Christmas comes early to end a sensational year

So the Central City year ends,once again at KGV with the fifth appearance there in as many weeks.A much anticipated clash,for those betting without the favourite,a top of the table encounter.It clearly meant much to the opposition,to respect City,to try to consolidate their own position in the table.

Who is a Spartan.A person from Sparta,Ancient Greece?.These Spartans were from further north,Tiverton way.The11am kick off saw them choosing to play into the breeze,away from the carpark end.Any thoughts of a yuletide slog were quickly dispensed with,as both sides set out a defensive stall but with skill and vision to attack the opposition as the breaks allowed.City had to immediately adjust from the planned formation due to the absence of Cameron,so Sam P dropped back and Joe started.The KGV pitch was holding up well despite the recent rains and it was City who were first to develop several threatening attacks through use of open play.At times,the short game in training was brilliantly complimented with the ball being spread wide to the wings,the midfield engine forcing several City corners.The allocated ref will be adding an alarm clock to his Christmas list after arriving late,taking over from the gallant John B after 10 minutes.This coincided with the first test for Sam R in goal,making a good save,returning the ball with speed and suddenly an offside effort by Tom was hitting the side netting at the other end.

Sam R was once again called upon as the half ticked on,this time,he parried a stinging shot airwards and caught it decisively and securely after it hit the bar on the way down,despite being surrounded by Twyford strikers.Almost immediately an unstoppable shot beat him and City were behind.A critical period leading up to halftime followed,and with delight and to their great credit,City continued to build from defence,passing the ball,again over some distance.A moment later,a move found Tom in space,a jinking run,a cut inside and a low right foot screamer levelled the score.

The second half saw more positivity from City.There may have been a theoretical or perhaps definite advantage in terms of the direction the Spartans were now playing,more so as the wind had picked up considerably,blowing straight into the City boys faces.But,if anything,the quality of the football improved and it was end to end stuff in places.Midway through the second half,City were pressing once again,with the ball in the top right opposition corner.Seconds later,said opposition were away down the left,almost reaching the far corner before turning inside and restoring the Twyford lead.

What followed was a battle of wits and attrition.The ref,who may now be adding a stopwatch to the alarm clock on the Xmas list,had played a 35 minute first half and was well into doing so in the second.City had tactically changed formation,subtly dropping Alfie W back a bit to right midfield.In an exhilarating moment,the said player found the top left corner with a Beckhamesque effort well into Fergy time.In true Ferguson era Manchester United,Twyford had just enough time to kick off before the final whistle blew.

More Spartan anecdotes.”Theme from Sparta FC” by The Fall,was used as the backdrop for the BBC’s football results on a Saturday,maybe still is.Despite the intonation of James Alexander Gordons’ voice,which would have given away the draw result as he announced:Central City 2,Twyford Spartans 2,as with many other 2-2 draws,it is unlikely that the true excitement of the match was ever portrayed.And in another spurious Spartan Chrimbo link,the fabulously named Birkenhead band Half Man Half Biscuit,recorded a song entitled “ All I want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague away kit”.So,in case it comes up in a Xmas quiz,Who is the other team in Prague.Oh Yes,Sparta Prague.You couldn’t make it up.

Back in the spring it was probably an away win at Colyton that sent City on their way to promotion.If a Xmas wish were to have been granted then,3rd in Division 1 of the league,unbeaten bar the Blues,would have been high on the list.We didn’t have Man of the Match Josh then,the award makes us glad we have now,together with all our squad.You all deserve a Dukla Prague away kit for a Happy Christmas.

One last big effort then we have a break!!

Well our last session before the festive break was a good one I thought and my thanks to Gillian and to John for their input. 

Charlie hit the nail on the head last night seeing how the training that we do on a Wednesday impacts our performance on the Saturday in our matches. 

 That is why it is so important that we are focused and concentrating on the drills and practice that we do. We always try and mix it up a bit and last night offered something for everyone so well done.

 Okay here we go then the last game of 2014….what a year this has been for us hey! It is against Twyford Spartans who are clearly a class team and are having a very strong season. 

 They will pose us a great challenge but I am sure that we will give them a run for their money! 

The starting team for Saturday will be: 

Goal Keeper – Sam R © 

 Defence – Josh, Cameron and Charlie

 Midfield – Sam P, Dan, Will P and Tom

 Striker – Alfie W 

 Starting Subs – Will A and Joe 

 Rested injured or not available – Oscar, Ryan, Ewan and Alfie R 

 We have an allocated referee again which is working well this season and it is s a slightly later kick off at 11:00am to accommodate two games on the same pitch. 

 We will be playing on our favoured pitch nearest the car park.

 Sam R is our captain for the second time and enjoyed a good (and busy!) training session last night so should head into the match full of confidence. 

 Can we ask you to get to KGV for a 10:15am warm up and match preparation, if you can come wrapped up as we will spend the first 10-15mins talking through the tactics and match plans.

 I have had a good look at their website and have read their match reports, what is clear is that they have two main striking threats who between them have scored almost all their goals. 

 If we can identify these boys it will help the defence who will have to be alert at all times to the danger that they pose. Whatever the result on Saturday we will finish 2014 no lower than third place in Division One! 

 What a great success boys you should be exceptionally proud of yourself and what you have achieved thus far.

 If I had said that we would have been third in the league at Christmas I am sure we wouldn’t have believed it!

Will look forward to seeing you on 

Saturday 

 Regards 

 Mark

Wow!!!!!

Hi everyone, 

 Hope that you are all well and having a good week. 

 The final week of school before you break up for the festive break is always fun! 

 What a great match report as well, I say it every week but brilliant to be able to remember the match and some of the things that we all miss in a match so thanks to Team Worth! 

 I am still smiling after the great game on Saturday, not just because it was a brilliant result but it was the style of football that we played, energy, space, confidence and trust in one another.

 These are great qualities and have served us well in the past and I hope will do so in the future for the rest of the season. 

 On Saturday we play Twyford Spartans. Anyone following the league tables will know they just piped us into the second spot at the weekend and are having as strong season thus far so will be a tough team for us to play.

 I will post the starting team on Thursday as per normal after training, but we already know that we will be missing Ewan and Ryan for the last game of 2014! 

 Speaking of training….Isca on Wednesday 6pm to 7pm, hope to have a mixture of normal training with some festive fun and games! 

 Just one quick note to say that the kick off on Saturday has been delayed until 11:00am to enable another match to take place on the intermediate pitch. We have an allocated referee again. 

 On a personal note I really wanted to thank everyone for the kind gift at the weekend, I was really genuinely touched and appreciative. We have a really special thing going on with Central City and I feel proud to play my part in what we are able to achieve and give to all the players. Hope you all enjoyed the lunch at the Waterfront, such a great venue. Also thanks to Lynn and everyone who helped with the organisation of this event. 

 Seats on the Bideford Bus are filling up nicely so please let me know if you would like to reserve one! 

 That’s all I think, see you tomorrow at training. 

 Thanks again 

 Mark

Warriors put to the sword!

The penultimate game before the Christmas break,home against Sidmouth Warriors,it would have been apt to have taken the field to the dulcet tones of Roddy Frame when with Aztec Camera.Walk out to Winter.It certainly was,the choice for Sam R as captain, was to play the first half with the blinding sun in his eyes,or to select the white,frost filled goalmouth of the carpark end to slowly freeze his boots,legs,but hopefully not beyond.

Maybe the choice was not available but City kicked off the game playing towards the carpark end,Sam R’s baseball cap required attire.Josh sadly a last minute absentee (get well soon):Who we going to call?.No,not Ghostbusters,the boy in the blue shorts.Ha,no rest for Chelsea fans.This was City back to their best,back on top form,earning the pizzas.There was so much quality to enjoy,delightful passing,finding space,so much team spirit.The Warriors are without doubt,a well organised outfit,so it was particularly pleasing to defeat a good side playing this style of football.On 20 minutes, a fine individual effort by Dan was rewarded with the first goal.As City kept up the pressure,a second foul on Alfie W,resulted in City doubling their advantage as Cameron dispatched the freekick.The knock,however,was enough to prevent Alfie W from continuing.

Within 3 minutes of the restart it was 3-0 as Tom unleashed a left foot shot past the Warriors keeper.City had developed an adeptness at keeping the ball,so it was a somewhat rare foray into the homeside half,that saw Sidmouth force a corner.But a nearpost clearance by Charlie,a surging run by Joe,and a telling pass to boot,found Sam P.

Sam P running at goal,leftside,head down,focussed on burying the ball into the righthand side of the net.Outcome?.Exactly that:4-0.

It was an ebullient post match debriefing.Man of the Match,chosen by the rested but still attending and supportive Will A,was Dan.The Sidmouth managers’ Man of the Match was Charlie,singled out and sportingly voiced to us,as a player of rare ability and talent.He also praised City as a quality,passing team.Even more importantly,the boys recorded and sent a message to Ryan.And then they swaggered,just like Marlon Brando,in “On the Waterfront”.Well,that was the next destination.

Sidmouth on Saturday!!

Cold, windy and wet but such a positive training session tonight thank you boys for putting such a great effort into the training.

To recap this evening we focused on controlling the ball, looking up and then distributing the ball.  This is really important to ensure that we remain composed in possession of the ball, don’t panic and can build from the back.

It’s just great spending time with you all, lovely to have John B back with us and lets hope we can head into the festive break with some positive football.

On Saturday we play Sidmouth Warriors a tough team who have a reputation of being a well organised team, they are currently 4^th in the league just below us.  Its a 10:30am kick off at King George V.

The starting team will be:

Goal Keeper – Sam R (c)

Defence – Charlie, Josh and Sam P

Midfield – Ewan, Dan, Will P and Tom

Striker – Alfie W

Subs – Oscar, Alfie R & Joe

Injured, unavailable or rested – Cameron, Ryan, Will A

Sam R has been handed the captains armband, Sam has been training well with Gillian and has had a few good games.  Its a tough to play in goal and Sam has been doing a good job for us, so well done Sam and I am sure you will do a good job as team captain. 

Assistance putting the goals up would be great as always.  We also have an allocated referee so its all good.

Pizza at the Waterfront afterwards, table booked for 12:30pm for 1pm so plenty of time, but I suspect parking might be a bit tricky down at the quay.

Just to confirm that there will be NO training on Wednesday 24^th December or on Wednesday 31^st December .

We do have a game on Saturday 3^rd January though so not much of a break.

Also on Saturday 31^st January we are away at Bideford Blues.   I would like us to go to Bideford for the boys to experience and play on what I understand to be excellent pitches.  I understand that this is a fair trip so have hired a minibus to take players and parents from KGV and drop you back after the game.  I will ask the club to subsidence this so can offer this at £3 per seat!  If you would like to book a seat please let me know ASAP, if we have enough interest we can get a second minibus or even a coach!

Have a good few days and will look forward to seeing you on Saturday for a 10am warm up.

Cheers

Mark

City fight back to earn a draw

City were once again tested at KGV on Saturday,this time by the renowned St Martins,historically a competitive, spirited team.A slightly later than usual11am matchtime, saw City kick off in perfect December footballing conditions.All frost had come out of the ground,with the freshly mown grass of the second intermediate pitch providing the setting.

City had only a dead nine to select from so all were required to line up.The first half initially saw an equal opening of exchanges between the sides.The eagle eyed among you would have spotted the talented and promising Exeter City player Matt Grimes,watching with interest on the touchline.Rumour has it that he is worth £1 million more than the house whose back garden he was standing behind.

St Martins eventually settled into a good passing game that had City chasing and uncharacteristically pulled out of position.They seized their opportunity to lead one nil at halftime.City welcomed back John B to aid the manager with the teamtalk,two heads maybe better than one,to come up with a strategy to reverse the position in the second half.

As City took up an immediate,positive approach,playing less deep,it was satisfying that heads did not drop after St Martins had capitalised on an inevitable breakaway,a consequence of those tactics,to double their lead.Matt Grimes had departed,surely not on account of the increasingly vocal City mums who began to kick every ball.Suddenly it all came together,City had the bit between their teeth,and amongst a flurry of near efforts,a last minute scare as the ball rattled the home side post,two deflected efforts levelled the score.

As the distant bells of a church signalled 12 noon,five minutes before,it was high noon for a City comeback of merit.Do we owe the bells five farthings?.

We owe Josh,Man of the Match,showing great class to come back from injury to defend and play with inspiration and pride. 

Saturday and a trip to Spain!?

Hi all!

What a great training session last night, was a chilly night but boys you were really focused and worked so hard so thank you.

A few things from me and then I will leave you in peace!

Firstly the match on Saturday.  It is a home game against one of the top teams in the league St Martins.  This will be a tough test for us, perhaps our toughest since our game against Bideford.  But, as with the Bideford game, I feel confident in our ability to match them and have a really tough contest in all areas of the pitch. 

I popped into look at the pitches today and they have just been cut so thats good news and should be in great order! (Aw that was a Bill McClaren phrase....sorry wrong shaped ball!)

It will be a busy day at KGV with both Under 11 & Under 12 teams at home.  This means a staggered kick off times, so we will be kicking off at 11am.  Could we meet (wrapped up!!) at 10am though please so we can have a longer match preparation and quality warm up.  The good news is that the goals will already be set up!

It will be good to welcome back John B to the touchline after his trip to Oz. 

We also welcome back referee Lionel to KGV as he has been allocated to our game which is great.

So the starting team for Saturday will be:

Goal Keeper – Sam R

Defence – Josh, Cameron and Ewan

Midfield – Ryan, Dan, Will P and Tom (C)

Striker – Alfie W

Starting Subs – Charlie & Will A

Rested, injured or not available – Joe, Oscar, Alfie R and Sam P

Please remember that we now have three tough home games in the run up to the festive break so lots of football to come.

An International Opportunity!!

I have been approached and asked if we would like to put a team forward for a 7 a-side tournament in Cantabria, Northern Spain.  This would be on the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th April 2015!

It sounds a really well run tournament and lots of opportunity for playing against teams from across Europe and also to soak up some of the Spanish sun and explore the local area.

Accommodation can be provided locally by the tournament organisers for roughly £100 for the 4 nights.  We could either look to fly or get the ferry to Santander which would be the other expense.

I wonder what people think?  I would be up for it and happy to try and get this off the ground if there is interest.  

Perhaps we could do some fund raising over the winter to raise some funds?  I will also speak to Nigel to see if we can use some of the Central funds!  It would be good to have at least 4 adults to support this as well.  If you are interested then could you let me know, if there is enough interest perhaps we could have a planning meeting over a festive drink!

Dad’s Night In!!

Calling all DOP’s.....Dad’s of Players!! 

Russ has kindly offered to host a dads night in at his place in January.......we thought a sweet sherries, a fun and friendly game of cards perhaps, a takeaway and a bit of a laugh on Will’s xBox playing Fifa15....only joking Will!!

This will be on Saturday 24^th January 2015 if you are interested again catch me or Russ so we have a rough ideas of numbers.

So looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, any problems as ever please just let me know.  I know that at this time of year the boys are  tired and being pushed at school as well.  If you feel your son needs a rest from training or on a Saturday just let me know.

The weather is looking great for Saturday so exciting times

Mark 

And the draw for the quarter finals is.......

Hello everyone,

A fabulous match report from our touch side reporters once again, thank you so much for doing this Andrew and Jasmine and offering a chance to relive the matches,

So yes a tough match on Saturday, a game of two halves, but (if you will allow me just one more footballing metaphor....a win is a win!!

I have put out an SOS to Nigel to see if we can get the grass cut at KGV as I think it is bordering on being too long to play really.

Any of you that follow the League website will see that the quarter final draw for the U 12 cup has been made and we have a tough away draw against Copplestone United on the 10th January!  That is a tasty draw and I hope you will all be up for that challenge and the allure of semi final action!

Training on Wednesday night as per normal, the training focus will be on developing and consolidating some of the things we have been working on in recent weeks, namely attacking in 1-1 situations, passing combinations, defensive lines pushing out and up in offensive phases and....as always communication :-)

Was great to see improvement in throw in's on Saturday so well done boys we are really doing well this season.  Hope your all happy with the way things are going.


Best wishes

Mark

Tight win extends winning form!

City were truly tested at KGV on Saturday by a tough Broadclyst side that could easily have won the game or at least forced a draw on another occasion.

The rearranged fixture saw the second home appearance in a run of five leading up to Christmas,on a pleasant morning with no breeze,turning cooler as the game went on.On the now familiar wet long grass,the visitors kicked off towards the carpark end,with City initially lining up with a positive 3-2-3 formation.

Any preconceptions that Broadclysts’ position in the table reflected their true ability were quickly dispelled in the first couple of minutes,as the bright orange shirts surged forward forcing a corner.A second immediately followed after City survived the bar and then post being rattled but essentially keeping them level.Sam R was called into action again and again making some great saves as City seemed unsure and uncharacteristically nervy.Didn’t someone once say that there were no easy games.

The shock seemed to wake up the home side and they responded to their managers calls to play to their game.Some delightful touches followed,confidence slowly creeping back in,as Wills A and P both went close with shots from distance.It certainly wasn’t an unlucky thirteenth minute for City as Alfie W laid the ball off for Tom to rifle in,right foot.Later,a similar offensive concluded with a delightful backheel by Alfie W to set up Charlie for a desperately close effort.Cam had also tested the keeper with a well held direct freekick,before another quality sequence of touches,ended frustratingly after Tom found the head of Alfie R,perfectly placed to head home but ruled offside.Morally a goal in all but counting on the scoreboard,it would have been a fine reward for Alfie’s efforts.

Ryan and Oscar came on as subs in the second half,both seeing plenty of the ball as,despite Joe going close immediately,City had to concentrate on resolutely defending for much of the 30 minute period.Charlie had another outstanding game and there was a degree of comfort watching Cameron clearing from defence and stepping up for free kicks that went so close to increasing the score.Ryan clearly played through the pain barrier making several critical interventions.With ten minutes to go there was a definite feeling that City were,to a degree,hanging on,the only light being two Will P efforts from distance.There was probably some relief as the young ref called an end to the match with City 1-0 to the good.

Tom opened his captaincy tenure by leading by example,scoring the only(official) goal of the game and being named Man of The Match.Some start!!. 

Saturdays match against Broadclyst

Thank you to everyone for battling through the heavy traffic tonight to get to training. 

It was a really positive session I thought and was great to practice the throw in's and a few other bits. 

So Saturdays match is at home against Broadclyst. 

Can I ask that you get there at 10am at the latest for warm up and match preperation. 

Also if any parents are able to get to KGV early to help setting up the goals, ideally if they can be all set up for 10am then it gives the opposition chance to warm up their goalies. 

So the squad for the match is

Sam R, Will A, Charlie, Sam P, Joe, Will P, Tom, Ryan, Oscar, Alfie R and Alfie W. We are waiting to hear about Josh who is still injuried. (Get well soon mate!) 

Tom is the teams captain and will be leading the boys for the next couple of matches. 

I know I said I would try and plan a couple of games ahead but as we have a couple of injuries at the moment can you just stick with me!  

Any problems please let me know, 

Regards 

Mark 

Cup run continues with spirit

Good cheer after a spirited performance at KGV on Saturday to match the Christmas lights.Citys’ name will be in the hat for the much anticipated next round draw as they shrugged off a lack of match practice due to the recent waterlogging and returned with arguably one of their best performances so far this (very enjoyable) season.

With Josh failing a late fitness test and Ryan sportingly standing in as a sub first half,even a last minute formation re jig did not phase the boys.

Conditions were very wet underfoot but on a sunny,warm day,it seemed more like late summer as the professional referee,confusingly known to Shane as Lino,strode through the long grass to do the honours that resulted in West Exe kicking off and playing towards the carpark.

Opening exchanges were very even but City were well on top of their game from the outset with Oscar welcomed back into the fray seeing plenty of the ball down the leftside attacking position.

After Tom had rifled in a shot following a great move by Dan,City really settled in to a pattern of link up play that saw Alfie W doubling the advantage,when his stinging shot was parried by the diving West Exe keeper but,in slow motion,the ball gradually made it’s way over the goal line.

Lino was even more strict than Dad lino’s on the throw in rules and certainly in the first half,most of these went Citys way as the Braddock factor featured from far away antipodean shores.

Despite City pressing and forcing more saves,the away team went in at halftime with a reduced deficit as City failed to clear from consecutive corners.

Resolution and belief saw City through the second half with Dan latching on to a through ball to calmly slot past the keeper one on one and Alfie W heading in a more difficult chance that the one missed before to secure a final 4-1 scoreline.

Ryan stepped in to Will A’s boots at right back,clearing with precision and testing the keeper from distance.Will P,Joe and Ewan just never seemed to stop running and Sam R in goal,caked in mud at the end,played a blinder.

Toms’ efforts in this and in training were rewarded with the next period of captaincy.Which leaves Man of the Match.

Charlie.Why?.Because,every time there looked danger on,it was always OK.Because Charlie was there .To clear the danger.To turn defence into attack.It was simply OK because Charlie was always there.

So as we progress in the cup,we have to think about booking studio time for the all important cup song.

Surely,with our very own Ossie (Oscar) we can improve on the Spurs embarrassment with Chas and Dave.Key line?.”Ossie’s going to Wembley,his knees have gone all trembley”.

Andrew & Jasmine 

Tomorrows Match

Hi everyone, 

 So sorry that this was not posted yesterday. 

 So looking ahead we have a busy few weeks ahead with lots of football.

 The team for this Saturday’s Cup match against West Exe will be:

 In Goal – Sam R 

 Defence – Charlie, Josh and Ewan

 Midfield – Oscar, Dan, Will P & Tom

 Striker – Alfie W Starting 

Subs: Joe & Will A 

 Rested or unavailable: Ryan, Cameron, Alfie R & Sam P

 If you could be at King George V at 10am for a warm up and match preparation that would be great, also some help putting goals etc up would be great. 

 There is a lot of rain forecast overnight, I will be doing a pitch inspection this evening and again first thing tomorrow morning (around 7am) so any problems I will let you know….but I really hope it will be on. 

 We have an allocated referee for the match tomorrow & Dan is our team captain for the match. 

  Social Secretary…..Position Vacant!! 

Would anyone be able or willing to help me out a bit with the social aspects of the team, I am struggling to fit it all in and would really appreciate someone just taking on some of the social organising bits, nothing too onerous. 

 Any volunteers appreciated. 

 See you tomorrow 

 Regards 

 Mark

Mums night out.....the replay!!

Hi everyone, 

Mums FC are organising another night out. Please see the message from Lynn. 

I have booked a table at Jasmine thai restaurant in fore street on thursday 4th December at 8pm. 

Please could you ask the mums to text me on 07817387807 to confirm they will be coming by the 27th of November at the latest .

 Many thanks. 

See u soon. 

Lynn :-)

What a Washout!!

Hi everyone hope that you are well.

Thank you to Callad and Gillian for running training last week, and also thanks to Simon and Russ for helping out. 

What a pain that the matches have been cancelled now for the last two weeks. It is frustrating and brings back memories of last season and the back log of games toward the end of the season.

Games can only be cancelled (it is the home teams call) if the pitches are unplayable, or the weather would pose a danger to players or spectators (lightning, flooding etc). 

We only have limited spaces to rearrange games so I try everything I can do to get the games on. I have rearranged the Broadclyst game for Saturday 29th November at King George V playing fields.

You will see that on the League website it has the game listed as being at Broadclyst but they have no pitches available so we are hosting the match at KGV.

I will try and keep the table on our blog up to date as best as possible and will do my best to make sure that everyone knows what is going on! 

So as things stand the run up to the Christmas break is as follows ……

 Saturday 22nd November - home against West Exe Youth in the Cup (10.30am) 

Saturday 29th November - home against Broadclyst in the league (10.30am)

Saturday 6th December – home against St Martins in the league (10.30am)

Saturday 13th December – home against Sidmouth Warriers in the league (10.30am)

Saturday 20th December – home against Twyford Spartans in the league (10.30am) 

So a busy time. This will be complimented with training midweek at Isca (6-7pm) as normal. 

Also just to flag up the two social events coming before the festive break 

Friday 12th December – Players Disco (7pm to midnight) (I have tickets at £7 if you would like) 

Saturday 13th December – Players and families Christmas lunch at Waterfront, Exeter (£10 per adult and £7 per child) 

That’s all from me I think, thanks again for being such a supportive team. 

See you on Wednesday for training (6-7) at Isca College.

Cheers 

 Mark

Next couple of weeks - team info

It was a chilly but good training session last night, plenty of fireworks both on and off the pitch!! 

So look ahead to the next few weeks and we have back to back games on Saturdays throughout November. 

This Saturday we are away to Broadclyst. They play at The New Inn Pub, Broadclyst (EX5 3BX). Their managers tells me its about half a mile from Clyst Vale Community College. It is a 10:30am kick off so if we can meet as normal at 10am for a warm up and match preparations that would be great. 

We have an allocated referee for this match, Andrew P has offered to run the line for one half but if anyone can do the other half that would be great.

Being honest I am finding it tricky to balance the number of players and trying to ensure that everyone has fair match time, so I have been doing some thinking about the best way of trying to manage this whilst at the same time remaining a competitive. 

One issue is the number of substitutes. I have decided to now only have a maximum of three subs for any one game. 

Trying to integrate more than that in a game changes the dynamics of the match and the shape of the team too much. 

 I am also going to try and plan two matches ahead so that everyone knows where they stand, I hope parents and players will find that helpful. 

So that being said….. 

The team for Saturday 8th will be:

Goal Keeper – Sam R 

Defence – Charlie, Josh and Ewan

Midfield – Oscar, Dan, Will P and Ryan

Striker – Tom 

Starting Subs: Sam P, Alfie W and Joe 

Rested or not available – Alfie R, Will A and Cameron 

The squad for Saturday 15th will be: 

 Will A, Charlie, Cameron, Sam P, Ewan, Dan, Will P, Tom, Alfie W, Joe and Josh 

Rested or not available:- Sam R, Oscar, Alfie R and Ryan 

Just a reminder that Dan will be the team captain for the next couple of matches being given the armband for showing great commitment to both match play and training, well done Dan.

Also just to say that I will be away on Wednesday 12th November at training, spending the week in high secure psychiatric hospital (business not pleasure!). 

With John also away Callad will be running the session with help from one of the dads. Gillian will also be there for the whole session working with our goalies, I know that you will all help Callad out as needed.

Social Stuff 

Two dates for your diaries…… 

 Nigel has organised a disco for the boys on Friday 12th December starting at 7pm, I have tickets to sell (£7 a head) 

Also back by popular demand…….our festive social lunch at the Waterfront on Saturday 13th December right after our home game.

 I have invited the Central United boys and parents as well, it was such a lovely occasion last season and I hope will be welcomed. 

 I have initially booked for 50 but can extend this if needed.

 Right that’s it from me, many thanks for the offers of support whilst John is in Oz, will be sure to take them all up.

Regards 

 Mark

Half Term Details

Hello everyone, Hope that you are having a good half term break. What a tight game we had on Saturday at Okehampton, been thinking a lot about it since the final kick off. One thing is certain that no matter what happens in the rest of the season, I cannot imagine anything surpassing Sam P’s extraordinary header off the line at the end of the match. It is rare, as the match report said, for there to be universal applause from home and away spectators…even the referee was applauding for the amazing athleticism that Sam showed to put in that match saving clearance! Training on Wednesday as per normal at Isca (6-7) and will focus on 1v1 & 2v2 attacking play…..retaining the ball in attacking play. We have no match on Saturday 1st November but we will be training at KGV. I am trying to organise a friendly match, failing that we will be working on a few things and then have a 5 a side tournament. So if you are able it would be great to see you at KGV 10am – 12noon. Any problems please let me know, Thanks, Mark

Argyle clash ends with honours even!

Simmonds Park provided the setting for Citys’ latest away game visiting Okehampton Argyle,fellow promotees from last season and a much anticipated further test.

There was a distinctly autumnal feel given the chill in the air and the colours of the surroundings,on the banks of the East Okement river (simplified by a pre Grease Olivia Newton John to Ohio).As the teams lined up there appeared a tactical conundrum about to unravel,with City lining up in the 3 4 1 formation the manager had alluded to previously,Okehampton looking to an ambitious 3 1 4 facing downhill.

However as the choice went captain Sams’ way,it was City who looked to start the delayed kick off playing against the gradient and Okehampton reverted to a lesser attack minded structure.

As the teams settled over the opening minutes,City pressed,notably with a Will P shot,but back in defence,Charlie and Sam P had to show body strength to hold off spirited Argyle offensives.

Gradually,over the first 15 minutes,the balance of play was definitely with the visitors,Joe and Alfie W getting plenty of the ball on the right hand side,at one stage forcing the keeper to leave the area,and suddenly a Ewan shot was close and City were taking a fourth corner.

First blood to the away side as Will P swept over a flighted ball and Dan made a clever run to head the ball with power,rippling the net in a move that had practice ground meets inspiration written all over it.A certain top three goal of the season contender,at this early stage anyway.

The rugby pitch was certainly a sapping surface to control and measure a passing game of football so it wasn’t just the residential last week that some of the lads had enjoyed that contibuted to the weariness displayed by both teams as the game went on.

The half ended with City a goal to the good but not one nil.Okehampton had levelled with five minutes to go but Citys’ lead was immediately restored when Alfie W went on a poaching mission to capitalise as the Argyle goalkeeper could not pick the ball up outside of the area.He almost cajoled the ball back to his feet and put it in the net, tumbling as he did so.

Following the break,substutions made saw the introduction of Ryan,Will A(outfield) and Alfie R,with Charlie given more free rein in midfield.

Although the sun had come out,the wind was blowing off the moor and it seemed to negate the perceived advantage of the gradient.Sam R was drop kicking consistently with distance and Josh in the centre of defence was constantly battling the onslaught as it came back.

Ewan continued to run byline to byline,more so defensively in the second half,a tireless display earning the Man of the Match award.Ryan took over corner duties but City just couldn’t press home the advantage when presented and the final score was secured when Sam R was given no chance from the penalty spot.

Those looking for the magic of Dartmoor however only had to wait until near the end of this game.Prior to handing over the captains armband to Dan,Sam P executed a remarkable diving header to divert a certain goalbound ball over the crossbar and maintain the unbeaten away record,the incident provoking spontaneous applause from all around,including the referee.

Now then Sam,with Halloween approaching,was that trick or treat?.A treat to watch from the City followers.       

A meal of two halves!!

News has reached the sports desk of a great night out last night with a strong squad of mums taking on the strong Nandos line up. 

As you can see it was an interesting 3-3 formation with Aggett, Worth and Sloman proving to be a right well drilled unit. Nothing (including any white wine) got away from this strong formation. 

The attacking formation of Scanlon, Tapp and Cuningham showed great awareness and were dynamic in polishing off anything the waiting staff throw at them. 

It was a clear win for Central City and a good time was had by all!! Next weeks training focus will be on nutrition in high performance sport ;-) 

Half term training

Hiya

Sorry I should have said in my last message that we will be training next Wednesday evening. Appreciate it's half term, but if your not going away training will be from 6-7 as normal. 

Thanks

Mark 

Great training .....but we missed the Isca boys!

Evening all,

What a delight it was at training this evening, everyone working really hard and with focus.  We missed the Isca boys but hope they are having a great time.

So Saturdays game is away against Okehampton.  Just a reminder that kick off is at 11:30am so if we can meet at their ground at 11:00am for warm up and match preparation that would be grand.

We know that Okehampton are a strong team and will offer us a tough physical test. 

The starting team will be:

Goal Keeper – Sam R

Defence – Charlie, Josh & Sam P

Midfield – Ewan, Dan, Will P and Joe

Striker – Alfie W

Starting Subs: Will A, Ryan, Alfie R & Oscar

Rested & Unavailable: Tom & Cameron

Sam P will be the captain for the day.

See you on Saturday, should be a great game.

Thanks,

Mark

PS – Wishing the mums a good night out tomorrow!!  Send in pics for the blog!! :-) 

Midweek fun!!

Hi everyone

 

Hope that you have had a good weekend, Saturday seemed weird without football!

The draw for the quarter finals of the Cup has been made and we have a home draw against Division 2 team West Exe Youth.  A team we know well from last season.  The game has been scheduled for Saturday 22^ndNovember at 10:30am at KGV. 

 

I will update the fixture list when I can but wanted to give you advanced notice.

 

Midweek training will be without the Isca boys who are in Bude on a residential trip. 

 

The focus will build on last weeks excellent session. Specifically receiving the ball at pace, both on the ground and off the ground and trapping the ball.

 

We will also be thinking about Saturday’s match away at Okehampton.  Just to remind you that the kick off has been put back until11:30am.

 

Best wishes to you

 

Mark

Go on.....have a lie in!!!!

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to wish you a lovely weekend and hope you enjoy the rest. 

Brilliant....no outstanding training session last Wednesday, thank you for putting so much into the session. Moment of the night has to be watching Alfie R's great skill in rising a good foot in the air and showing great control to bring the ball down. 

So see you all on Wednesday. We will be without the Isca boys who will be in Bude for a cheeky residential. Have a great time boys. 

Hope you all have a great weekend

Mark 

Mark's Musings!

Hi everyone, 

 Well I am sure, like me, you have been thinking a lot about the match against Bideford Blues. 

 I really enjoyed the match, the spirit it was played in and felt so proud of all the players who really gave everything. We often talk a lot about learning from games like that and I would encourage you all to think about what you learnt and took from the game. 

 For me I think I realised that we should have started with a 3-4-1 formation. Starting with 4 at the back was a good idea but it gave Bideford too much space in midfield and that in turn meant that we always found it hard to push forward. 

 I thought that they were an outstanding team, but a very fair team and it was great to see players from both sides playing with such sportsmanship. Just a couple bits of business from me….. 

Training this week as normal will be 6pm – 7pm at Isca. 

 The focus of the session will be linking up play and dynamic passing within match situations…..in other words ‘one – two’s!!’  

 We then have a rest at the weekend as we have no matches on Saturday 18th October. 

 I think we all deserve a Saturday off so propose no training either on that day. 

This will also give the boys that go to Isca time to pack for their week long residential trip which departs on the Sunday. 

 Speaking of which I have asked that the match the follo9iwng week away against Okehampton (25th October) is put back to 11:30am kick off to give those boys an extra hour in bed. 

 There will be NO training during the half term week (Wednesday 29th October) either. 

 Think that’s about it, hope all the mums have a great night out on the 23rd October…..I hear the planning for the dads weekend away to Prague is progressing nicely!! 

Thanks everyone Mark

Message for the Mum's!!

Calling all mums!!

Planned social event is all sorted!! Strictly ladies only! 

Meeting at Nandos in the city centre at 7pm on Thursday 23rd October. 

A well deserved night out!! 

The story of the blues!

As Pete Wylie sang with the Mighty Wah,this is fast becoming the familiar story of the blues.

Our fellow promotion rivals from last season,and the division champions to boot,show no signs of diminishing their strength and depth of quality squad,and provide a decent standard test for any team in this age group.

Once again,it is such a reflection of the City side that an individual Man of the Match could not be chosen,such was the Herculean effort that is required just to compete at this level.With light rain clearing and a wet,quick surface,Bideford Blues kicked off and quickly settled into a rapid passing game,fast to the ball and with excellent ball control at pace.

The City side held their nerve though and despite Bideford pressure and several attempts on goal including a great effort skewed over the bar,it was over 15 minutes of play that had passed before the City boys fell a goal behind.

The advantage was seized and the away side further pushed home their fortune by adding two further goals to their tally by half time.

With such a squad and making full use of the allowance to use regular,fresh substitutions,there just always seemed to be an extra yellow shirt in midfield for Central to contend with.

Perhaps this contributed to the confusion:As George Jones sings in the Country and Western standard,”blue must be the colour of the blues”....so the blues play in yellow!

Second half,City’s half.Subs,Ewan on,Charlie off due to injury,later to return to once again resiliently ride some elbows and fierce tackles.

Joe on to run the left back time and time again,replacing Tom,who ran the right back first half,time and time again.Bideford score another three but City get two,important,not just confidence boosting goals but deserved reward for tireless running in midfield,shape in the back four and,lets be honest,Will A saving three times as many prospective goals than actually went in.

Joe is alert to a rare Bideford defensive lapse and Dan gets a welcome opportunity.Alfie W runs the blues and this time nets.So 2-6,final score.Pizza Hut replace the prawn sandwiches and we reflect with warmth,just why we will bother to turn up for training on the cold Wednesday evenings that lie ahead.

Jasmine & Andrew 

Two words......Bideford Blues!!

Hello, 

A great session again last night, thank you boys for training really well, good concentration and despite the rain hope you all found it enjoyable and useful. 

As you know John and I always give great thought to team selection, trying to get the right balance of players and positions. Bideford Blues will be our toughest challenge this season so far and with a squad of 15 boys this has been a tough one. 

The starting team for Saturday’s match will be: 

Goal Keeper – Will A 

Defence – Sam P, Josh, Cameron and Charlie 

Midfield – Will P, Dan and Tom 

Striker – Alfie 

Subs – Ewan, Joe and Sam R 

Resting - Oscar, Alfie R and Ryan 

I hope you all agree that the standard of football has been significantly higher this season and as such the formation and shape of the team is really important.

As is our use of substitutes which we will do to ensure we have fresh legs, different angles of attack and cover for injuries. 

We will start this match in a 4-3-1 formation. A strong defence will hopefully allow us to absorb Bideford pressure, we will then look to switch to a 3-4-1 formation for the second half but this will depend on how we are getting on….the half time team talk will be really important. 

Parking will once again be tight at KGV, could we ask all players to be ready to start the warm up and match preparations at 10am please. 

Also a hand putting the goals up will, as ever, be grateful. We will be playing on the same pitch as last week. The weather is looking a bit dodgy but come wind, rain or shine I hope that we all have a great game and really enjoying this beautiful game!! 

Any problems please let me know, if not see you on Saturday. 

Oh yeah sorry forgot, Pizza Hut after the game, have booked table for 12:30pm but am sure we could arrive a bit earlier. Bideford are not going to join us as they have to get back which is a shame but understandable. 

Cheers everyone 

Mark

The start of a big week!!

Hi everyone, 

 Reading Jasmine and Andrew’s match reports is rapidly becoming a highlight of my week, many thanks again. 

 Also a massive thank you to everyone who helped out this week on the Snack bar. I have just heard from Nigel and Tim that we made £102 for the club which is a great achievement so thank you. The money raised from the snack bar goes directly back into the club funds which is in turn invested in the boys football. 

 I really enjoyed the match on Saturday, yes it was a comfortable win for us but we played some nice football and looked every inch the Division One team that we are. 

Well done once again to Oscar for being the player of the match and also to Will Pye who despite being ill during the week had an outstanding game and a hatrick to boot! 

 Well done also to Will A for being a great captain, and whilst you didn’t have a lot to do in the game, what you did do you did well!! 

 And so……… 

Saturday’s match against Bideford Blue will be our biggest test of the season thus far. 

They are an outstanding team and we will need to be at our very best to try and match them in all areas of the pitch. I believe playing the type of football that we are currently that we can give them a really good run for their money. We will be picking the starting team on Thursday as per normal. 

We will be resting three boys, taking three subs in addition to the starting 9.

No matter what the outcome, win, lose or draw it is important that we all really enjoy the game and the occasion. 

I have suggested a post-match social lunch at Pizza Hut (Digby) (12:30) which has been welcomed by many people, if you haven’t let me know if you would like to be included in the numbers I would be grateful.

 I have also invited Ross and the Bideford players which should be fun, although they are not sure if they will be able to make it. 

Training on Wednesday will focus on attacking and defending from corners, so if we could start at 6pm promptly that would be great. 

Weather!! Just to say that we seem to be heading into a spell of inclement weather. We would only call off training if it was dangerous (eg lightening or flooding), similarly matches are only called off if the pitch is unplayable (as it was for a lot of last season!!) or due to lightening. Of course if anything is called off I would be sure to let you know. 

Hope your weeks have all started well, 

Mark

Nine up for the Cup

City ran out 9-0 winners against Division3 Ottery St Mary for a facile,club record win at KGV on Saturday.

A hat trick for Will P plus a brace each for Alfie W,Ryan and Tom was achieved again with a numerically depleted side available for selection so with just one substitute,a good team effort was still required.

The mornings heavy rain was just about petering out as OSM kicked off in good pitch conditions on closely mown grass and clear markings which suited City’s play and allowed some deft touches,backheels and searching long range accurate passes.

As the air temperature took a decidedly downward direction,Will A was probably wondering how best to keep warm between the sticks and it was a full 15 minutes before he had to be alert for a good save.

Still,it did provide the luxury to run the captains’ eyes over next weeks opposition Bideford who were playing Central United in the game behind his second half goal.

And talking of keepers,the OSM glovesman had a great game despite the scoreline because Statto was needed to count the number of City corners in the match which was well into double figures and beyond.

He was more than entitled to follow a 2nd half great save with a Peter Crouch style robotic dance shimmy.

The City style had pulled in a big KGV crowd and probaby an excess of Bideford spies,as it’s hard to believe they were all there practising for driving on the M25 (check out the car parks) or to watch other games that may have been going on.

This was confirmed by the Fortnum and Mason catering staff of the day,aka the mums,who sold out of most of the Central stall produce and provided a neat shimmy of their own as necessitated by the kettle to hot flask relay and milk run.

Man of the Match went to Oscar for never stopping running and for embodying the Central City spirit once again.

Now then boys,to the matter of next week.

A repeat will do just nicely!

Jasmine & Andrew 

An international signing!?

Hi everyone, 

Just a quick update. I have been approached by a new parent who is really keen for his son to play for a team in the league. 

Piers has just moved back to the UK after living in Spain (where he trained with Barcelona FC) and United States (where he was Chicago-Midwest skills champion!!) so sounds like a top quality player. 

 I have discussed this at length with John and also with his Dad. 

We have invited him to come and train with the squad on a Wednesday evening in the first instance. 

In our discussions we have talked about the balance of ensuring all players get fairness and parity in game time throughout the season, however as with this weekend, we need to be mindful of players not being available and injuries etc.

Piers and his dad, Peter, hope to come along and watch the match tomorrow, it will be nice to meet them and I know that they will be made to feel welcome. 

See you all tomorrow, good luck with the parking!! 

 Mark

City for the Cup!!!

Hi everyone 

Another good (and hopefully fun) training session last night. 

Looking ahead to our Cup match on Saturday against Ottery St Mary it looks like we might be quite light on numbers, with Dan, Ewan and Sam R all unable to play, Charlie has also been rested due to having a nasty head injury playing rugby midweek at school. 

We wish you a speedy recovery Charlie. 

So the starting team will be: 

Goal Keeper - Will A 

Defence – Alfie R, Josh and Sam P 

Midfield – Ryan, Will P, Tom and Oscar

Striker – Alfie W 

Starting Sub – Joe 

Rested or unavailable: Dan, Ewan, Cameron, Sam R and Charlie I have also heard from Andrew Pye overnight that Will P is also poorly so we could be down to 9 come match day!! 

So would ask that you all keep yourself injury and illness free, big breakfasts and I am sure we will be okay!! 

Reverting back to our normal 3-4-1 formation for this game, it should be a good game. 

Just to remind everyone about the chaos that is sure to ensue with the parking this Saturday, so I would encourage you all to try and get their nice and early. 

For those able to assist with the snack bar I will be trying to get to KGV with a key for about 9:15am so can unlock and get kettles etc on the go. 

We will be playing on the first intermediate pitch which will enable those running the snack bar to also watch the game. 

Thanks everyone, Come on City!!! 

Mark

September's Reflections...what a month!!

Hello everyone, 

Another outstanding match report by Jasmine and Andrew, always a delight to read, thank you so much for doing this and offering players, parents and others an account of all the games.

On that note feel free to invite wider family members, grandparents etc to subscribe to the blog, I think we currently have nearly 120 different subscriptions to the website which is really great. 

I remember saying to a Jayne Worth during pre-season training this summer that I am not sure we would ever be able to replicate the extraordinary experiences of the end of last season…..but blimey we are doing an AMAZING job and we should be so proud of what we are achieving so far this season. 

It is worth reflecting on how well we are doing this season so far as September comes to an end. 

We have had a brilliant start to our season but this is no fluke, it has come through hard work, training hard and such an exceptional team spirit. Unlike other clubs that we are playing in this division, we do not have a trials policy, we do not turn boys away from our squad and we work hard to improve the skills and ability of all players. 

We are a team that never shouts or moans, always encourages and always try to play with a spirit and a focus which I believe is at the heart of our success. 

We show great sportsmanship both on and off the pitch and are playing a delightful style of football. So to all the players I say really well done, our first month in Division 1 has been a really strong one, we are sitting joint top of the table with Bideford Blues and have a 3 from 3 unbeaten record. 

Perhaps even more importantly we are playing great football, passing the ball with confidence, playing with a creativity and dynamism that is so inspiring to watch. 

To all the parents and supporters, John and I would like to say thank you for the support and encouragement that you give us and all the team. 

Looking ahead to October now we have a set of challenging fixtures ahead, so careful planning and preparation will be important. 

We have Ottery St Mary this Saturday (4th Oct) at home which is a cup game. In past seasons we haven’t fared that well in the Cup but it would be great to see us progress through to the quarter finals. 

The following week will perhaps be our toughest challenge of the season so far……as Bideford Blues come to town! This will be a top of the table clash and promises to be one of the highlights of the season. The planning for this match is well under way!! 

We then have games against Okehampton and Broadclsyt both of which will be tough matches. I am just trying to find my feet with managing such a big squad of players and would ask that you bear with me for a bit.

A good example of that was on Saturday when we didn’t use Oscar. In the management of a game I have to weigh up the balance between the team shape and rhythm of play with the need to be fair and give as many people match time as possible. On Saturday I felt that making a substitution in the last 20 minutes of the second half would have disturbed our shape and rtyhm hence not bringing Oscar on. 

It might be that this happens again during the season and I hope that you understand why this is sometimes import. 

What I will always do is to try and make it fair for everyone over the course of the season. If you ever want to chat this over with me I would be very happy to do so. 

You will see that I have made some improvements to the blog this weekend, specifically putting the fixtures and results into a table format which I hope you agree looks a bit better and easier to read.

It is a work in progress (under construction I think is the techy term!!) so please check back on a regular basis. 

One final thing and then I will shut up. Some of you will have seen the photographer on the touch line last week.  

He was from the Express and Echo and came over to introduce himself to me before he started snapping away. So keep your eyes peeled to see if they print any pictures. 

At the start of the season you were asked if you were happy for pictures and names to be included in match reports for the paper. If you would rather this didn’t happen I would be grateful if you could let me know. 

See you for training on Wednesday evening at Isca (6pm to 7pm).

Thanks for your time…..I know I waffle on a bit :-) 

 Mark

City tame the Panthers!

And so it could go on and on with the feline anecdotes.

They used to call the Chelsea keeper of yesteryear,Peter Bonetti,The Cat,and our two cats,Sam R first half and captain Will A second half certainly stepped up to that level.

Reflecting on the Man of the Match award,this was designated a Men of the Match award simply because the whole team performance was outstanding.

Due to some unavoidable absentees it was a City side that had to adapt to a 4-3-1 formation with usual striker Alfie W back in the heart of the defence.

From the moment the teams strode on (a missed opportunity to hear the old Al Stewart number*) to the halftime whistle the contest was closely and keenly played.Some great goalkicking kept the ball in Alphingtons’ half as much as in ours and City pressed forward with several corners and a freekick sailing over.

A pinball pattern on the Panthers goal just would not break

City’s way and just before halftime the home side broke the deadlock moving swiftly from defence to unleash a shot only partially parried.

The manager had seen enough to have the confidence to change to a 3-4-1 set up which gave City more attacking options whilst maintaining discipline at the back.

When a typically searching Will P corner was headed out,Alfie W,who had drifted forward,steadied with one touch and delivered a bending thunderbolt of a shot to level the score.

With some nerves creeping into the Panthers’ game City secured the win when Dan was alert to follow up from a freekick that was sent at pace into a crowded wall and penalty area.

City then dug deep with every player stepping up to the plate and needing several defensive headers to keep the Panthers at bay including one from Tom who had just previously put the ball in the net at the other end,sadly offside.

So a great start to the season continued with the pleasant fine weather a bonus because this was a game to be savoured in any conditions.

*Al Stewart “Year of the cat”.We will probably return to the issue of songs that teams come out to in future reports