Pope
Managers Player of the Season - presented by David Hawes
Nathan Scarfe

Well Done to all the award-holders.

Steve MacDonald MC'd the proceedings in his final duty at Aylesbury Vale. He is taking some time off after 9 years of service to the club and, (although I think too many weekends off will drive him crazy(er)) we wish him all the best for this retirement.

This was also the last official gathering of what has been Aylesbury Vale Youth. Next season sees a new beginning for the boys when they will be playing under a new affiliation. The Under 16's of 2008/09 will be playing as Hale Leys Youth and much work has been going on in the background to allow the boys to continue to play at their newly achieved Div 2 status. Thanks must go to Sarah Marsh-Wright (Youth Secretary AVFC) and Steve MacDonald (Chairman AVFC) for the correspondence with both Wycombe & South Bucks League and the Berks & Bucks FA to allow this transition. Sarah will also be continuing her role as youth secretary with Hale Leys.

So the colours & name will be changing for the team but the faces wont. I am looking forward to bringing more reports to you from the restart of the season in September.

Going back to the presentation night; I would like to give my thanks for the presentation I received. The match reports(??) that I have written & this blog for that matter are an absolute pleasure to do. The boys efforts deserve to be put out for all to see & read; Beckham, Rooney & the likes get much media attention & a large salary to boot, the least these young men can get in recognition is a few lines in the local papers. I will continue to push youth football out to all for as long as I am able to do so.

Thank you.

I am awaiting images from the evening & as soon as I have sufficient I will publish them too.

Generic Banner...

2008-06-06T14:23:00.002+01:00

I make my apologies for not posting last week, but with no football what were you here looking for anyway..!
That said, I will be back for a quick mention of the U15's Presentation Evening which is being held on 22nd June. Until then... and then until the new season, I shall endeavour to at least change the "Watching/Listening" clips... Well I wouldn't want you getting bored would I..??

Goodbye 3, Hello 2...

2008-05-19T09:43:00.004+01:00

Another season comes to an end & the U15's have done it again by clinching back-to-back league titles. A fantastic achievement for ALL involved with them but most of all for the squad itself. "Well Done lads" you deserve this & I am looking forward to what the next season will bring already.

Under 15’s – Division 3

Aylesbury Vale 1 – Wendover Juniors 0

Aylesbury Vale completed their last game of the season with a win & league (back-to-back) title.

Vale played a little nervously to start but managed to hold the visitors at bay, with the midfield putting in one of their strongest performances this season. Wendover managed to break on the right wing midway through the first half with a cross into the box that Cameron Palombo struck to the top right corner, Vale keeper, Gary Bidgway, managed to push the ball against the right post with his finger tips & the ricochet came back across the goal mouth which Ashley Kent cleared away to safety before Palombo could get a second strike. Vale continued to move the ball around accurately (mostly) & 10 minutes before the interval it was a Luca Forchione break & shot at goal that Chris Hawes put a final guiding touch on to put Vale ahead. Vale almost managed to double the tally 2 minutes later but the Juniors defence strengthened to deny them a clear shot.

The second half was a similar affair, both teams having half-chances that didn’t come to fruition. Wendover had the slightly more shots at goal, (Palombo & Josh Marshall), but none were to be strikes on target. The tail of the second half saw a final burst from Vale with Pat Hurst along the right wing, having out-paced the Juniors left back, which he played back to the box for the incoming Forchione but the ball was placed just a little too far ahead & Juniors keeper Chris Beckford came out to retrieve it from danger.

Vale manager David Hawes was clearly delighted at the back-to-back achievements of his squad & the effort that everyone had put into what has been a roller-coaster season for the lads.

Easy just seems to be too easy...

2008-05-12T12:04:00.004+01:00

A real anti-climax for the squad of the Under 16's, their final game of the season was called off when the visitors, Gerrards Cross & Fulmer, were unable to field sufficient players. A sad day for the U16's manager & best dressed linesman (see And the award goes to.... May 5th) as that would have been his final game with a squad he has brought through for many years & at present (we will make you change your mind) has no plans to continue with youth football.

Now the Under 15's, oh boy, thats a whole different deal altogether. Ok so there has to be disappointment at not raising the Cup on Tuesday, but the Div 3 title is only 2 points away......

Under 15’s – Division 3

Wendover Juniors 3 – Aylesbury Vale 2

Wendover Juniors improved their chances to avoid relegation yesterday (Sunday) while Aylesbury Vale did nothing to improve their claim on the Div 3 title.

The first 5 minutes saw chances for both sides to open the scoring, the Juniors striking the cross-bar from a free kick just outside the area & Vale flicking a head into the keepers hands from a corner at the other end. Vale should have gone ahead in the first half with more possession in the opposing half but lack of finish & strong defending made it impossible to break the deadlock. Wendover also had a few breaks through front-runner Cameron Palombo but were unable to hit target either.

The second half was a much more action packed affair, the home side pushed through a hole in the midfield & attempted a long strike which keeper Gary Bidgway took without too much effort. Vales Segun Fawole picked the ball up in midfield & made a break towards the right, he stopped & turned it back at goal with a lob that was raised just over the cross-bar. Juniors response was immediate, Palombo charging through to see the ball into the net in the 46th minute. Another corner awarded to Vale in the 49th, Pat Hurst supplied a superb ball into the box that was brought to the ground a tucked away by Andy Thorp. There was no time for Juniors to regain composure; a right wing Vale assault pushed through, Chris Pope taking the ball to just beyond halfway & pushing out it to Hurst who touched it forward for Pope to collect. The whole manoeuvre was finished off with a final cross in to Luca Forchione who had managed to push up almost unnoticed & buried the ball into goal. Wendover were not going down without a battle & came back with an equalizer care of Connor Tregarthen just before midway through the half. The remainder of the period was less paced than the former 20 minutes but not without drama. A distinct lack of communication cost Vale with an OG putting the home side ahead again with only minutes to play.
Vale were unable to retrieve the point & are set to meet Wendover again at home next week in the final game of the season for both teams.

Referees Charity Cup Final

2008-05-07T13:24:00.006+01:00

An evening of quality football with nail-biting tension. Played with absolute determination & passion right up until the final whistle...

Under 15’s Referees Cup Final

Aylesbury Vale 3 – Long Crendon Youth 5

Marlow FC hosted the final of the Referees Cup last night (Tuesday).

Vale, playing towards the setting sun started well finding space & making a break. Chris Hawes slotting the ball towards the top left corner that was palmed away by keeper Matt Ricketts. But Crendons reply was strong & controlled, stretching the play across the pitch. An awarded corner to Long Crendon provided a powerful shot at goal. Vale keeper Gary Bidgway managed to block the attempt & the ball was put out to & picked up by the Crendon midfield, Ryan Scott dodging through the Vale mid & defence to plant the ball in goal. The Crendon assault continued for several minutes with neat short passes & advances keeping the Vale defence working at maximum. At 23 minutes Long Crendon overcame the defence once more with Joe Russell adding his name to the score sheet. The “never say die” Vale attitude was in full flow & Luca Forchione reduced the deficit after a string of short passes only 2 minutes later. Vale took a break along the left wing; a battle for possession & a series of challenges saw Forchione emerge with a lob from 25yds out that fell into the top right corner & brought the scores all square into the break.

Long Crendon started quickly again; an awarded free kick passed over the heads of the forwards & fell to the left of the Vale goal. Ryan Scott found the space to turn the ball back into the net putting them a goal clear again. A battle for possession kept the game moving at a pace & a switch from left to right gave Scott another blast at target but he swung the ball out left of the post. Midway through the half Vale got another break through the middle of the field; pushing the ball left to Nathan Scarfe who having stretched the defence out switched the ball out to Pat Hurst as he came in from the right wing. Hurst tipped the ball forward & Hawes coming through the centre finished off cleanly. Crendon responded with a break to the centre-left, the strike was palmed away by Bidgway. Another push in the Vale half moved inside the 18yd box & an unfortunate error forced an OG. A few minutes to recompose & Vale were set to put the scores back level again. Forchione starting from the centre put the ball left once again for Scarfe; he took the ball forward & swung it towards the far post where Hawes was heading at speed. Hawes connected cleanly & with ferocity but the ball struck the left post & although Scarfe managed to retrieve, the defence strengthened to their prior error & the threat passed. As the game moved into stoppage time a push through into the Vale end gave the defence its final shaking. A blocked shot that left Bidgway at ground level, a loose ball for Scott to slot away putting Crendon out of reach. The dying seconds of the game gave a final glimmer the Vale boys’ attitude & commitment. A free kick awarded to them was received by Tom Grantham who sadly hooked the ball just left of the post.

Well done Vale. You put in a truly magnificent perfomance & there should be no shame from the result.

The league title is still firmly in your sights & a Cup title awaits you next season I'm sure.

Referees Cup Photo Gallery

2008-05-07T12:56:00.010+01:00

Pictures taken from yesterdays Referees Charity Cup Final
Aylesbury Vale Youth v Long Crendon Youth FC

The young men of Aylesbury Vale Under 15's Suited & Booted

The Squad Kitted up & ready for battle

The starting line up - Aylesbury Vale Youth

& Long Crendon Youth FC

Collecting their medals after a fantastic performance

And Finally....

Well done to the Final winners Long Crendon Youth FC

And the award goes to....

2008-05-05T06:37:00.009+01:00

Saturday night was the presentation evening for Aylesbury Vale FC 1st team, reserves & under 18's. Many faces turned out, suited & booted. I also scrubbed up & dressed in finest black with yellow piping & reflective chevrons, managed to catch the "Mentioned in Dispatches" section before the main event unfolded & I had to resume my day(?) job. However as the title suggested, for those that read right through this post there may just be a little reward.....

Aylesbury Vale Youth FC Under 16's 2007/2008

Under 16’s – Division 1

Aylesbury Vale 0 – Loudwater 0

Aylesbury Vale under 16’s came away from their penultimate game with a point yesterday (Sunday) against mid-table side Loudwater.
Loudwater were strong from the start & set themselves up deep in the Vale half with a succession of attacks but the Vale men battled to keep themselves from danger. A Loudwater awarded corner was sent into the box but having been out of reach of its target player was headed out to safety. The middle of the period was Vales first real sight at the visitors goal; a cross from right wing to centre-left gave captain Jason Street the opportunity to turn the ball back in, but an incoming defender gave little time to set himself up & the ball was lifted over the crossbar. Loudwaters Jordan Gumbs had an equally fine opportunity at the other end of the pitch 5 minutes later as he went for the ball in the air heading it cleanly as he closed on the 6yd box; Vales’ keeper Nathan Davis plucked the inbound ball & Vale countered with a break along the left wing. Street supplied a cross, which was unfortunately just beyond teammates Aaron Grant & Mo Waqar.
Confusion between defender & keeper almost cost Loudwater just before halftime; a Vale forward pass, which fell just beyond the forwards, was knocked back by a defender towards keeper, Ben Elliott, but it rolled through his hands & he had to scramble back to cover it as Mo Waqar continued his charge.

Vale were more switched on for the second half. A throw deep in the Loudwater half (right wing) received by Grant who turned on his heels and rounded two defenders but a right footed attempt at goal skimmed past the goal & out of play. Gumbs was back in the thick of things, 70 minutes played, when he blasted a shot on goal; Davis managed to block the shot which was put back at goal a second time to be blocked by the defence. As Davis was returning to his goal line Josh Otudeko joined the frenetic activity but his attempt went wide of target. Loudwater continued to make chances but were unable to hit the target. The closest anyone came to breaking the deadlock was minutes before the final whistle when Vale having been awarded a corner swung the ball over the area & a flick header rattled the far post.

As promised.....

Award for Best Dressed Linesman

Steve MacDonald

(also the Under 16's manager & club Chairman)

I believe the phrase went "Get that thing out of here!!"

Either that or

"I'm a little teapot, short & stout!"

And so, the end is near....

2008-04-28T17:54:00.003+01:00

Oooh, the excitement is building as the under 15's stay in touch with the division leaders in the closing games of the season. 1 point in it with a game in hand. For both Vale & Marlow Royals the final game(s) are against Wendover Juniors. Bring it on.......

Under 15’s – Division 3

Berkhamsted Town 0 - Aylesbury Vale 2

Aylesbury Vales league title hopes remain alive after a 2 – nil win away at Berkhamsted Town yesterday (Sunday). Vale took early control of the game, applying pressure on the defence & maximising on opportunities to break through, Andy Thorp supplying the opening goal for the visitors on 10 minutes. Town, suddenly very aware of the Vale threat, restarted play & pushed up the right wing & made an attempt across the goalmouth that could very nearly have brought the scores back level; but when Vale cleared the ball out for a corner, any further threat left the pitch with it.
Possession & control was largely with Vale, several further good attempts at goal were made through the first half but lacked accuracy to their finish.

The second half opened with the same spirit as the former 40 minutes. A swift advance gave Vale a corner within the opening 2 minutes; a neatly delivered ball found the head of Chris Hawes, which he turned in to goal; but a foul on Berkhamsted keeper “Sponge” Tinsley, left the score still at 1 – nil. The home team were grateful for the reprieve but were still unable to make any real impact. The game continued on as the sky darkened & thunder grumbled around, Aylesbury continued to push for a bigger lead & after 65 minutes when Pat Hurst powered a shot from 30yds on the right wing it came down to “Sponge” to absorb it; the block left the ball loose for the incoming Hawes, who made no hesitation at burying it in the net. Town only managed to reply with a close call from Alastair Cullen that he put just wide right of the post.

Dont forget, no game for the 15's next weekend but the big final in the Referees Cup on Tuesday 6th May (update next time will be on the Wednesday)

A Right Royal Result...

2008-04-21T17:47:00.004+01:00

I'll start with an apology this week for not updating last weeks ramblings. In fairness you didn't miss anything youth football-wise but a very hectic weekend for those behind the scenes at AVFC with 2 Cup Finals being played at the ground.

A match & a half this weekend (to watch at least.) The report possibly doesn't do the match its full justice...

Under 15’s – Division 3

Aylesbury Vale 2 – Marlow Royals 1

Aylesbury Vales return match at home yesterday (Sunday) contained all the same elements as their previous away meeting.
The game opened with both sides playing a little scrappily until they found their feet & the game settled down. Twenty minutes into the first period & Vale had filled the Royals goal area and a shot at goal was pushed away but was played back into danger until the visitors defence managed to clear for a corner. Marlow had their most significant chance in the 28th minute when a break from Dean Bonwick brought him one-on-one with keeper Gary Bidgway, his lob went just left of goal, but was a frightening reminder that this was going to be a close fought match.

The second half opened with another chance for the visitors, a break on the right brought across goal but safely taken by Bidgway. Vale responded immediately with a charge; Chris Hawes receiving a crossed pass on his head that he glanced across to the oncoming Luca Forchione but it was just ahead of his run & he didn’t manage to connect with it. 9 minutes into the second half & Hawes provided the opening goal from a set-piece; a precise head in from a corner supplied by Nathan Scarfe that was unstoppable for keeper Ben Lutterman. The Royals had another break 2 minutes later that they were unlucky not to capitalize on. Vale held their position well despite an occasionally over-crowded midfield but Marlow continued to battle at the ‘claret & blues’ & levelled the score in the 63rd minute courtesy of an Elliott Keeble break along the left; as he turned the ball back in the box he managed to lift the ball clear over the advancing Bidgway. A couple of Vale substitutions brought in fresh legs to rejuvenate the gameplay. At an almost identical point in the match to the previous meeting the deciding goal cemented the result; a pass from the centre out towards the right post was headed back across by the fresh Jordan Murphy, the ball was over the reach of keeper Ben Lutterman & dropped neatly inside the left post.

Aylesbury Vale U15’s Manager David Hawes comment:
“For the second time this season, a superb game of football played in the right way by two very evenly matched teams. I thought we did enough to win the game over the 80 minutes and this now puts the league back into our hands.Well done the young men of my under 15's - desire and hard work!”

Skools Out............(again).....

2008-04-08T14:03:00.003+01:00

No youth football last weekend (or next for that matter) Probably just as well that the schools Easter break came along when it did, I woke to find a nice fluffy blanket of snow. The result of Global warming?!!? Just incase, I've managed to save some, I shall have it repatriated to the arctic circle at the earliest opportunity!!

Enjoy the clips in the meantime...

(note the jaunty cap angle, this can only be achieved by a 'yoof' master snowman builder)

Derby Daze II.....

2008-03-31T09:13:00.003+01:00

Another enthralling game from the claret & blue "moles". A game that held your attention to the very last second... Then, for good measure, for another 1200 seconds... then the nerve wracking.... well.... read for yourself, I'm going for a lay down in a darkened room... (Where's that bottle of Single Malt to calm my nerves..!)

Under 15’s – Referee’s Cup Semi Final

Aylesbury Town 2 (pens 3) – Aylesbury Vale 2 (pens 4)

A thrilling Semi-Final to the Referee’s Cup was played out at Fairford Leys yesterday, (Sunday) with end-to-end action & drama. The 2nd Division Aylesbury Town took the more dominant position through the early part of the first half although Vale (Div 3) weren’t without their own chances. Pat Hurst made the first attempt for Vale, a throw from an almost corner position, which he raised just over the crossbar. However, Town took the opening goal; forward Brandon Yarwood lifted a through pass from the left wing over the Vale keeper Gary Bidgway in the 23rd minute. Vale responded through midfielder Andy Thorp but he wasn’t able to level the scores. Town would have managed to increase their lead but an offside call kept them only the 1 goal ahead. Chris Hawes blasted a shot just wide of target for Vale late in the period but that was as close as they managed before the break.

The second half opened with Vale on a charge, a close call for Town & in particular keeper Liam Twyman, in the opening seconds gave a wake up call to the importance of this match. Again the action moved from end-to-end but Vale were determined to stay in the game. Midway through the 2nd half Chris Hawes took control of a loose ball at the halfway line & brought it cleanly along the right wing; turning the ball back across goal Durelle Palmer tipped the ball over the outstretched Twyman. Hawes retrieved another loose ball in the 70th minute but only managed to turn it into the hands of Twyman. Two minutes later a free kick awarded to Vale was lifted forward & fell to Nathan Scarfe who buried it away to put Vale ahead. Vales defence held strong and the win was coming their way but a last minute lob from Davio Rotulo cleared substitute keeper Andy Thorp and pushed the game into extra-time.

The first period of extra-time was tense, with neither side managing to get a clear break.

The second period played out in the same vein, which pushed the game to the inevitable penalty shoot-out.

Each team had its five men selected & the keepers readied themselves for their duties. Aylesbury Town were first to step up:

Aylesbury Town penalties 1-1-0-1-0
Aylesbury Vale penalties 1-1-1-1

Aylesbury Vale will meet Long Crendon Youth (Div 2) in May for what promises to be an equally thrilling final.

I haven't forgotten....

2008-03-25T09:53:00.001Z

... to update the blog.

With the postponed matches followed by the Easter break there has been no youth football to report on.
The Under 15's Referees Cup Semi Final against Aylesbury Town has been confirmed for this coming weekend (30th March).
The U16's Gerrards X & Fulmer match has been pencilled to be the last game of their season. They will be playing away at Widmer End Utd this weekend.

It's rainin' again,

2008-03-16T21:01:00.002Z

Due to severe ground moistness the matches that were to be played have had to be postponed. The Under 15's Referees cup semi-final tie looks likely to be re-scheduled for March 30th. The 16's will be rearranged by the league & I'll get back to you on them.

Clash of the Titans...

2008-03-10T15:37:00.003Z

Vales Under 16's had a weekend off this week, the Under 15's had anything but..! If I've used the term 'Epic' before to describe any of the matches I've reported on... I was lying..!
This was a highly charged... erm... epic!!

Under 15’s – Division 3

Marlow Royals 1 – Aylesbury Vale 0

A classic ‘top of the table’ tussle was played yesterday, (Sunday) away at Marlow.
The home team piled the pressure on for the first 10 minutes, with Vale hardly putting a foot outside their own half. Even though their presence was significant, only the one cross from the right corner onto approaching Lawrence Griffith, which was headed just over the bar, gave any real scare. . Vale took some 15 minutes to get into their stride and turn the pressure back at The Royals. By halfway through the period & with both sides playing on equal terms, Marlow got a break on the right; crossed in from the corner and volleyed at goal. Vale keeper, Gary Bidgway, managed to palm the ball away for a corner that was cleared to end the threat. Vale had a similar chance, 3 minutes before the break, when Durrelle Palmer received the ball & ran the right wing; crossing it in to Luca Forchione, who’s turn in to position gave keeper, Ben Luttermann, a vital second to move forward & block the shot. A corner awarded to Vale a minute later was delivered by Pat Hurst and despite the melee in the box was cleared off the line but turned back in by Forchione; Luttermann managed to stretch out on top of the loose ball & hold the game at nil-nil.
The second half re-opened as the first half had closed, a battle for a break in midfield and the visitors got the advantage. A through the centre ball to Chris Hawes who made the run & in turn despatched it at goal, leaving Ben Luttermann scrambling to retrieve it. Marlow had an opportunity wasted 10 minutes into the second half. A free kick delivered from outside left of the 18yd box, although on target for the far post, was easily plucked out of the air by Gary Bidgway. The game started to run out of pace through the middle of the period, with both sides having given their all through the preceding 60 minutes. However, neither side crumbled and possession was still equal. With the last 5 minutes ticking away, Marlow found some reserve pace; an almost clear run along the right wing for Lawrence Griffith until ‘the exocet’ James Marsh caught and dispossessed him for a throw-in. The ball made its way back towards the centre circle & The Royals had to start their efforts again. Marlow stole a last minute goal when Benn Hegerty made a run on the left & managed to out-pace right-back Chris Pope. Almost trapped at the end of the pitch he made a plucky cross at goal that whistled past the out-stretched Bidgway to secure the game for the home team.

The Under 16's return next week at home against Gerrards Cross & Fulmer. The 15's are playing the Referees Cup semi-final against Division 2 side Aylesbury Town (not to be confused with Div 3 Aylesbury Town Youth).
Hopefully I can get to both matches & bring them to you next week.

Derby Daze...

2008-03-03T16:14:00.002Z

Both the U15's & U16's were playing in the area yesterday, so pen, paper & coffee to hand & despite a bitter wind the games went.... well.... they were played(?)...

Under 15’s – Division 3

Aylesbury Town Youth 5 – Aylesbury Vale 0

A disappointing performance saw Vale lose their first league match in 2 seasons in a local derby yesterday (Sunday).

Aylesbury Town were giving nothing away from the start and with only four minutes played Chris Byrne slotted Towns 1st goal away. The restart; and Town picked up the ball & sent it down the right wing, left-back James Marsh attempted to clear the ball across to the far-side of play but as the ball looped high in the air the wind caught hold & dropped it square in front of the incoming James Reid. An open invitation that needed no second thought, he banged it into the net. When Vale did get a little switched on they had a few chances; Towns keeper, Matthew Dean having made a save on an incoming low attack fumbled & dropped the ball which Vales Pat Hurst collected & swung back over the keepers head, only to have it stopped on the line by a slightly opportunistic defender. Town made another charge halfway through the first period; a lobbed ball forward was picked up by Vale right-back Chris Pope, he ran it along the right a tipped in to Andy Thorpe who lifted it over & onto the now charging Chris Hawes. Hawes’ touch was timed to perfection but again the solid defending prevented the visitors from getting on the scoresheet.
The opening of the second half & Vale had reset themselves. A free kick awarded to Vale just outside the 18yd box (right) gave Hurst the open chance to swing the ball in over the 6yd area, all heads went up & Hawes just missed out on tipping it in on the far post. Vale were back again, this time a corner from the right. Hursts almost signature style of floated in ball this time did find the head of Chris Hawes, who despatched it with venom. It was blocked on the line & put out for another corner. The cross in was toe-tipped over the bar & with it went the fire of the Vale attack. Very little happened through the middle of the period, Town had the greater desire but were unable to gain a bigger advantage. That was to change, with a bombardment that was to start in the 67th minute. Chris Byrne came from nowhere with a screamer of a shot that gave no warning as it filled the back of the net. 3 minutes later after one attacking shot had rebounded off the left post, Sam Monastryskyj managed to get on the end of it & lob the keeper, Gary Bidgway, slotting the ball neatly under the centre of the crossbar. 75 minutes & Town took one more goal to round of their hard work, Martin Eldred claiming the reward.

Under 16’s – League Cup 5th Round (Quarter-finals)

Aylesbury Vale 1 – Aylesbury Town 2

Vales League Cup hopes were quashed yesterday (Sunday), in a hard fought local derby. The term “Game of two halves” couldn’t have been more fitting.

The match was set to be an epic from the start. A free kick awarded to Town was despatched by Adam Beckett towards the far post, nothing came of the opportunity & Vale took stock & settled. Vale were determined in their efforts; Lewis Roots, having been denied a scoring chance after a run along the left minutes earlier was assisting in another attack. A neatly crossed ball from just right of centre to left of the 18yd box & Roots volley high over the keeper came back down for the goal. 27 minutes in, Aaron Grant also on a 2nd attack blasted a targeted shot which keeper, Tom Pagett had to stretch fully for to palm over the bar. Vale had the greater possession & dominance through to the break.

The second half was to be a complete reversal. Towns captain, Jordan Jenkins, deep in the Vale half put in a spectacular overhead kick, which was collected by Vale keeper Nathan Davis. Town had another break & surged forward and despatched another shot on goal, which Davis palmed out for a corner. The ball supplied was cleared but only a short way & Kane Harwood sent it back over the heads of the defence to level the scoring (59). It was only two minutes later when another conceded free kick had Beckett lining himself up again. This time he didn’t need anyone on the far-post, he placed the ball perfectly & Davis hardly got a glimpse as it sailed into the top right corner. Town continued to keep the home team away from the opportunity of pushing the game into extra-time.

And now for more of the same...

2008-02-25T09:50:00.002Z

Under 15’s – Division 3

Aylesbury Vale 5 – Downley Dynamoes 0

Aylesbury Vales under 15’s continued on with their winning streak after the short break in fixtures yesterday, (Sunday). The visitors, unable to field a full compliment squad, put up an ambitious fight to keep the home team contained but were outnumbered from the start & out-paced within a very short time.
Vale made a move for goal in the opening minute, Ashley Kent knocking the ball into the box as Luca Forchione made his way to receive; the forward managed to get a toe to it but tipped it just over the bar. The Downley defence & (the drawn back) midfield battled to keep Vale away from threatening the goal mouth, the attacking Vale had space & numbers to pass the ball around; they only needed to bide their time to allow the visitors to become weary. Vales Pat Hurst set up the first goal. A cross from the right wing had keeper, Daniel Ridgley, stretched out & though he punched the ball away it was only as far as Chris Hawes, who returned it on the volley back over Ridgley’s head. With the constant bombardment from Aylesbury it was heroic defending from Downley & accurate decisions from keeper Ridgley that prevented the goal tally racing away but an error in grip on a loose ball across the goalmouth gave Forchione his chance to push the ball just inside the left post. Pat Hurst added his name to the score sheet as well, a fantastic lob in from just off the right wing 30yds surprised both players & spectators alike as it dropped pitch-side of the bar. Downleys “never say die” attitude & despite being three goals down they pushed to redeem a goal. From the kick the visitors made a move along the right side & managed to put a surprise cross in, Myles Whichelow running through from midfield had Vale keeper, Gary Bidgway, stretched to dive on top of the loose ball.
The second half opened in the same manner as the first. James Marsh, (left back) took a run along the wing, incoming Whichelow made a valiant attempt to dispossess but Marsh turned, dummied then sprinted on through to the box but having hurdled another tackle was wrong footed for the blast at goal; the cleared ball fell just ahead of Vale team-mate Nathan Scarfe who was more successful as he slotted inside the left post. Downley never let their heads go down & battled to keep the rising goal count stable. Halfway through the period the Dynamoes had another glimmer of hope, a break on the left side of centre gave Ross Smith his chance, having cleared past the midfield and moving in on the right back he swung the ball back at goal, Bidgway came out to block & deflected the ball just passed the far post for a corner which wasn’t capitalized upon. After a series of corners awarded to Vale, a cross from the right was palmed away by Ridgley out to the incoming Jordan Murphy who despatched the opportunity with a spectacular overhead kick.

Normal service will resume shortly

2008-02-19T10:23:00.004Z

No youth football this weekend, (I blame the teachers.... yet another holiday)

But back in action this coming Sunday 24th

...... Now somewhere in the back of my mind I know I know someone who knows/knew the young lady above..... She is Carole Hersee, but for the life of me I cant remember who originally told me they knew her..?

Perhaps it'll come to me by next Monday..!

Groundhog Day

2008-02-12T14:08:00.000Z

(Well except for the weather)

What a fantastic weekend;

Saturday, myself & the Mr H finished marking out mini-pitches for AV's partner club Aylesbury Town. With that finished off it was time for a "swifty" before watching Vale's Seniors play.
Sunday, back to the club for TWO home youth matches, (with Town's U8's buzzing around the newly marked pitches) & as if that wasn't enough..... It was all bathed in sunlight & without the need for (the more recent) several layers of jumpers & coats!!

Anyway, the 15's & 16's matches went like this;

Under 15’s – Referee’s Cup 4th Round

Aylesbury Vale 3 – Aylesbury Town Youth 0

Aylesbury Vale moved into the semi-final stages of the Referee’s Cup with a resounding win over Aylesbury Town Youth.

Left-back, James Marsh made the first break for Vale with a run & dummied the opposition until he made the cross in the last yards, which was cleared but was a glimpse of the home teams mindset. Town had to take an onslaught; Chris Hawes was denied an outstanding head at goal by the post. Luca Forchione opened the scoring for Vale in the 13th minute. That was the wake up call for Town; they replied with a right wing attack that skimmed across the goalmouth for a goal kick & retrieved the ball in midfield to make another attempt. Town became determined to make breaks & improve on their opportunities. A break in the 31st minute for Vale, with Nathan Scarfe making the running on the left & tipped in for the oncoming Forchione but was scuffed just right of target.

With the second half well underway & Town doing all they could to level the score, Vale’s Chris Hawes wanted his efforts rewarded. A speedy run up the right saw him on his way to achieving it but was dispossessed & had to make his way back. He did get his target as the ball came back up field, doubling Vale’s advantage in the 54th minute. Vale maintained the pressure on the visitors; an attack that was cleared by the keeper, Matt Dean, fell in front of the now returning Forchione who gave a spectacular overhead kick that hung in the air for an eternity; coming down just wide of the top right corner of the goal. Again Town tried to get back into the game with the help of the tall right-forward Jamie Sturges & his teammate Kris Byrnes but without success on the chances that came their way. Pat Hurst finished off Vales scoring 10 minutes before the end. Taking on right-back Richard Parsons & coming away cleanly with an open run across for goal which he tidily slotted away in the bottom right corner. Town now made every attempt count. An advance on the Vale goal left keeper, Gary Bidgway rushing forward to protect & although he stopped the ball it became loose & Byrnes was in the thick of it, he scrambled for the touch but was only able to lift the ball over for a goal kick. A poor goal kick & Byrnes was able to collect but unsuccessful on his strike. The last 2 minutes of play & Vale put in three final warning shots at Town; the first a Jordan Murphy blast from just inside the 18yd box & keeper, Matt Dean, did extremely well to see it off, a minute later & Murphy was on the receiving end of a forward pass from Vale midfield which he raised inches over the bar. From the goal kick, Town got a final break that was challenged by the Vale midfield allowing a move up the left side; the cross in to Forchione was lifted over seconds before the final whistle was blown.

Town’s manager Mark Stevens said; “Vale camped in our half for the 1st 15minutes but then we switched on & played good football. We were up for it till the end & never thought we were out of it. It shouldn’t have been a 3-Nil result, we just couldn’t hit the target.”

Under 16’s – Division 1

Aylesbury Vale 0 – Widmer End Utd 0

Aylesbury Vale met Widmer End Utd again yesterday, (Sunday) this time for a league match.
The game started with incredible pace. Vale closed on the visitors in the opening minute with a cross into the box from the left wing. Widmer End narrowly avoiding the attack with a clearance off the line. As the ball returned to midfield, Vales Lewis Roots was a away with another break on the left which he crossed at the last second to team-mate Aaron Grant, Grant took the ball on the volley but pushed it just wide of the right post. United had a chance 8 minutes in; a free kick awarded left of the 18yd box curled in & after receiving glancing heads from two forwards past just wide of the right post. The next Vale threat wasn’t long coming. From a corner, the ball floated over the 6yd box & was positively headed by the Vale new comer Rob Goldney & an outstretched Callun Akerman managed to palm the ball over the bar. Both sides were determined in their advances through the first half but neither one could break the deadlock. 5 minutes before the break, Aylesbury’s Jason Street got a break on the left which he crossed in, Akerman fumbled the loose ball & although it was put away from the goalmouth the advancing Luke MacDonald put it back in to the fray. A scuffle to clear it to safety left the scores at nil-nil.

The Second Half opened in the same way. 4 minutes saw Mo Waqar take a loose ball in midfield & send it up the pitch to the attacking Ben Goody. It was a great opportunity just right of centre, but as Akerman came out to block, Goody struck the ball again right of target. 56 minutes & a break came from Widmer End’s Callum Sagar. His run & perfectly timed cross in to Scott Marshall had Vale keeper, Nathan Davis, stretch left to palm the ball out for a corner. An Aylesbury free kick, in almost identical position to that of United in the first half, gave Lewis Roots a chance to open the scoring. The ball was lifted well over the wall but just beyond the forwards & Akerman came out confidently to retrieve it. Widmer End started to increase the pressure, Ollie Grasham getting thoroughly amongst the action. Forward Gavin Scoffeld was also in on the deal & had a strike that was lifted inches over the bar. The pressure was only maintained for a short time however & it was Roots who was to give Vale the final chance of breaking the scoring. A hard strike gave a “thwack” that echoed around the park as Akerman stood his ground & managed to block the challenge.

Now where's my lotto numbers..?

2008-02-04T11:13:00.001Z

& wasn't that Halleys Comet..?

A busy weekend at Haywood Way. Both youth squads playing at home in cup matches. Despite a bitter wind blowing through the park, both teams put in sterling efforts.....

Under 15’s – Referee’s Cup 3rd Round

Aylesbury Vale 3 – Chiltern Athletic Colts 2

A fantastic match yesterday, (Sunday) at Haywood Way. Chiltern Athletic made the first move at an attack but were quickly closed down, Vale tightened up their game and started to apply pressure on the Colts midfield & defence. The first goal was for the home side, Pat Hurst making a 25yd lob from the right of play in the 9th minute, which left Athletics keeper, Tom Sperring, stunned. Colts had to wait a further five minutes before they managed to get a break, with the disadvantage of playing into the wind, a through ball taken up the pitch & then touched across to Oli Raabe to finish. Vale, having learnt from their mistake, set to work at retaking the lead. Dominating the possession with short accurate passes & winning the ball in challenges. The effort paid off when Luca Forchione slotted the ball past Sperring, two minutes before halftime.

The second half opened with the home team playing into the wind, Chiltern Athletic however didn’t exploit their advantage. The Aylesbury squad still looked tight & determined for a good result. Play was into the 62nd minute when the Vale combination of Hurst & Hawes clicked into place. Pat Hurst lifting the ball & Chris Hawes getting his head behind it leaving Sperring scrambling backwards to try & palm the ball over the bar. The stretch was too much and the ball squeezed in. In an attempt to get back into the game Colts reshuffled their line up, moving 4 up front. Play continued with little change in tempo until the 76th minute, a free kick awarded to Athletic on the left wing. Hayden Stevenson lifted the ball towards his teammates waiting on the edge of the box. With the assistance of the wind his shot curled clear of the waiting players including the Vale keeper Gary Bidgway.
The spirits of the Colts lifted, and with the deficit reduced, the away team pushed even harder to at least pull a draw, (& therefore extra-time) but just couldn’t get the better of Aylesbury Vale in the final minutes.

Under 16’s – League Cup 4th Round

Aylesbury Vale 1 – Widmer End United 0

The under 16’s met Widmer End Utd at Haywood Way yesterday, (Sunday). The match was to be an epic event. With only the first five minutes passed, Aylesbury’s Mo Waqar received a superbly placed forward pass & having taken a run towards the right of goal swung the ball back in, to everyone’s astonishment the ball struck the left post then travelled along the goal line before rebounding back into play off the right post. Vale continued to be a threat, Lewis Roots, receiving another accurately placed forward ball to his feet, made his turn to protect the ball from the defence & continued around to lift the ball at goal. Unfortunately the shot was high & Widmer End were reprieved again. United came back at Vale but lacked the accuracy & finish to make anything. 20 minutes in & Mo Waqar was pushing forward again, through from the centre Mo tipped the ball over the keeper, Callun Akerman, and managed to put it on its way to the net, but a sharp response from a lone defender put it out for a corner. Neither side could get a finish on any chances that became available & the first half closed 0-0.

The second half & Widmer End got straight in with the forward advance, Vales Nathan Davis having to put in a strong save. Vales response was immediate. Waqar receiving the ball, he charged forward, striking it hard Akerman blocked the ball with his feet. The rebound came back to Waqar who touched it back at the now open goalmouth. 41 minutes and the deadlock had been broken. Determined to maintain their lead Vale battled doggedly against the United squad that was equally determined to even the score line. Widmer End raised pulses among the Aylesbury faithful as they closed in on goal & made the Vale defence really work hard. The clearance came from a defender but fell to the feet of Gavin Schofield who was denied the equaliser by Nathan Davis. The stalemate from the first half returned & although Vale were putting the effort in they weren’t seeing it rewarded. As the time elapsed Widmer End went on the offensive again, Gavin Schofield & Alex Zacharek making Nathan Davis stretch to defend his goal. The clearance by the defence to Luke MacDonald, who in turn placed the ball inches ahead of the forward running Ben Goody. An almost clear run along the right wing had Goody turning to swing the ball in at goal but was dispossessed by the right back for a corner. United made a last challenge but with the final whistle blown it will be Vale that go through to the Quarterfinals next month.

Vales new signing Rob Goldney had an excellent game & was instrumental in several of the midfield advances.

All fighting fit..!

2008-01-28T19:27:00.000Z

As promised the Under 15's where back on the field yesterday, putting in an outstanding performance. They played with a clear determination & are now placed 2nd in the league tables 1 point behind leaders Marlow Royals with a game in hand & yet to meet Marlow for both home & away fixtures.

Under 15’s – Division 3

Aylesbury Vale 3 – Loudwater 1

Aylesbury Vale under 15’s continued their unbeaten league match record yesterday, (Sunday.)

Both teams looked for an opening & chance for a break, but it was Vale that made the first real chance. Pat Hurst getting the break down the right side lofted the ball over the Loudwater midfield across to the left side & found Chris Hawes, who lifted the ball left-footed against the crossbar. It was another 10 minutes before Loudwater was able to make a similarly threatening attack at the Aylesbury keeper. The scoring opened for Vale after a squabble amongst the Loudwater defence & subsequent handball in the goalmouth. Luca Forchione neatly slotted the penalty away on the 24th minute. Vale managed to keep Loudwater at bay, despite the best efforts of Loudwater forwards, Hussain & Crane. This held for the first half until 1 minute before halftime. An over-zealous tackle just outside the 18yd box gave Loudwater a free kick that Michael Davies tucked away to level the scores.

Vale came out after the break determined to retake the lead. After the disappointment 1 minute before HT they stole an opportunity too good to miss 90 seconds after the restart. Nathan Scarfe providing the cross to Luca Forchione. Luca took the ball & almost pirouetted before he took the swing that put the ball into the right corner of the goal. The game found its natural tempo again. Loudwater, determined to bring the scores equal again brought pressure on the Vale defence in the 56th minute. With Loudwater front men Aidan Brace, Lawrence Crane & Samad Hussain piling into the box & Vales own men desperate to clear it was a worrying squabble until it was cleared for a corner with nothing made from the set-piece. Loudwater were back again & this time managed to clear keeper, Gary Bidgway, as he lay prostrate on the 6yd line. The sharp response of James Marsh managed to clear from the goalmouth & gave Vale the chance to surge forward again. Loudwater held off the attack & possession changed at an even rate. Vale conceded a corner in the 70th minute & the subsequent clearance gave the Forchione & Scarfe pairing another chance to shine. This time it was Luca that put the cross in & Nathan finished off.
Loudwater came back with the final threat of the match when a powerful strike across the Vale goal had Gary Bidgway at full stretch to palm the ball over the crossbar.

Aylesbury Vale Under 15’s manager, David Hawes, said after the match;
“When the pressure was on and the right result was needed, we pulled out the best all round performance of the season - quality all over - well done young men"

...In fact he actually said " Quality..!!" then built the rest of the statement after some consideration.!

The Under 16's played away to Chalfont Saints. Despite a superb effort were defeated 2-1

Both the teams are at home next week in Cup rounds.

So shall we see you here again, same time next week?

Must be good news..?!?

2008-01-22T13:06:00.000Z

Doesn't the saying go; "No news is good news"?
Well for the under 15's it must be fantastic..! (& the U16's shouldn't be complaining either)

No football this weekend due to the weather & state of the pitch. As mentioned last week, both the 15's & 16's should have played Cup rounds, these have been re-scheduled for the 3rd Feb.

The UK weather is such a fickle beast, as I type this, the sun is shining, there's a very light breeze & the huge puddle that doubles as a moat around my van has all but ebbed away. However come the weekend, when the notepad gets an airing & we stand for the 80 mins on the sidelines, the full "weather-based apocolyptic wrath of the Gods" will, no doubt, be struck down upon us..!

So, hopefully the boys will be back in action next week, I'll just have to wait & see what Sian Lloyd has to say... (not that it's her decision what precipitation we will have)

Justice Prevails...

2008-01-15T08:54:00.000Z

For the benefit of those who regularly glance through my ramblings and may have noticed a discrepancy between the match report results & the W&SB league table status:

This is a subject that I haven't touched upon up until now. For many among the team, myself included, we felt a little raw about the decision made by the governing league.
Certainly the "crime" in no way befitted the "punishment".
The under 15's away win at Acorn Raiders on 30th Sept was awarded as a home win to the Hemel Hempstead team.

And what heinous crime had been committed??

The match card, (for which W&SB issue sticky teamlist labels) had inadvertantly been completed with an original list, which included a player no longer registered with the U15's. The name hadn't been crossed through (Outrageous!) & Vale was deemed as fielding an ineligible player.

All the stops were pulled out by the Vale management/admin team & an appeal was lodged with the B&B FA. (Hence no word on here, I didn't want to be considered clouding any investigation)
Subsequently, over the following months, it appears several other teams had fallen foul of this also. W&SB have reviewed the situation & on advice, the "full-scale" appeal was dropped & W&SB, (good to their word) have reversed the decision.

I am in no way condoning that the "paperwork" shouldn't be kept fully in order, but, paperwork is not part of the remit of the players. Theirs is to put in the 80 or so minutes worth of hard work each week. They played their part, they brought home the result & anything else was completely out of their hands. Unfortunately, they were the ones who really had to take the consequences.
Needless to say, the stickies have been binned & good old fashioned hand written lists have been resumed.

Anyway, (now I've got that off my chest) All happy now. All minds can now be fully occupied with the task in hand, finish the season with the best result that they can achieve.

After all, as a wise man once said;

"It's not the taking part that counts, it's the winning..!" D Hawes.

(Unfortunately, he's not the wise man either. He only repeated what the wise man quoted to him..!)

And we would have played.....

2008-01-14T10:24:00.000Z

...If it weren't for those meddling Terns..!

Actually I think the thread below taken from the
AVFC forum is possibly the more likely scenario

Youth Results 13th January 2008

David Hawes, today at 07:31:26
User: David Hawes

The under 15's were off because of the weather and the lack of ambulance cover in the area!

Latest Under 15's news:
After last weeks incident, Chris Hawes was subsequently seen at SMH the following day and although not diagnosed on the day, (infact it was by telephone call 3 days later) has been found to have a fractured collar bone. Chris has been proving himself a man for the last week by playing up to the injury & capturing the sympathy of anyone willing to supply it..!
James Marsh, injured before the Christmas break should be back training this week & will hopefully be upto some level of match-fitness.

The Under 16's however did play, so I took myself & the previously advertised notepad, (removed from sale) to Wooburn Green to follow their fortunes. And I was glad I did, a great game with a great result....

Under 16’s – Division 1

Bourne End JSC 2 – Aylesbury Vale 3

Aylesbury Vale under 16’s took a well-earned away win from their match yesterday (Sunday).

Bourne End set the standard from the start when they rattled the post in the opening minute & were to return more successfully with the touch into goal being awarded to Dean Munday as the stopwatch clicked 3 minutes. Vale was a little slower to get fully into the game but did thwart any further challenges. As the first half continued on Aylesbury switched on and started to even up the goal attempts with close calls from Ben Goody, Lewis Roots & Charlie Cresser. In the 28th minute, with a fast run through the centre of the Bourne End half, Ben Goody equalised for Vale. A minute later, Lewis Roots in an almost identical position, was denied his opportunity as he ran on to a superbly timed forward pass when the ball got just beyond his touch & BE keeper managed to stretch on top of it. The first half closed 1-1.

As the second half kicked off Vale were again slower to bring the match up to pace & Bourne End pushed to retake the lead. Five minutes in & Vale were back up to speed & both sides had equal possession & challenges. It took 17 minutes before the deadlock was broken, Vales Nathan Dowie burying the ball past the keeper. Aylesbury’s attack wasn’t over; 3 minutes later a mini-battle on the 6yd box had Charlie Cresser slot the ball away, but an offside call ended the celebrations. The jubilation only had to wait less than 90 seconds though, Lewis Roots was on a mission, turning left & right to get round the Bourne End defence & facing only the keeper pushed the ball past him. Another five minutes of steady battling on both sides but Bourne End managed to reduce the deficit. A corner neatly lifted over the 6yd box found the head of Phil Pryor who nodded it through the melee of players collected there. Bourne End continued to try & make a convincing break that would at least retrieve a point from the meeting but without success.

Under 16's news:
Although I haven't heard officially, I have been led to believe, the reconstructive surgery to Aylesbury Town (& former Vale team member) Dean Broomhead went well. Again I wish Dean a full & swift recovery. (where I am able to keep advised of Deans progress I will, any update can be posted via the comments page & I will post accordingly)

I'm having the paramedics on speed-dial..!

2008-01-08T08:53:00.000Z

After the excitement at the Under 15's Cup round (see 17th Dec) I think I shall have to put the ambulance service on my Christmas card list too..!

AVFC under 15's & 16's both played at home this weekend and eventful matches they were too, even if the scores weren't quite so exciting...

Under 15’s – Division 3

Aylesbury Vale 3 – Acorn Raiders 3

Aylesbury Vale started the New Year with a close fought match against Hemel Hempstead team Acorn Raiders.
The opening minutes saw Luca Forchione awarded a penalty after a foul by the Raiders keeper, Charlie Ball. Luca had no problem putting the ball past the keeper to give Vale an early lead (8). No real drama’s played through the following 20 minutes, although Luca narrowly missed out on his second goal of the match when he ran in on a ball from the left of play only to have his strike rattle off of the near post. Teammate Durelle Palmer also managed to rattle the post, this time on the far side 3 minutes later. Acorn Raiders were less than rattled though, they responded with a goal from Lee Mansfield to level the scoring in the 28th minute. From the restart Durelle Palmer got into a superb position to receive a well-lofted ball over the Raiders defence & only the very fast reactions of keeper Charlie Ball prevented the home team going ahead once more. Vale did however. Luca Forchione again finishing off in the 39th minute.

The second half saw another early goal from Vale. Pat Hurst pushing a ball out to the right and onto the feet of Chris Hawes, who swung the ball across & into the net with less than 5 minutes played. A free kick awarded to Acorn was not capitalized on when the ball was dispatched over the wall & waiting forwards into the hands of Vales new keeper signing Gary Bidgway. But Raiders weren’t going to miss another opportunity should it arise. They battled at every chance they had & when they did get through in the 63rd minute Daniel Perry finished off for them. 3 minutes later & Lee Mansfield supplied the equaliser. Aylesbury weren’t going to give away any more chances. A thrilling tussle just outside the Raiders 6yd box, 3 minutes before final whistle left Vale not only short of a winning score; but also with Chris Hawes lying on the ground. With what might have been a serious shoulder injury after an awkward landing, Paramedics were called to treat him on the pitch and with time all but played out, the final whistle was blown.

(Chris Hawes, after being checked on the pitch & then assessed more fully in the ambulance, was subsequently considered fit enough not to require hospital attention.)

Under 16’s – Division 1

Aylesbury Vale 2 – Aylesbury Town 2

A local derby between Aylesbury Vale & Aylesbury Town kicked off with Town applying pressure on the Vale defence from the whistle. With only 5 minutes played Town took the lead, courtesy of forward, Frankie Picciano. Vale reset but a very heavy collision between two opposing players left Towns Dean Broomhead requiring paramedics attendance on the pitch. Dean was taken to nearby Stoke Mandeville Hospital for further attention*.

(The game continued after some discussion between coaches & referee.)

Play restarted with a Town free kick; and play was tentative throughout the first half. Both teams having chances but it fell to Vales Mo Waqar to supply an equaliser in the 28th minute.

The second half was still a little tentative, Town pushed forward a few times & Vales keeper, Nathan Davis, did well to punch one danger ball to safety. Town did go ahead again in the 68th minute with Adam Beckett supplying only to have the scores levelled again 90 seconds later by Jason Street. Vale made another serious challenge at goal; Towns’ keeper, Tim Paggett, fumbled the ball leaving it loose for another attempt. Quick reactions of the defence managed to clear the ball for a corner that Vale weren’t able to convert.

*Everyone at Aylesbury Vale FC (youth) would like to wish Dean a speedy recovery from his injuries.

I have been advised that Dean has a multiple leg fracture & dislocated kneecap. He is to undergo surgery today.

Take care Dean & get fit soon.

Happy New Year....

2008-01-01T23:11:00.000Z

...I think the title pretty much covers it.....

(oh, OK then..)

Wishing you all a

Prosperous & Happy

2008

.........from the sidelines

.... back to the reports next week

Merry Christmas

2007-12-23T10:59:00.000Z

...And it's Happy Christmas from him..!

Merry Christmas Animation

I'll see you again for more of the same after Chrismas. Relax & Enjoy the break...

It aint over til....

2007-12-17T18:29:00.000Z

It promised to be an epic coming together for the 3rd round of the League Cup (Wycombe & South Bucks) yesterday...

And we weren't disappointed..

Under 15’s – League Cup Round 3

Aylesbury Vale - Chinnor Youth

Aylesbury Vale narrowly missed out on the opportunity to advance in the league Cup after a thrilling match against Division 2 team Chinnor Youth. This is the second time the two sides have met, last season Vale knocked Chinnor out of the same competition.

Chinnor pushed hard from the opening kick & were immediately threatening at Vales goal but Aylesbury came back equally hard in response. Pat Hurst swung in a superb cross from a free kick, awarded to Vale, which only narrowly missed being planted in the net. A Chinnor corner almost had them take the lead, but a save on the line by keeper Andy Thorp kept the threat out. Chris Hawes opened the scoring for Vale in the 23rd minute; a run from halfway sidestepping through the opposition left him with just a touch to put the ball past Chinnors keeper. Two minutes later Luca Forchione slotted away an equally impressive goal, putting the underdogs with a clear two goal advantage & Chinnor plenty of work to do. Chinnors response was immediate, the solid keeping of Andy Thorp preventing another threat, again down to the line. The last 10 minutes of the first half was a barrage of attack from Chinnor, and forward Tom Dakin reduced the deficit in the 32nd minute. His teammate Jacob Davis nearly equalised when he slotted a close ball just left of target.

The second half resumed with both sides playing on a very even standard, a Chinnor corner, headed at goal was again saved. Steven Jones found the equaliser for Chinnor in the 51st minute when his first attack rebounded from Thorps feet & his return volley cleared the keeper. The second half became a stalemate, with neither side giving away anything or able to make a clear break from each other. As the 80 minutes drew to a close with scores level extra time was inevitable.

Extra Time

Vale piled on the pressure as the first half of 10 minutes was to be played. Both teams were heading towards exhaustion after the performances of the previous 80 minutes; Chinnor achieved the break, Steven Jones doubling his tally for the match in the 4th minute. Aylesbury were not going out without a battle, Durrelle Palmer bringing the scores level again 3 minutes later. Just like the full match, both teams gave their all through the remaining minutes of both the 1st & 2nd periods of extra time, the only way to settle the match was by the will of nerves in a penalty shoot-out.

Pens.

Aylesbury Vale 2 – Chinnor Youth 4

Unfortunately I was unable to take full details of the penalty shoot-out element of the game as I was a little distracted....

J, (my pension plan) was taken down in a heavy collision 3 minutes before the end of the match & after some treatment on the sidelines it was decided that he should take a short trip by ambulance to Stoke Mandeville Hospital. A short spell in A&E then the X-ray department the wounded soldier was allowed to return home.... plus crutches..!

Thankfully he hasn't broken anything, just ligament damage to his left ankle which has him hopping around very slowly & carefully til it improves, (I really ought to give him his crutch back, after its photo-session, to make his free movement a little easier.)

So J is currently out of the football, but on the bright side, Is available for Panto as Tiny Tim in any local productions of A Christmas Carol..!

FOR SALE....

2007-12-10T14:07:00.000Z

One Slightly Used Notebook & Pen*
*(writes as new)

I've decided that I'm going off Christmas time... not in a "Bah Humbug" kind of way, (although I shall come back to that in a moment) but just down to the weather issues playing havoc with the football schedule.

Yesterday saw the under 15's on a resting day through rearranged fixtures & the under 16's home game postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. The problem is, that when the football doesn't play I have almost a whole Sunday with nothing constructive to fill it. Now, Mrs M-W will tell you that I have plenty to be getting on with. A certain list of "little Jobs around the house" is magnetted to the fridge, but it's Sunday & that is now football day. This moves into Sunday night, (at work) & then Monday, (blog day).

... Returning to the Christmas Bah Humbug theme, without the football reports to think about I end up with time on my hands to divert my thoughts to...

Saturday afternoon was spent at Milton Keynes shopping centre, now this I have no quibble with for 44 weeks of the year, but the 4 weeks leading upto the 25th December & the 4 weeks or so January sales is just a nightmare. Shoulder to shoulder we all tramped around the stores in the sudden realisation that Christmas is only two weeks away, why sudden I'm not sure, as far as I can remember at least, Christmas has always been designated to the week before December ends. Mrs M-W, of course, is well organised. Shopping carefully throughout the year so as to avoid the disappointment of products being out of stock, it's my part that lets the well-oiled machine down. J & C want to buy their presents for "Mum & Dad" so it's my deal to take them around for "Mums" & hers to help shop for mine, this of course has to fit around my shift pattern & the all important footy which can mean it pushes into "Shopping Hell Season" before I realise it.

Now I get to the bit where I have been thinking long & hard...

Why not allocate Christmas shopping to people on an Alphabetical basis*..? Surnames A to C, the first 2 weeks of July, D to F the following 2, so on & so forth through until November. Or through the power of tinternet, issue tickets like the ones at the deli counter in Tesco's (other stores are available) allocating a time & date to shop. This would get pretty much get everything done well in advance then you could allow ALL the Dads & Husbands to wander around without the need for Alexis Carrington shoulder protection to get the bits that we need to..!

*The most cunning part about this little plan is for those like myself, we get THREE bites of the cherry to get the ideal present for our own "girl who has everything," shopping for both M, W & Dads & Husbands.... (you'll have to pick your own letters for the purpose of this excercise, after all I want weeks M & W to be as clear of shoppers as possible..!)

Enough already, rearranged League Cup fixture next week so need to jump-start the pen & give it a run before the game. An alternative ground is on standby incase the Terns haven't vacated by then.

'Tis The Season To Be Soggy

2007-12-03T11:46:00.000Z

No Youth Football

How often does that happen..? Its like a Solar eclipse corresponding with Halleys Comet passing through our atmosphere on a Saturday when my lottery numbers come up..!!!!

I am of course referring to me having a weekend off and both the Under 15's & 16's are playing at home.!!
The rain that fell over the early part of the weekend put the games into doubt..... The ducks paddling around in 3 inches of water (on the pitch) on the Sunday morning put it well beyond that.

Despite the bitter wind I was definitely looking forward to the matches, especially as the Under 15's were playing in the League Cup 3rd Round against Chinnor Youth, a team we did battle with & won in a cup round last season, much to their annoyance, with them being in higher division than ourselves. A good return match would have played out I'm sure, but we'll only have to wait until 16th December to know.

The weekend wasn't completely without entertainment.....

.......Top Gear on BBC2 followed by The Long Way Down (although this was the last in the series, sob-blubber-sniff)

*Library Picture Courtesy of Bucks Herald 21/07/2007

Aylesbury Vale Youth U15's

2007-11-27T11:42:00.000Z

So here they are then;

All transferred from my previous blogsite. They will be updated on a weekly basis, (Mondays generally, but this depends on my sleep pattern)

Put your feet up, coffee mug & biscuits to hand, (or beer glass & pork scratchings) & catch up with the season so far...........

16th Sept 2007

Under 15’s – Division 3

Aylesbury Vale 3 – Berkhamsted Town 3

Aylesbury Vale FC Under 15’s opened their season with a point when they held Berkhamsted Town to a 3-3 result at home yesterday (Sunday).

Vale were caught off-guard by a swift attack on goal by Berkhamsted giving them an extremely early lead, this was short lived as Nathan Scarfe slotted in an equalizer in the 9th minute. Pat Hurst was substituted, suffering the effects of an ankle injury picked up in pre-season. Vale had the greater dominance in the first half making more of their chances to push well into the opposing half. One such opportunity 28 minutes in gave Alex Drury his first goal for the team.
Berkhamsted made a break again & this time netted the ball, but the goal was disallowed for an offside infringement. The 1st half closed 2-1.

Second half opened with a slightly less organised Vale side with some gaps opening in their play of the ball. However they kept the game at level terms through the larger part of this period. Another substitution brought fresh legs in the form of Jordan Murphy to the pitch. He was quick to display this energy, taking the ball from the halfway line past the Berkhamsted defence and narrowly missing out on the opportunity to supply a third goal when the ball edged ahead of his stride allowing the keeper to collect on it.
A third goal did come in the 65th minute in the form of Chris Hawes and Vale was back in the winning stride of last season.
Football has a funny way of turning fortunes and a free kick (indirect) just outside the Aylesbury penalty area gave Berkhamsted a way back into the game. The ball came in across the wall glancing off a player as it did so giving them a needed goal. The determination of the Berkhamsted team to at least return with a point was paid-off with an equalizer minutes before final whistle, Vale just hadn’t got the time to take the lead again.

23rd Sept 2007

U15’s League - Division 3

Aylesbury Vale 4 - Aylesbury Town Youth 1

A (very) local derby..!

Sunday saw Aylesbury Vale U15’s play host to pitch-sharing counterparts Aylesbury Town Youth.

The game got underway with Town pushing in on Vales’ half for the 1st five minutes while Vale got themselves into their stride. Then the tables were turned & an onslaught at the Town end saw 3 goals put away within the next 20 minutes, Luca Forchione (13), Pat Hurst (19) & Nathan Scarfe (21) each claiming credit. Aylesbury Town Youth responded when Josh Sawers managed to clear the Vale defence but was denied by the woodwork in the 33rd minute. Close of the 1st half 3-0.

The second half and Craig Stillwell made his debut for Aylesbury Vale. Luca Forchione worked his magic again & made a 2nd well-targeted strike 5 minutes in. A substitution brought on another new signing for Vale, Chris Pope, who would take the right-back position. Aylesbury Town kicked off again & pushed hard for a goal. Catching the Vale defence just outside the 6yd box, Town were rewarded for defensive confusion with an own-goal (53).
Another threat at Vales’ defence was supplied by the towering Town forward, Jake Weaver, his presence in the Vale 18yd box was very noticeable, but like his team-mate from the 1st half, he also fell victim to the woodwork on two separate occasions. Substitutions for Town brought Rory Williams into the game & saw Ben Morrice take a well-earned rest.
A penalty awarded to Vale, just over mid-way through the 2nd half, didn’t give any cause for celebration either when Chris Hawes pushed the ball just wide of the post. The rhythm of the game settled for the remainder leaving a final score;
Aylesbury Vale 4 – Aylesbury Town Youth 1

30th Sept 2007

Under 15’s – Division 3

Acorn Raiders 0 - Aylesbury Vale 5

Aylesbury Vale FC met old adversaries from last seasons Division 4 on Sunday.

And it was a feeling of de-ja-vu for the Vale spectators, the opening line-up from the previous weeks successful match and a similar first 5 minutes action. Acorn Raiders, from Hemel Hempstead, had what was thought to be the advantage, playing downhill on the sloped pitch, but failed to capitalise on this. With the morning dew still fresh on the ground, close action had members of both teams struggling to stay upright, a through ball along the Vale left side gave the first goal to Nathan Scarfe after just 5 minutes. A second wave attack through the centre allowed Pat Hurst to join the score-sheet 7 minutes later! Shaken but not deterred Acorn raiders came back at Aylesbury, Tom Osbourne managed to dodge through the Vale back line but only managed to supply the ball directly into the keepers hands and a second real threat of reducing the goal deficit was raised over the crossbar by Joe Hutchins. Vale had the majority of control for the first half and went into halftime with a confidence to their game.

The second half saw substitutions for Vale, (again to the winning formula of the previous match) but with Raiders being short of substitutes they could only make tactical alterations to their line up. Acorn Raiders had an uphill struggle, in more ways than one, and Vale made it all the harder for them. Chris Hawes, who had an excellent game in midfield, used his outstanding pace to get up front and netted another winner for Vale (46). Chris was also instrumental in another close call for the Raiders when he lobbed the ball over the keeper from the edge of the 18yd box but not quite on target it bounced just wide. Aylesbury’s control of the game wavered for the next 10 minutes or so giving Raiders’ Osbourne and Hutchins a few chances to look dangerous again. With their form regained Vale came back with a vengeance. A penalty awarded to Vale for a late challenge saw Luca Forchione dispatch with precision (69), and he was back attacking the goal, again seeing the ball neatly past the keeper (77).
Another penalty this time for Raiders, 2 minutes into stoppage time, put pressure on the recently brought in Vale keeper Andy Thorp, he stood up to the challenge, deflecting the ball back out, a misjudged swing from an Acorn forward put the ball wide for a Vale goal kick. Not so lucky with the ball out to midfield, Raiders won it back & surged up the pitch again, in a final attempt to put a ball in the net. Lifted over the crossbar it just wasn’t to be their day. The ball re-placed on the 6yd box and with Andy lifting out to the midfield again the final whistle was blown. A jubilant Vale winning a well deserved 5 – 0.

7th Oct 2007

Under 15’s – Division 3

Downley Dynamo’s 0 - Aylesbury Vale 8

A focussed & determined Aylesbury Vale under 15’s continued their campaign with another convincing away win at Downley yesterday. The home team had the opening kick but where taken off the ball within seconds as Aylesbury were playing at 100% from the whistle. Vale forwards flooded the Dynamo’s 18 yd box as the ball came up from the centre, Pat Hurst getting the first attempt at goal, his chance passed for this time but not so for Chris Hawes when he blasted the ball into the net with only four minutes played.
With Downley kick-off for the second time they were again overwhelmed as Vale surged forward, keeping them mostly penned in their own half and at best well outside any Aylesbury danger area. Captain Michael O’Neil received his glory in the 15th minute, with a well-timed run to a forward pass. A minute later and Downley had a superb opportunity to reduce the deficit, a free-kick only a few yards outside the 18 yd box, but it was lifted well over the cross bar. Vale continued to keep the pressure on for the next 10 minutes. The Dynamo’s dropped to 10 men for a few minutes when Ben Greenacre pulled up with an ankle injury that he’s been suffering from this season, he was brought off the pitch to be checked over & play resumed. Chris Hawes, capitalising on the opportunity, scored his second in the 30th minute. This prompted Downley to substitute Ben and bring them back to full strength. Unfortunately full strength just wasn’t enough, the goalkeeper, George Dyer, was caught off his line and it was an open invitation to Alex Drury (33). Downley had the last real chance of the first half with a corner that was crossed in and gave a battle around the goalmouth. The last minutes played out & closed 4 – 0.

As the second half started so did the Aylesbury assault, Pat Hurst again being the front-runner. This time he was more successful, scoring in both the 45th & 49th minutes. Downley responded but lacked finish. The Dynamo’s suffered another injury bringing them down to 10 men again putting pressure on them to keep Vale away from goal, this led to a late challenge on Alex Drury. Michael O’Neil stepped up to take the free kick, in an almost identical position to that of the Dynamo’s in the first half. The ball crossed in over the wall & Chris Hawes, eager to gain his hat-trick, was up to head it towards the post, unluckily it passed inches to the left of the goal. But his chance came again on the next wave of attack, claiming his 3rd on the 61st minute. Downley came back at Vale straight away but keeper Andy Thorpe took the ball to safety. Downley won the ball back from the goal kick and moved forward again only to play into the keepers’ hands a second time. For a third time Dynamo’s fielded only 10 men when Darren Collier was the victim of a twist to his knee. Vale returned to put more pressure on the weary opposition. Despite several redeeming saves in the second half for George Dyer if he made an error Aylesbury seized on it. Caught again well off his line, Vale were denied another goal on the line by the battling of Todd Tuffney. Having received treatment on the sidelines, Darren Collier returned to the pitch, but as in the 1st half, it wasn’t enough. On the 73rd a save by the Dynamo’s keeper that left him unable to get back up quickly enough allowed Jordan Murphy to rush in on the rebound & claim the final goal of the match. Dynamo’s gave their last push. They found their way through to the Vale goal and sent the ball skywards over the crossbar. Dominated by Aylesbury throughout the game, an audible sigh of relief as the final whistle blew.

4th Nov 2007

Under 15’s – League Cup Round 2

Aylesbury Vale 4 – Gerrards X & Fulmer 0

Aylesbury Vales league cup challenge began in earnest yesterday, (Sunday) after a bye in the first round. With the mist still clearing from the pitch, Vale pushed into Gerrards X half & were met with, perhaps, stronger opposition than they expected. Although the home team had greater possession it took nearly quarter of an hour before they saw the back of the net with a great ball from Luca Furchione. The re-start was a similar picture with very little being made of the chances open to Aylesbury. A break from Gerrards X saw a good opportunity to level the scores, with a through ball & run down the left wing making space for their forward to join him in the centre but with a lightning fast sprint from the far side of the pitch, James Marsh cleared the ball to only give a Gerrards X throw in.
Aylesbury brought the pace back up a little after this scare & only through some excellent work of the Gerrards X keeper, Sam Bannister, were they denied another 2 real attacks at goal, one of which had Sam at full stretch across the goal mouth to tip the ball just over the crossbar. A free kick given to Vale on the 36th minute taken by Pat Hurst skimmed effortlessly into the back of the net. Two minutes later and Aylesbury’s Aidan Knight was up at the sharp end in a battle with Gerrards X number 18*, although he didn’t break through himself, the next wave did & Nathan Scarfe finished off the attack successfully a minute before halftime.

Gerrards X opened the second half and pushed to retrieve the game. They came up at the 18yd box but slotted the ball just wide of the far post. The Vale response was ferocious and again the last line of Gerrards X defence was at his outstanding best, a save on the line & another pushed over the crossbar. On the 49th minute a cross in from Luca Furchione with a superb finishing head in from Pat Hurst had the Vale support cheering wildly but an off side call from the linesman had the goal disallowed. Not deterred though Vale came back again, with Segun Fawole driving the ball inches over the bar from 30 yds out. Gerrards X came back in return & almost capitalised on a defending error, forward Izzy Ishaq making a break for a badly passed back ball to the keeper, but like previous attempts, it lacked accuracy on the finish & he pushed it wide of the far post. A more settled Aylesbury Vale took absolute control of the game through the middle of the second half, with a free kick well inside Gerrards X half, turned in by Pat Hurst which was headed just over the crossbar by latest signing Thomas “Granny” Grantham. The next wave brought Jordan Murphy close to scoring but keeper, Sam Bannister, managed to get his hands on it. But not discouraged Jordan was instrumental in feeding the ball through to Luca Furchione, who enticed the keeper out well clear of his line & then drove the ball into the back of the net in the 77th minute. Gerrards X just could not get the better of the home team & yet again Vale took possession & pushed at goal, Sam Bannister again keeping the ball out by his fingertips. The last minute of added time saw the Gerrards X number 17* issued an immediate Red Card for a remark made towards the referee. As he left the pitch and the free kick taken the final whistle was blown.

Commenting after the match, coach David Hawes said, “It was a decisive & gritty performance for the second half as the players became aware that complacency doesn’t win football matches.”

The League Cup round 3 continues for Vale on 2nd December with another home game taking on Chinnor Youth from Div 2.

* (Gerrards X players 18 & 17 names withheld by the GX&F coach)

11th Nov 2007

Under 15’s – Berks & Bucks Cup

Aylesbury Vale 2 – Chesham Utd Youth 3

Aylesbury Vale’s under 15’s were knocked out of the Berks & Bucks Cup by a narrow margin yesterday (Sunday) in what was a closely fought match. Despite putting pressure on the Chesham defence for the opening minutes a misguided ball gave the visitors their first major push in retaliation & was finished off by the pace of left forward Will Gray (8).
With the restart the tempo settled, with both sides evenly matched. Aylesbury were first with the next real break, a fast push through the middle of the field gave Chris Hawes a shot on goal, which he dragged inches wide of the post.
With Chesham’s goal kicks struggling to reach the halfway line Vale went in again on full attack this time it was the keepers outstretched arms that prevented the equalizer. With the corner-ball brought in across the goalmouth, the 6yd box became almost “standing room only” & when the ball was back away from danger for Chesham the tables were turned on Aylesbury. Tom Burgin, from Chesham, received a through ball that gave an almost clear run & finish at goal. With Vale now 2 behind the pressure was on to reduce the deficit by halftime. Scott Turner did just that in the 38th minute with a neat head in after United conceded a corner. With the halftime whistle seconds from sounding Luca Forchione gave Vale a glimmer of an equalizer, but pushed the wide of target.

As the match resumed it still looked like there could be no guessing the final outcome, with both sides taking pretty much even possession. But Chesham made their break 4 minutes in & as Aylesbury defence moved in on the 18yd then 6yd box the battle to put the ball to safety reached critical point. A rebound off the defence & a very quick side-pass to incoming man Jules Wallis put United 2 goals clear again. But the celebration was barely subsiding when, from another conceded corner, Vale headed their 2nd in, this time Luca knew exactly where the ball was going.
As before, in the first half, the game took a very even form with neither side getting the better of the other. Chris Hawes held United at the halfway line, heading out a series of throw-ins, preventing Chesham pushing further up the pitch.
It wasn’t until the 75th minute that Chesham looked like getting a break of play. A cross in from the left of goal gave Will Gray his opportunity but keeper Andy Thorp managed to stop the ball, which was struck with ferocity.

18th Nov 2007

Under 15’s – Division 3

Loudwater 2 - Aylesbury Vale 2

Aylesbury Vale under 15’s took on league leaders Loudwater yesterday (Sunday) in what was a highly charged away meeting. The opening 10 minutes saw Aylesbury giving 110% to try & put a clear advantage between themselves & the home team. Several chances opened up to Vale but without clean finishing they stayed only chances. Loudwater got a break in the 20th minute, pulling the ball down the right wing with a man making his way through the centre. A battle to clear the ball to safety brought the keeper, Andy Thorp, off his line, a high ball over his head & across the goalmouth looked like being the winner but a clearance almost on the line by Vale defence put the ball back out at halfway. This first real attack at Vale spurred Loudwater on to another push forward. Again the right side was seen as the better option & with a similar run & cross this time Loudwaters Chris Sutton got on the end of it & buried it into the net. Although there was plenty of action on the pitch, no real drama came from it for the next 15 minutes, with both sides taking possession and losing it again in fairly equal measure. The 39th minute nearly had Loudwater 2 clear for halftime, but they just missed out as the ball struck the left post.

Vale came out in the second half even more determined to get an away result and it only took them 4 minutes to prove their point with Luca Forchione putting the ball away. Loudwater regain its 1st half composure, but not for long enough. A rebound out from another Vale attack and Segun Fawole (55) brought the ball under control & targeted it back at the Loudwater goal successfully, putting the away team ahead. The next 10 minutes and Vale gave the better performance with Loudwater making only occasional chances for themselves. But one chance was all they needed to level the scores. A 64th minute run & battle on the left wing gave Loudwaters Aidan Brace a superb finish on goal.
The second half played out much the same as the first, action but no drama.

25th Nov 2007

Under 15’s – Referee’s Cup Round 2

Aylesbury Vale 5 – Holmer Green Minors 0

After the recent inclement weather Haywood Way was waterlogged so the meeting was moved to the Holmer Green Sports Club. The fixture away from home didn’t unsettle the winning formula of the Vale youth team though and set out for total dominance over the division 5 squad. Luca Forchione provided the first for Vale in the 12th minute and was in on another squabble in the 6yd box when Holmer Green defence managed to clear the ball off the line only to have it powered back at the keeper who got a punch at it only for it to be volleyed back at goal for a 3rd time, this time it went high. The pressure was constant and Nathan Scarfe brought the 2nd for the claret & blues in the 32nd minute. Vale dropped to 10 men a few minutes later when Luca suffered an injury but this had little effect on the game and he was to return to the pitch after minor treatment on the sideline. Chris Hawes gave Vale another chance seconds before halftime, which rattled of the right post.

The second half began with no change to the possession & play. Pat Hurst joined the score sheet 5 minutes in, and Luca missed out narrowly as his shot struck the crossbar 2 minutes later. The goal kick didn’t put the ball out far & as Vale slotted the ball in the net a call for offside had it was disallowed. Holmer Green made several attempts to get back into the game but was out manoeuvred at each attempt, on one of these occasions, with the ball & almost all their players well into the centre of the Vale end, a cross to the wing gave Pat Hurst a clear run back up the field. Having cleared all but the keeper, who came out to attack the ball, he was disappointed to only rattle the outside of the left post. The 69th minute and Vale were up on the left wing again; Craig Stillwell was instrumental in the set up, delivering a superb cross that Nathan Scarfe slotted away. Jordan Murphy also joined the goal scoring tally another 60 seconds later. With last five minutes to play out, Holmer Greens keeper put in another superb effort to prevent the defeat becoming any greater, yet again he cleared a strike from Vale only to have the ball driven back again which he managed to get a hold on.
Aylesbury now go through to the 3rd round and are to play Chiltern Athletic Colts.

Aylesbury Vale Youth U16's

2007-11-27T11:03:00.000Z

Aside from writing the match reports for the Under 15's, I also have the pleasure of watching & reporting on the Under 16's (when the venues & kick-off times aren't battling against each other..!)

They really are a pleasure to watch, and anyone who watches junior(?) football will acknowledge,

Very little ones = 1 ball & 12 children chasing around EVERYWHERE that it goes with very little actual passing.

and as they get older this goes through various phases whereby less players chase the ball & passing starts to take place.

The Under 16's play adult football. They don't tend to think about making options for teammates, they instinctively just do it.

The reports below have been brought across from a previous blogsite & will be updated more regularly in future.

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14th Oct 2007

Under 16’s – Division 1

Aylesbury Vale 1 – Chalfont Saints 7

Aylesbury Vale Under 16’s had a nightmare 1st half to their game yesterday (Sunday). Chalfont Saints started the game with an all-out attack into the Vale end with Saints forward Sam Cook finishing off the first assault in only 90 seconds. A shock to the system, Vale held the game a little better but in the main was still dominated by the visiting side. Aylesbury’s Jordan Wilson had the first & closest chance on goal when he headed the ball against the far post from a free kick. But Chalfont came back even stronger than before and it seemed nothing was going to slow them down, second forward, Steve Park, who like his team mate had lightening speed pushed the goal tally to 2 in the 18th minute with Sam Cook adding another on the 23rd. The game was hard but settled for a short period until another attack at the Vale keeper came on the half hour mark. A full power shot was deflected by the keeper as he slid in to retrieve, it came back to just short of halfway and Saints’ Aaron Benmore took his chance to volley the ball back at goal, with the keeper still getting to his feet, the ball hit the back of the net unchallenged. Steve Park was back for his final attack 3 minutes later with a well-timed clear run from a through ball.

Second half & a completely different mindset from Vale. The opening ten minutes proved a far more level game with both sides taking on the challenges & fairly equal levels of possession. Chalfont did however get the upper hand with Aaron Benmore claiming his 2nd goal in the 54th minute. The ball was played among the Vale team with more confidence & precision but any error and Saints were ready to seize an opportunity. A run down the right wing by Chalfont gave one such chance in the 65th minute but left with an awkward angle was only able to deliver the ball straight into the keepers’ hands. Half an hour through the second half & both sides made substitutions. Aaron Grant was brought back on the pitch for Vale & he was determined to reduce the goal deficit. Six minutes back on and that reward was his. As the game moved into added time Chalfont took a final attack at the Vale goal. As the ball was swung in, Vales’ keeper got a punch on it but only as far as the waiting Sam Cook. The keeper caught off his line, with no options to get back. Aylesbury Vale 1 - Chalfont Saints 7.

18th Nov 2007

Under 16’s – Division 1

Loudwater 2 - Aylesbury Vale 0

Aylesbury Vale Under 16’s were away to Loudwater yesterday (Sunday) determined to improve on last weeks result. Less than 90 seconds in & Vale were looking on target for the opening goal, but with the wind howling down the pitch (from end to end), Aaron Grant lifted the ball inches over the bar. Loudwater became the 1st to score in the 12th minute, a throw in from the left of the pitch and they managed to find the hole in Vales defence with Ben Perfect finishing it off. Solid performances from both teams gave an evenly matched game, Vales lack of a striking partnership meant that the opportunities that came along weren’t finished cleanly enough. Loudwater doubled their lead just before halftime with Stuart Gillespie getting his head to an incoming cross, which had the outstretched Nathan Davis unable to get his fingers to it.

The second half continued with much the same performances from both sides & Vale were by no means looking like being out of the running. A strong Vale attack in the 50th minute was only denied by the actions of keeper Ben Elliott as he collided with the incoming Vale forward. Equal possession through until 8 minutes before full-time, a corner given to Aylesbury saw disappointment for Vales Sean Gallagher when his head in was saved on the line. This half was looking to finish in an almost identical way to the first. 2 minutes of play left and Loudwater charged forward, the cross in was headed towards an outstretched Nathan again, this time he managed to push the ball well clear of the crossbar.

New Blogsite

2007-11-22T09:54:00.001Z

Thanks for being patient while I transfered from my previous MySpace site