The next few weeks....

Hello everyone, 

 Well it was another impressive win on Saturday and what a wonderful season we are having.

 I hope that you are all enjoying it and enjoying playing at the top of the league! It is wonderful to think that we have still only lost one game this season, that is testimony to your hard work, focus at training and then your spirit, skill and determination on the field of play! 

I just wanted to remind players and parents that we do not have a game on the 28th February so I think we should have the weekend off to rest weary legs! 

We continue to have training mid-week and these midweek sessions will be essential in the build-up to our semi-final Cup match on Saturday 14th March. 

Planning for this match is well underway, at this time I am not aware of anyone who is unable to make it but please let me know. 

John and I will be selecting the squad, probably 12 players, for this match in the next week and will be letting everyone know so we can do some specific work at training on positioning, defensive and offensive set plays. 

Just also to remind everyone that the end of season award presentation is on Saturday 2nd May in the evening at the Exeter City Football ground, it was a great event last year and it is looking like it will be again this year. 

Thanks for your time and see you on Wednesday 

Mark

City 2 Heavitree Youth 0

KGV on Saturday morning,a cold sunny dry day and the first encounter of the season against Heavitree Youth.A clash of colours,both sides have identical kits,saw City sport green bibs for a two goal success,an unfortunate premeditation of the afternoons advantage at St James’ Park.

The game was evenly matched for the opening 20 minutes,and remained a competitive contest throughout.Charlie and Dan linked up well and Cameron dispatched two free kicks with customary aplomb,Heavitree countering by forcing a corner requiring defensive discipline by Ewan.City settled well and when a Will P corner was cleared,Alfie W persisted to attack the right flank,Sam P opening the scoring,latching on when the keeper could not hold.The Youth glovesman shrugged off the encounter and went on to have a good game as City increased the threat,Tom “nutmeg” Day causing all kind of problems for the visitors.Charlie also ran off a knock as half time approached with City leading by just the narrowest of margins.

The second half saw the introduction of Joe with immediate impact,seeing plenty of the ball,going close many times,cutting in from the right.With the wind behind them,Sam R was kicking to gain distance and Sam P enjoyed several good left side runs.Alfie W took over corner duties and when a searching one was not effectively cleared,Tom steadied himself to shoot low through the crowded box to find the net.Ryan came on to defend and attack on the right,and later Will A on the left,both linking well with Dan,as City pressed with several close efforts.Charlie,for defensive confidence and accurate passing to always get City back on the offensive, was the deserved recipient of Man of the Match. 

Another big challenge!!

Hi everyone, 

Hope that you are all well and have had a good week off. I seem to be starting recent communications with an apology for something and this is no exception!! I am sorry for not being in to0uch sooner of posting the starting team for this Saturdays match against Heavitree.

 I am also sorry for not posting a short match report from our 1-1 draw with Broadclyst from last weekend. With our roving touchline reporter away fro the weekend I would have tried to give a little summary but have been so busy sorry. 

Suffice to say that it was a tough 1-1 draw against a well organised and physical team. Injuries to Charlie and Ewan meant that we had to change the players around and some of you played in 2 or 3 different positions. It was a well taken goal by Tom which gave us the 1-1 draw and great play down the left from Sam Plumer who took the man of the match award so well done Sam. 

One thing I will not apologies for () was the great training session that we held on Wednesday, it was outstanding and was simply a joy to see the skills and fluid passing play during the game at the end. 

It was also great to see John back after his injury! I would really like us to enter as many summer tournaments as we can this year and I felt excited to think about possible 5,6 and 7 a-side dream teams!! 

Well enough dreaming of the summer sun……to matters this weekend and our home game against Heavitree. This is our first match with them this season and they have a reputation of being a well organised team.

The starting team will be: 

Goal Keeper – Sam R 

Defence – Ewan ©, Cameron and Charlie 

Midfield – Sam P, Will P, Dan and Tom 

Striker – Alfie W 

Starting Subs – Will A, Joe and Ryan 

Rested, Injured or not available – Josh, Alfie R, Oscar 

 If I could ask for the usual support to set the goals up that will be great for about 9:30am, the weather is looking good so should be a nice morning.

Thanks everyone 

 Mark

A few updates and information

Hi everyone, 

Another strong match at the weekend boys and we should be really proud of this run of really good form.

Playing and winning games like Okehampton this weekend, and indeed Bideford the week before, does not happen by chance or by accident.

It has been as a result of the really hard work that you have all put in to work on you all aspects of your game. We are a physically fit and strong team, we train hard and have worked hard on the tactical side of our game. 

One really good example of this was evident on Saturday with such great linking play between the defensive players and the left and right midfield. It is a pleasure to watch you playing at the moment, such an exciting season. 

We are now a clear second in the table, we have only lost the one game all season in both league and cup matches and have still been able to maintain the spirit and the fun that has always been so important for our team. 

Can I once again extend my thanks to all the parents who helped run the snack bar and help set up the goals etc on Saturday it makes for such a great spirit in the team and I am really grateful. The additional cakes looked like they went down a storm and all of this money gets put back into the club funds to support grassroots football.

I will send a text to all the players and parents coming to the Exeter City v Cambridge game on Tuesday, but hope it will be a good night for all those coming. 

Half Term training – Just to confirm that we will be training on Wednesday 18th February which is during half term. However I understand and appreciate that a few of you are going to be away. If you are not able to make it can you let me know so I can adjust our session accordingly. (I already know that josh and Alfie R are not able to make it).

Our next match is against Broadclyst and just to confirm that this is an AWAY match at their ground. You might recall we switched grounds in the autumn as their pitch was water logged. 

So the game will be at The New Inn, Whimple Road, Broadclyst, Exeter EX5 3BX. 

I already know that we are without the services of Josh, Alfie R and Alfie W on that day so will need to think carefully about the squad.

Any problems please just let me know if not I look forward to seeing some of you tomorrow night and the rest on Wednesday for midweek training.

Cheers 

Mark

Good form continues with win over the other Argyle

Back home at KGV on saturday morning,a cold sunny day with just a little frost left in the pitch at the 10.30 kick off.

City had taken the opportunity with the full squad available,for a team photo.Given that we will be playing 11 a side next season,the players available today showed a squad ready to make this change and with the increased opportunities that will offer. 

 The away leg at Okehampton back around halloween was a closely matched affair,and so proved this encounter.The opening 15 minutes saw action at both goalmouths,Citys’ brightest spots being a freekick,close over the bar from Cameron,and a decisive saving tackle from Josh.The midfield pairing of Dan and Will P were starting to spread the ball wide to Ryan and Oscar,on each flank,but it was Okehampton who broke free to open the scoring.

City upped their game and enjoyed a series of corners.The one that Will P whipped in low as an alternative option, was seized upon by Alfie W to make it 1-1. The limited additional time added on for a couple of stoppages remarkably saw two more goals.

Once again the visitors led after converting a from a corner.But straight from kick off it was 2-2 after Alfie W scored virtually an identical leveller to the one against Twyford,that one deep into added time. City introduced Tom,and earlier Sam P,and started to enjoy more of the play in the second half.

Confidence crept in,backheels and sweeping moves were seen,Man of the Match Dan scored the winning goal.It was a long time leading 3-2 to the final whistle and there was the feeling the game could have broken either way,but,with a great future ahead,the City roadshow rolls on.

Okehampton are coming to town!!

Good morning everyone, 

Hope that you have had a good week and that you are looking forward the match tomorrow. 

As you know John and I have asked that everyone comes to the match tomorrow, with your Central kit. It would be really good to have a picture of the whole team taken before the match, something that we haven’t really done yet this season. 

This will mean that we will have 6 substitutes. Of these 6 we will only look to use 2 or 3 so can I suggest that the starting subs come wrapped up.

I am aware that we will have some players missing over the next few weeks so our team selection is based on the principles of ensuring a strong defence set up, fairness and looking ahead to the next few matches. 

This is a really important match for us, Okehampton are a fine side and we had a tough draw against them in the Autumn. 

We need to be well prepared and concentrate hard. We have an allocated referee and will be on our favoured pitch nearest the car park.

The starting team will be: 

Goal Keeper – Sam R 

Defence – Josh, Cameron and Charlie

Midfield – Oscar ©, Dan, Will P and Ryan 

Striker – Alfie W 

Starting Subs: - Ewan, Will A, Sam P, Alfie R and Joe. 

Oscar has been handed the captains armband for this match so well done Oscar, you always work hard in training and do your best. 

If there any problems please let me know, it will be a chilly start to the day.

Thanks for all the offers of help with setting up the Snack Bar and also the goals. 

See you tomorrow 

Mark

Did that REALLY happen???

Well……I am not really sure where to start! 

Have you, like me, looked time and time again on the League website just to make sure that I was not dreaming about what happened on Saturday?

It was simply incredible and without question one of the finest moments we have had as a squad, possible the finest moment! What a brilliant footballing experience we had and it is brilliantly caught in Andrew’s match report which made me laugh so much!!

Can it ever get any better than that?!

I have updated the blog tables this week so it should be a fair reflection of all our results and the goal scorers etc.

It is worth just taking stock of our season so far because you have been brilliant! Sitting second in the league table, only one defeat and in the semi-finals of the Cup! 

This is a great credit to all the players and their families who do so much to support them. 

Looking forward now we have a few tough matches, first at home this Saturday against Okehampton. 

Snack Bar Duty – 

Our second Snack Bar Duty falls to us this Saturday and so if I could ask for a few volunteers to help set it up and run it that would be brilliant. 

We have the highest takings of all the teams so far this season which is great! I have permission from Nigel that we can also sell cakes and biscuits so if anyone has any spare time and would be kind enough to knock up a batch of something that would be wonderful. 

It takes about half an hour to set everything up so really would need volunteers to be at KGV for about 9.30am. 

Could you text me if you are able.

Also would it be possible to have an advance party to put up goals, again starting around 9:30am so that they are up and ready for the 10am warm ups for both teams? 

John and I had a long discussion last night about squad rotation and how we use the team to our best effect to ensure we are as competitive as possible. 

Unusually we are going to ask all 15 boys to come to the match on Saturday, suited and booted and ready to play. 

We think it would be a good opportunity to get everyone together and also to enable us to rotate the squad during the match. 

I would also really like us to have a proper team photograph of the whole team with our kit on, black shorts and socks, if possible. 

I am also amassing so much lost property, coats, under tops, umbrellas, water bottles etc so I will bring it all on Saturday and ask that you take what is yours. 

Training on Wednesday as per normal, the focus for this session will be on defending from free kicks. 

Again this is something that will be really important, we did well on Saturday but we want to talk through who stands where etc. 

Wrap up nice and warm though boys as it is looking really chilly for the next week or so. 

 Exeter City Match 

This is the final call for names for the Exeter City match next Tuesday 10th February. 

So far I have 

Ewan, Tom, Cameron, Josh Charlie, Will P, Will A and Sam R on the list along with Steve T, Rupert, Steve D, Russ, Andrew P and Micky. 

Is anyone else wanting to come along as I need to have final numbers to Nigel by tomorrow at the latest? 

Blimey I really do waffle on but hope that’s all helpful 

Cheers 

Mark

Story of the Blues - Part 2

A meet at KGV on Saturday morningwas the only familiar flavour,as it was8.30am,a mini bus was boarded and the Sat Nav set for EX39.The weather closed in on the link road as “Its grim up north” came on the radio.There was no let up to conditions and the match was played in a strong on shore breeze with virtually persistent cold rain falling.The pitch miraculously survived an inspection,draining better than the nearby golf course.

The aforementioned had been inspected half an hour before when the navigation had presumed our game was golf,not football.There was a danger of making the headlines on the news pages of the Sunday Independent, rather than the sports pages. (Check out the latter for a professional match report).The reporter would have observed “Psycho chef attacks southerners mini bus for trashing the oldest golf links in the land”

There was nothing below par about the action that followed.City rapidly adapted to the conditions,finding telling passes and organised a no nonsense defence.Sam P opened the scoring within a couple of minutes with a left foot shot from distance,Alfie W then added a brace,and City were three nil to the good at halftime.The Blues looked stunned,but still had City watching on as they stuck to their coaching style,rattling the advertising hoardings on several occasions,as the ball skimmed off the wet surface.The Blues started winning a series of corners which City had to contend with,so it was a mixture of relief and well earned rest and respite,back in the away changing room for 5 minutes.

City trotted out with confidence for the second half but Bideford started well.Sam R was called upon again and again,the ball sticking to his gloves like glue,and turning  several searching efforts over the bar.There was a certain amount of inevitability that the home side got a goal back,just after a line saving move by Josh.But to Citys’ great credit that was the only time they netted,and as the game drew to a close,Alfie W slipped his marker and calmly rounded the keeper.It was one of those moments when you just wish a massive scoreboard was lit up:Blues 1,Visitors 4.That seemed the only missing feature of the excellent facilities and hospitality.

Tom edged the Man of the Match award (plus Alfie W and Sam R in the Independent). But everyone played such a massive part in this historic victory.They had not lost a competitive match for 18 months according to their coach.City may have taken the field to the Mighty Wah’s “Story of the Blues” but after the handshakes,the strains of David Bowies’ “Heroes” echoed .