River Dart Country park team day!!

Good afternoon everyone, Okay so it seemed I misjudged the level of interest in the day at the River Dart Country Park and am sorry for any confusion or upset that might have been caused. Let’s go for it shall we and hope as many people can make it as possible? Saturday 13th June from 10:30am onward with a buffet lunch as last time. I will get in touch with the group booking people and see what can be done regarding entry fee’s etc and will keep you posted. This will be in addition to the tournament on the Sunday 14th June so a busy weekend. Thanks again and hope as many people can make it as possible. Kind regards Mark

here comes the sun!!

Hi everyone Hope that you are well and have all enjoyed a nice bank holiday weekend. I just wanted to say hello really and to give a few updates and snippets of information. I will get the bad news out the way and that is that I think we will need to cancel the planned day at the River Dart Country Park on Saturday 13th June. Thanks to those who replied but I am not sure we would have enough people able to make it to get the discounted rate and make the day viable which is a shame. I totally understand that it is a busy time of year. However on a more positive note I have entered the squad into 4 summer competitions and am keen that all the players get the opportunity (if they want to) to participate. The dates are Crediton on Sunday 14th June, Honiton on Sunday 5th July, Newton St Cyres on Sunday 12th July and Cullumpton on Sunday 19th July. Would you be kind enough to text or email (marksloman@hotmail.co.uk) to let me know if you are available for any of these dates, I will then come back to you. Most of the tournaments are 6 aside so we would need a squad of 8. If you could do this in the next few days I would be grateful. Once again I hope that you are all well and hope to see you at some stage over the summer. Kind regards Mark

So much I didn't say!!

Hello everyone, 

 Well it was so wonderful to see everyone at the presentation evening on Saturday and hope that you all had a good time. It was a long old evening wasn’t it but I hope the boys enjoyed the occasion and thinking back on what has been a great season for our squad! 

Congratulations to Sam R, Charlie and to Josh for your awards and to the whole squad. 

 As the evening wore on I knew that what I had planned on saying needed to be trimmed a bit as I could see people flagging and so there are a few things that I wanted to say but didn’t. 

 I wanted to once again thank all the parents of the players for the support throughout the season, to everyone and anyone who has tackled the Samba goals, run the line (no mean feat this year with off side), supplied the half time oranges and travelled many hundreds of miles in getting the players to the matches on time.

 I would like to thank Andrew Worth and Jasmine for their weekly match reports which have made for entertaining and enjoyable reading and have acted as a nice memory of the various matches that we have played. I know from looking at the number of ‘hits’ on the site that they have been enjoyed by many people over the season so thank you once again.

 I wanted to say thank you for the kind gifts that John and I received, that was really kind and I will ensure that I pass onto Gillian and Callad the ones for them when I see them next. 

 To all the players I want to say thank you for your hard work and efforts all season long. You have trained and played really hard this season, in all weathers, but have done yourselves really proud.

 Finishing third in the top division for your age group is exceptional and we should be really pleased with the way we have approached the season. 

Maintaining a reasonably large squad for 9 a-side has meant that players have had to be patient and have perhaps not played as much football as they would have wanted. 

 I acknowledge that and understand it and hope you all know that John and I have always tried our best to juggle the challenge of being competitive and being equitable. It is hard and I know that I don’t always get it right! 

 Two things for the summer. As last summer I will be entering teams for summer tournaments, probably 4 or 5 over the summer and will text parents to ask about availability and interest. 

 The second thing is that I am trying to organise another day at the River Dart Country Park, probably a Saturday, and have fingers crossed that it will be another wonderful day like last year. Again I will text around but am provisionally thinking that the Saturday 13th June, but that is subject to confirmation!! 

 Okay I am going to sign off now, but am sure that I will see you over the summer, either at the River Dart day or at a summer tournament. 

 Kind regards 

Mark

Central City's season ends on a high!!

Not for the first time,the City faithful (Mums and Dads and siblings and friends, dogs,any other animal in a red and black scarf) outnumbered the home support to give vocal encouragement for the final game of the season. What they saw was a deserved City victory against Copplestone United,battling from an already injury depleted squad in a competitive match of some gamesmanship.In a later than usual 12 noon kick off at the top of Bewsey Hill,City completed their year with the same aplomb and attitude as their first game,finishing third in the league with an outstanding record. Despite Sam R being tested early it was City who took the lead as Alfie W latched on to a Tom pass.Riding several tackles the ball was despatched into the right hand corner.The lead gave City real momentum and they were soon well on top.Joe was crossing the ball from the right,great drop kicking by the keeper was keeping the ball in the homesides half and a Sam P effort from a turn and hit went just wide. Cameron,Will A and Ewan at the back were holding strong and when Will P sent over the first of many City corners,Tom’s effort just sailed the wrong side of the bar.A Cam freekick found Sam P and once again the shot was agonisingly closeThe dominance however did not increase the scoreline and as Copplestone got more of the play,Sam R had to be alert when a high ball was threatening to creep just under his crossbar. The second half saw City start brightly once more but the attrition came with a few knocks.Ewan bravely soldiered on in this half and Ryan,despite being injured and replaced earlier,dug deep to return to the affray.City began to once again play some decent football, linking throw ins and corners with a notable Will P effort close but Copplestone levelled as City stood off.This did not last too long though as Alfie W hit a Tom pass first time with real power and enjoyed a Stuart Pearce celebration and City were back in front. And that is how it stayed despite the extra seven added minutes seeming like a lifetime.It could have been more as floodlights were available at the ground.No Man of the Match,all the team that played throughout the season deserve that accolade and it just remains to sign off in the words of Feargal Sharkey with the Undertones: Here comes the summer (tournaments)

End of Season presentation!!

Hi everyone, 

 How gutted was I to have missed the game on Saturday !! 

 I was so pleased and proud to see the result of the match on Saturday against Copplestone and it sounds like it was a very intense and dramatic game! What a great way to end our season, and what a season it has been. 

 Many many highs, some lows but a great season of competitive football in which we not only acclimatised very well to life in Division One but we took the league by storm and have finished in such a respectable 3rd place in the table!  

There are many statistics to consider from the season but perhaps one of the most important ones is that we have only lost 3 of the league games all season, fewest of all the teams in the division (including Bideford who went onto win this season!) 

 We should be very proud of this and it shows that we are a very gritty, determined and hardworking team. 

 We have improved and developed as a team, training has been more structured and more focused and the introduction of Gillian to do some specific goal keeping work with Sam R has really worked well. 

Our three signings from the 2014 summer quickly became integral members of the squad and we have played an exciting and impressive style of football this season. 

 Everyone that has been part of that should be rightfully proud of themselves. 

Much credit has to go to John Braddick who once again has been a committed and ever present coach and I think has really helped the players to understand some of the finer and more tactical aspects of the game. 

We still have room for improvement and I hope that the 2015/16 season will be as exciting and interesting as this one. We know that we will have to make some changes to the squad over the summer but for now let’s just enjoy what we have achieved. 

 The final event of the season will be the end of season Award Ceremony which will take place on Saturday 2nd May in the marquee at Exeter City Football Ground. 

 It starts at 6.30pm but I would encourage people to arrive from 6pm onward to enjoy the bar and catching up with team mates! Also the parking will be easier  

If you are not able to make it would you be kind enough to let me know, Nigel and the committee put a lot of effort into making it a special occasion for the boys.

 I am going to try and enter a few tournaments over the summer as we did last year, these are normally fun occasions and give the chance for boys to play together in a slightly different format. 

 We are also going to try and organise another trip to the River Dart Country Park, probably in June, which was such a fun occasion last year.

 I will sign off now but will look forward to seeing you all on Saturday at the end of season celebration. 

Kind regards 

Mark

City earn draw vs sidmouth and the weather!

Central City played out a 1-1 draw against Sidmouth at Newton Poppleford on Saturday in really difficult conditions.The first opponent was the 9 players of Sidmouth,the second a short,dry and bumpy pitch and the third opponent was a strong breeze.

 

The structure of the match began to resemble a summer tournament type game,crowded midfield and the first half crosswind sending the ball more often than not into the hedge at the top end of the field.In a frustrating game,City began to gauge the strength of pass needed to find each other and started to string several moves together.Following a succession of City corners,they eventually took the lead when Alfie W netted from reasonably close range.

 

Sidmouth levelled from a direct freekick from just inside the City half,which sailed and moved with the crosswind to sneak into the top right hand corner of Sam R’s goal.A windbreak would not have been out of place to sit behind for the teamtalk.

 

The second half,if anything,gave City even more weather problems as the wind had changed direction and was now blowing straight into their faces.With the ball being more often out of play than in,it was difficult to play the ball through the air at all,and the boys did their best to adjust as corner balls followed unpredictable flight paths.Either side could have taken the points such was the lottery but City perhaps went closest,Alfie W hitting the post,a great Sam P header and a Tom run all just falling short.

 

Men of the match for this penultimate fixture of the campaign was all the team.Arguably the elements won

The week that was!

Match reports unavoidably delayed due to visiting scout from Canada.Well,almost,a man more used to ice hockey anyway,who confirmed that the temperatures back home were a degree below zero.Is that all?.Try a february morning at KGV.

 

Saturdays match against Heavitree Youth provided City with the opportunity to showcase their form and he picked a good away match to experience.A fine sunny morning at Friends Provident,in the shadow of the egg shaped ball brigade,on recently mown grass and a wide pitch.A great introduction to “saa-kah”.Not much clue in the weather for those looking to later in the afternoon to pick out the Grand National winner.

 

City kicked off with the wind behind them,the unfamiliar figure of Josh in goal.After the initial exchanges,Heavitree pressed and forced two corners in quick succession.City settled  and before long were pressing the home sides' goal with a Sam P shot sailing just over the bar.The width of the pitch was increasingly being used as City found a passing game,often with distance moves,Joe running down the right and several efforts just missing the target.Midway through the half City were rewarded when Tom hit a sweet shot into the top right hand corner.

 

City played out the half in much the same vein,quickly turning defence into attack.Directly following a great chance for Heavitree,Joe found Will P and a sweeping cross found the head of Alfie W forcing a great save from the home keeper.It was he who kept the deficit down to a single goal at halftime,with Josh performing similar heroics at the City end as Heavitree finished the first 30 minutes with a flourish,and two good close moves.

 

As City enjoyed the breaktime oranges,the Canadian scout explored local foliage aka the restrooms.Sam R,fresh from a visit to as many European countries in as many days as a Rolling Stones tour,but with a clearer memory of them,took over between the sticks.City adopted a roll on sub policy and started the second half with purpose.Alfie W lobbed the keeper for the first of two efforts of his to crash the crossbar and swiftly followed with a crossfield shot that the keeper parried against the post.

 

A close effort from Ryan was swiftly followed by City doubling their advantage as Alfie W found Will A drifting into space and he made no mistake with a clinical finish.City ended the match firmly on the up with further efforts on goal by Man of the match,Will A, and a Tom header.

 

Final score: Heavitree 0  City  2

 

 

Fast forward to Wednesday evening and City played hosts to Cullompton Rangers.It seems a long time ago that the away fixture marked Citys’ baptism of fire in Division 1 of the league.A memorable game saw City all over them to establish a three goal lead, only to eventually win the game by a single goal,4-3.They were a good side then and nothing has changed.What a sunny,warm,bordering on hot evening at KGV saw was a competitive,advanced game of football for an Under 12’s fixture.That City lost the game to a single goal in no way reflects their maturity with the roll on sub system from the 12 available squad working well.

 

Again,on closely mown grass,the surface was fast.Rangers had a tall,clean handling goalkeeper and a fighting spirit,so City were in a match from kick off.The coin flip saw City open by  playing away from the carpark,a favoured stance.This time,the defensive qualities of Charlie,Cameron and Josh were brought to the focus with Rangers forcing Will P to drop to a midfield defensive position to maintain shape and rebuilding.Ewan was in the thick of the action from the opening whistle.The first 20 minutes saw an even tempo with equality in each sides play.Rangers forced the first three corners but City rallied.A Cameron goalkick found first Sam P,his left foot shot just wide,then when the midfield found him,Alfie W went close,the first from a passing move,the second from a spin shot.City ended the first half strongly and the teams went in level.

 

Despite a Sam P effort that went close over the bar,it was Cullompton who broke away to score the only goal of the game.As the second half wore on,City gambled more and more but just could not level despite midfield and defensive players continually pushing Rangers back.Even Sam P considered a Peter Schmeichel style foray into the Rangers goalmouth but that was where it ended.Man of the Match was Josh,defensive strength tonight,relief keeper on Saturday.

 

11 a side beckons for the squad next season with much promise.