Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Cricket
Today was our first cricket training session. We played a bunch of cricket games, and tomorrow we will do cricket drills. I am quite liking the sport, and I've recently been playing at break. I have already bowled out 3 people so far. Pretty lucky for a rookie, eh?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
U11 Cambs Mini Hockey Tournament Part 2
Right now you are probably thinking, "Huh? I thought St. Faiths already did the tournament and were runners-up to St. Johns." Well, St. Johns were disqualified after they won the tournament because of their over age player, so the semi-finalists and the team that moved up from St. Johns' group to take their place played against each other to decide who would go to the East playoffs. Since only three teams showed up, we all played the other two teams and the Cambs winner would be decided by goal difference.
First, we played Saffron Walden. They lost to us in the normal tournament semi-finals, and the outcome in today's game proved similar, with our team winning 3-0. However, our coach told us that we could have played even better. All the training we had done on defending and utilizing set pieces paid off.
We then faced Rackham, who have an electric centre-half (by this, I mean he has very, very good control over the ball when he has it) who proved almost impossible to tackle. During the match, we held him off maybe a bit better than last time, but not enough to prevent him from scoring the winning, and only, goal of the match. We had plenty of times in which we could have converted chances at goal, too, but sadly, they were of no use to us.
While the team were playing around with some hockey balls and shooting at the spare goals, we stole some glances at Saffron Walden losing 2-1 to Rackham. Rackham went to the Eastern playoffs for the second year in a row and we ended up with the same runners-up medals that we had been awarded earlier.
First, we played Saffron Walden. They lost to us in the normal tournament semi-finals, and the outcome in today's game proved similar, with our team winning 3-0. However, our coach told us that we could have played even better. All the training we had done on defending and utilizing set pieces paid off.
We then faced Rackham, who have an electric centre-half (by this, I mean he has very, very good control over the ball when he has it) who proved almost impossible to tackle. During the match, we held him off maybe a bit better than last time, but not enough to prevent him from scoring the winning, and only, goal of the match. We had plenty of times in which we could have converted chances at goal, too, but sadly, they were of no use to us.
While the team were playing around with some hockey balls and shooting at the spare goals, we stole some glances at Saffron Walden losing 2-1 to Rackham. Rackham went to the Eastern playoffs for the second year in a row and we ended up with the same runners-up medals that we had been awarded earlier.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
St. Faiths v Bishop's Stortford
Everyone really wanted to win this game, as it was the last match of the season, and Bishop's Stortford are not a really spectacular team, but they are certainly not rubbish either. Our team reckoned that we could beat them.
At the beginning of the match, Edward did very well to nick the ball off their centre-half, but did nothing with it and we soon lost the ball. Soon, however, we had won it back. Will played magnificently again today, and he crossed the ball in to Edward, who chipped the ball first touch over the goalie's head.
However, our joys were short-lived, because I was not marking Stortford's right half very well, and he tipped a goal in off a cross from Stortford's left half..
At halftime, our coach lectured us about putting chances at goal away, especially me, because whenever crosses come in, it is my job to deflect them in.
During the second half, I did exactly what I was supposed to do and equalized at 2-2 by deflecting Edward's cross in between the goalkeeper's legs. Annoyingly, Stortford squeezed in a winning goal in the dying minutes, so all our work was for nothing.
Man of the Match: Tom (goalkeeper) for his brilliant saves
Goals: Edward, me
At the beginning of the match, Edward did very well to nick the ball off their centre-half, but did nothing with it and we soon lost the ball. Soon, however, we had won it back. Will played magnificently again today, and he crossed the ball in to Edward, who chipped the ball first touch over the goalie's head.
However, our joys were short-lived, because I was not marking Stortford's right half very well, and he tipped a goal in off a cross from Stortford's left half..
At halftime, our coach lectured us about putting chances at goal away, especially me, because whenever crosses come in, it is my job to deflect them in.
During the second half, I did exactly what I was supposed to do and equalized at 2-2 by deflecting Edward's cross in between the goalkeeper's legs. Annoyingly, Stortford squeezed in a winning goal in the dying minutes, so all our work was for nothing.
Man of the Match: Tom (goalkeeper) for his brilliant saves
Goals: Edward, me
Saturday, March 14, 2009
St. Faiths vs Felsted
Apparently, Felsted beat a school called Greshams 8-0. We lost to Greshams 7-2. So we were expecting to be thrashed by Felsted. However, that was not the case.
In the first half we started off well, with Edward scoring to put us ahead 1-0. However, we had lots of chances that we should have put away. Both teams were evenly matched, although Felsted out-witted us with their short, clever passes.
The second half was a goal-fest. Our team broke down with our marking and Felsted slipped in 5 goals. Will put in a goal for us after a scramble for the ball after an intercepted cross. At the end of the game, Edward cleverly created a short corner for us before he scored after Lewis passed to him.
Final Score: Felsted 5 St Faiths 3
In the first half we started off well, with Edward scoring to put us ahead 1-0. However, we had lots of chances that we should have put away. Both teams were evenly matched, although Felsted out-witted us with their short, clever passes.
The second half was a goal-fest. Our team broke down with our marking and Felsted slipped in 5 goals. Will put in a goal for us after a scramble for the ball after an intercepted cross. At the end of the game, Edward cleverly created a short corner for us before he scored after Lewis passed to him.
Final Score: Felsted 5 St Faiths 3
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Cambs U11 Mini Hockey Tournament
This was a rather strange tournament, because there were 11 teams playing, so the pools were of 6 and 5, so our pool had to play one more game than the other. Also, St John's centre-forward was 12, because he was held back a year. So he probably shouldn't have been allowed to play since it was a U11 tournament, rather than U12, but I guess he was allowed to play anyway.
Well, we got off to a good start, winning our matches against St. Ives and Cambs City (City have a guy who goes to St. Faiths!)1-0 and 3-0 respectively with Sewelly scoring against St. Ives and Lewis with 2 goals and me with 1 against Cambs city. We then drew against St Johns, and we gave them a jolly good run for their money.
Immediately afterward, we beat City of Peterborough 3-1. Peterborough had a funny formation. They seemed to have 3 in the centre, two wingers and 1 back. Obviously, the midfielders supported the lone defender but it was strange nonetheless.
In the next game against Rackham, we really had a huge load on our shoulders. They had won last year, if we lost we just might not be able to make it to the semis, and they too had a Charlie Fields-type player. We discovered that this guy was better than Charlie. One of the two goals that he scored involved lobbing the ball over our goalie's head and watching it bounce its way in. The game was lost 3-2. In fact, we were leading until their electric midfielder scored his goals. Now all of our hope was on goal differences.
It started to rain furiously when we found out that we had got through and were facing Saffron Walden, the winners of the other pool. We overcame them easily, even though the rain slowed us down. One one occasion, I attempted to hit the ball, but My stick was so slippery that It flew out of my hands and skidded, going farther than the ball itself. Saffron got a free hit for that because it was 'dangerous'. Well, of course it's dangerous but it is nearly impossible to hit the ball properly in the pouring rain!
The finals was a rematch of one of our group stages. Guess who? It was Johns. I won't give you a second by second description and make the suspense of the tournament unbearable, firstly because it might get boring and secondly because there wasn't actually all that much suspense. They beat us and won the trophy. All I can say is, they were lucky to have been able to play their 12 year old. Good luck to them in the regional tournament!
Well, we got off to a good start, winning our matches against St. Ives and Cambs City (City have a guy who goes to St. Faiths!)1-0 and 3-0 respectively with Sewelly scoring against St. Ives and Lewis with 2 goals and me with 1 against Cambs city. We then drew against St Johns, and we gave them a jolly good run for their money.
Immediately afterward, we beat City of Peterborough 3-1. Peterborough had a funny formation. They seemed to have 3 in the centre, two wingers and 1 back. Obviously, the midfielders supported the lone defender but it was strange nonetheless.
In the next game against Rackham, we really had a huge load on our shoulders. They had won last year, if we lost we just might not be able to make it to the semis, and they too had a Charlie Fields-type player. We discovered that this guy was better than Charlie. One of the two goals that he scored involved lobbing the ball over our goalie's head and watching it bounce its way in. The game was lost 3-2. In fact, we were leading until their electric midfielder scored his goals. Now all of our hope was on goal differences.
It started to rain furiously when we found out that we had got through and were facing Saffron Walden, the winners of the other pool. We overcame them easily, even though the rain slowed us down. One one occasion, I attempted to hit the ball, but My stick was so slippery that It flew out of my hands and skidded, going farther than the ball itself. Saffron got a free hit for that because it was 'dangerous'. Well, of course it's dangerous but it is nearly impossible to hit the ball properly in the pouring rain!
The finals was a rematch of one of our group stages. Guess who? It was Johns. I won't give you a second by second description and make the suspense of the tournament unbearable, firstly because it might get boring and secondly because there wasn't actually all that much suspense. They beat us and won the trophy. All I can say is, they were lucky to have been able to play their 12 year old. Good luck to them in the regional tournament!
St. Faiths vs St Johns
Our St Faiths side always seem to face teams that have one really electric kid. In St John's case, it was Charlie Fields. A couple of men on our team go to the same club as him, and they said he was really good.
That, indeed, was the case. He would skill all of our men out and then absolutely thwack the ball at our helpless goalie. He scored twice, and had an assist for their centre-forward to poke in.
Obviously, St Johns won, but we put up a fight at the other end of the pitch. Our only problem up front was that we couldn't get the ball into the goal. That is, except for once. Freddie took a 16 and passed it to me. I drove, and then as I was approaching St John's right winger, I passed it square to Edward on the left wing. He drove all the way into the D, effortlessly avoiding defenders as he went. He then pushed it to Sewelly, who tucked the ball into the goal all wrapped up behind the opponents goalkeeper. The final score was 2-1.
For the B's, however, the game was a completely different story. The St Faiths B's won 4-3, lust edging their opponents. It could have been, 3-2, however, because 2 of the goals were amazingly fluky. The first one, which we scored, had Luke pushing the ball towards the goal in a terrible attempt of a cross. The St Johns goalie ran out to boot the ball away, only to slip, allowing the ball to harmlessly roll across the goal-line. It was so slow I don't think it even touched the back of the goal. The second one, at the other end of the pitch, was a decent shot from a St Johns player. Our GK, Tom, dived to get it but missed. Fortunately, the ball hit the post. Unfortunately, the ball deflected off Tom's back and rolled on in. At least the B's still won.
That, indeed, was the case. He would skill all of our men out and then absolutely thwack the ball at our helpless goalie. He scored twice, and had an assist for their centre-forward to poke in.
Obviously, St Johns won, but we put up a fight at the other end of the pitch. Our only problem up front was that we couldn't get the ball into the goal. That is, except for once. Freddie took a 16 and passed it to me. I drove, and then as I was approaching St John's right winger, I passed it square to Edward on the left wing. He drove all the way into the D, effortlessly avoiding defenders as he went. He then pushed it to Sewelly, who tucked the ball into the goal all wrapped up behind the opponents goalkeeper. The final score was 2-1.
For the B's, however, the game was a completely different story. The St Faiths B's won 4-3, lust edging their opponents. It could have been, 3-2, however, because 2 of the goals were amazingly fluky. The first one, which we scored, had Luke pushing the ball towards the goal in a terrible attempt of a cross. The St Johns goalie ran out to boot the ball away, only to slip, allowing the ball to harmlessly roll across the goal-line. It was so slow I don't think it even touched the back of the goal. The second one, at the other end of the pitch, was a decent shot from a St Johns player. Our GK, Tom, dived to get it but missed. Fortunately, the ball hit the post. Unfortunately, the ball deflected off Tom's back and rolled on in. At least the B's still won.
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