A great way to end the year with two excellent 4-0 wins.
In freezing conditions, Cumnor put in two excellent team performances. Credit must go to the boys for staying focussed in difficult circumstances. It's not easy playing half a match, then going off, then coming back and playing another half. Well done too, for staying warm: something the coaches were in their new training tops!
We passed the ball nicely through midfield with James S putting in some lovely touches. Will scored two goals, Adam M 3 and both boys hit the woodwork on numerous occasions. Ollie and Ben Mc also got a goal each and Joe too, snuck one in at the end of the second match. James S will eventually open his account for the season and was unlucky not to get on the score sheet.
Binky and Henry M were outstanding in defence and Henry S made some excellent breaks. Toby tackled hard, so did James E and Ed. Rory was given the freedom to attack but still tracked back and covered well. Fyn was lively on the wing despite being unwell.
Fantastic effort to go into our mid=season break with two comprehensive wins. We're a great passing team with excellent defenders and great finishers. If we work hard on our calling, tackling and positional play there's no reason why we can't enjoy a successful 2009.
Player of the week: for his passing and shooting, James S.
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Mixed Fortunes Against Tower Hill
Cumnor ended their sequence of drawn matches with a home victory and defeat against Tower Hill. Although the results don't truly explain what happened.
In match one, Cumnor were made to work hard to stay with a slick Tower Hill. At times, we struggled in the tackle and taking control of the game. There were some notable performances however, Ed did very well in goal and Rory was his usual reliable self despite carrying an ankle injury.
When Cumnor broke, they did so at speed with both Bens, Will and Adam getting the ball forward to Fyn. Cumnor took the lead through (who else) Fyn when he smashed the ball in from 15 yards. Tower Hill got an equalizer just before half-time with an unstoppable shot powering past Ed.
In the second-half, Cumnor got off to the worst possible start when Rory unluckily conceded a penalty. 1-1. Cumnor started to play with more urgency as the match entered a nail biting stage. Will made a lovely turn and pass to feed Fyn who chanced his luck from way outside the box. It paid off. 2-2. in the closing minutes, both teams could have snatched victory but it was left to Liam (making a very promising debut) to smash home the winner with seconds left. 3-2.
In the second match, Cumnor put on a better performance and were extremely unlucky to lose 2-0. Henry S made several great charges in the first half, ably supported by James S. Joe and Toby were strong and quick in midfield and Adam W made some very important challenges. Laurie continued roaring up and down the wing and Binky did well in goal. But our star player was Henry M who took all he's learnt in training onto the match pitch. He was strong, bold and commanded the players around him. Excellent work, Henry.
In the second-half, Binky came out of goal and almost scored a great goal, forcing a smart save from the Tower Hill goalie. Cumnor fought for every single ball and were desperately unlucky to go behind. We could have drawn level in the last seconds but unfortunately, luck wasn't with us and Tower Hill scored their second with the last kick of the game.
A strange day then, where the winning Cumnor team were a little lucky to get the victory and the losing team unlucky to lose. The players from match one need to work on their calling and their tackling. The players from the second game need some more passing work.
Player of the Week: easy choice this week, someone who is taking on board what the coaches are saying - Henry M.
In match one, Cumnor were made to work hard to stay with a slick Tower Hill. At times, we struggled in the tackle and taking control of the game. There were some notable performances however, Ed did very well in goal and Rory was his usual reliable self despite carrying an ankle injury.
When Cumnor broke, they did so at speed with both Bens, Will and Adam getting the ball forward to Fyn. Cumnor took the lead through (who else) Fyn when he smashed the ball in from 15 yards. Tower Hill got an equalizer just before half-time with an unstoppable shot powering past Ed.
In the second-half, Cumnor got off to the worst possible start when Rory unluckily conceded a penalty. 1-1. Cumnor started to play with more urgency as the match entered a nail biting stage. Will made a lovely turn and pass to feed Fyn who chanced his luck from way outside the box. It paid off. 2-2. in the closing minutes, both teams could have snatched victory but it was left to Liam (making a very promising debut) to smash home the winner with seconds left. 3-2.
In the second match, Cumnor put on a better performance and were extremely unlucky to lose 2-0. Henry S made several great charges in the first half, ably supported by James S. Joe and Toby were strong and quick in midfield and Adam W made some very important challenges. Laurie continued roaring up and down the wing and Binky did well in goal. But our star player was Henry M who took all he's learnt in training onto the match pitch. He was strong, bold and commanded the players around him. Excellent work, Henry.
In the second-half, Binky came out of goal and almost scored a great goal, forcing a smart save from the Tower Hill goalie. Cumnor fought for every single ball and were desperately unlucky to go behind. We could have drawn level in the last seconds but unfortunately, luck wasn't with us and Tower Hill scored their second with the last kick of the game.
A strange day then, where the winning Cumnor team were a little lucky to get the victory and the losing team unlucky to lose. The players from match one need to work on their calling and their tackling. The players from the second game need some more passing work.
Player of the Week: easy choice this week, someone who is taking on board what the coaches are saying - Henry M.
Monday, 17 November 2008
Draws all round (again!)
After two nailbiting games, Cumnor U8s enhanced their reputation as a favourite with the pools punters - 5 score draws in six games.
Game 1 saw some great play by both sides. Fyn looked sharp up front for Cumnor but was well marshalled (and tackled) by Eynsham's defence. Ben Mc and Ollie both played with good energy as the two wide midfielders - great runs creating chances and great tracking back to prevent chances. The now steady partnership of Adam M and Ben C in the centre of midfield was its usual pivotal self - tackles won, passes made and encouragement given. It was Adam M who gave Cumnor the lead mid-way through the first half with a driving run and shot that squeezed into the far corner.
After the break Eynsham pushed hard to equalise however Rory's rock like defence held firm, and even when it was breached Ed made some great stops to help his team out. Ed's ability to judge when to come off his line is improving game by game and twice he came out to challenge the dangerouse number 9 of Eynsham, who ended up shooting wide on both occassions. A goal was finally conceded with an unstoppable shot. After that Cumnor pushed for a winner but to no avail - the Eynsham tackling was as good as ours and a draw was a fair result.
Game 2 took on a rather unusual 9-a-side format, however on a big pitch this worked reasonably well. James S and Toby shared the goalkeeper / striker roles whilst James E took on the role of sweeper - a job he did very well, reading the play and make great interceptions and tackles when neccessary. Henry S supported in defence and made his usual hard-charging runs, whilst Henry M played everywhere and enjoyed utilising his very own back-heel tackle. Cumnor held the advantage early on and through some good interplay an opportunity opened up for Binky to put Cumnor into the lead. A few minutes later, Joe ran forward from midfiled and smashed a right foot volley goalward only to see the keeper make a great save. Later in the half though Eynsham came into the game and eventually squeezed the ball past Toby to level things up.
The second half was more even, both side creating chances. Adam W made some important tackles in midfiled and debutant Liam got more involved on the left wing - making some good runs as well as some brave headers to clear well-taken Eynsham corners. Unfortunately we were unable to convert the chances that did come our way and the game ended 1-1.
Both games were played in great spirit - some hefty but fair challenges were made by both sides and this led to the odd injury or two, but everyone battled on bravely.
There were some great individual performances, with Rory and Ed outstanding in game 1, however player of the week, for marshalling the troops, making tackles and reading the game, all whilst making his debut in defence, was James E. On behalf of his father, Sam C presented the award to James.
Game 1 saw some great play by both sides. Fyn looked sharp up front for Cumnor but was well marshalled (and tackled) by Eynsham's defence. Ben Mc and Ollie both played with good energy as the two wide midfielders - great runs creating chances and great tracking back to prevent chances. The now steady partnership of Adam M and Ben C in the centre of midfield was its usual pivotal self - tackles won, passes made and encouragement given. It was Adam M who gave Cumnor the lead mid-way through the first half with a driving run and shot that squeezed into the far corner.
After the break Eynsham pushed hard to equalise however Rory's rock like defence held firm, and even when it was breached Ed made some great stops to help his team out. Ed's ability to judge when to come off his line is improving game by game and twice he came out to challenge the dangerouse number 9 of Eynsham, who ended up shooting wide on both occassions. A goal was finally conceded with an unstoppable shot. After that Cumnor pushed for a winner but to no avail - the Eynsham tackling was as good as ours and a draw was a fair result.
Game 2 took on a rather unusual 9-a-side format, however on a big pitch this worked reasonably well. James S and Toby shared the goalkeeper / striker roles whilst James E took on the role of sweeper - a job he did very well, reading the play and make great interceptions and tackles when neccessary. Henry S supported in defence and made his usual hard-charging runs, whilst Henry M played everywhere and enjoyed utilising his very own back-heel tackle. Cumnor held the advantage early on and through some good interplay an opportunity opened up for Binky to put Cumnor into the lead. A few minutes later, Joe ran forward from midfiled and smashed a right foot volley goalward only to see the keeper make a great save. Later in the half though Eynsham came into the game and eventually squeezed the ball past Toby to level things up.
The second half was more even, both side creating chances. Adam W made some important tackles in midfiled and debutant Liam got more involved on the left wing - making some good runs as well as some brave headers to clear well-taken Eynsham corners. Unfortunately we were unable to convert the chances that did come our way and the game ended 1-1.
Both games were played in great spirit - some hefty but fair challenges were made by both sides and this led to the odd injury or two, but everyone battled on bravely.
There were some great individual performances, with Rory and Ed outstanding in game 1, however player of the week, for marshalling the troops, making tackles and reading the game, all whilst making his debut in defence, was James E. On behalf of his father, Sam C presented the award to James.
Sunday, 9 November 2008
All Square at Ducklington
Two excellent games and two fair results.
In the first match, Cumnor fielded a strong team with players reverting back to arguably their best positions. Ben C struck the first effort wide followed by a long range shot from Will. Early on, Cumnor dominated but it was Ducklington who went ahead with a miss-hit shot just squeezing past an unlucky Ollie. However, as in recent weeks, Cumnor proved that going behind is not a problem. Ben Mc picked the ball up from Rory and set off on a mazy run before feeding Will. The Cumnor No.4 hugged the left touchline, skipping past a defender before whipping the cross in. It looked as if the goalie had it covered but a cruel bounce saw the ball spin into the net. 1-1. Cumnor maintained the momentun til half-time and saw more good efforts by Ben Mc, Adam and Will.
In the second-half, James E came on for Ben Mc but went up front with Fyn moving across to the right flank. We were very unlucky not to score because the boys played some of the best football of the season. We looked organised in all areas with Ollie assured in goal, Rory magnificent in defence, Adam and Ben controlling play from midfield, Will & Fyn causing problems out wide and James ready to poach the winner. Lovely slick passing, where Cumnor moved the ball fluently left to right saw Ben draw Fyn in to almost score with two cross/shots.
The final whistle drew applause from parents and coaches with everyone appreaciating the quality of the game.
In the second match, Henry M started in goal, with Edward in defence, Henry S, Toby, Ben Mc, Laurie in midfield and Binky up front. Again, both teams threatened and tested one another with tricky runs and hard challenges. Edward made several excellent tackles and linked nicely with Toby and Henry S in midfield. Ben Mc showed his close control skills and put Ducklington on the back foot. It wasn't long before Ben found himself in the box with his back to the goal. Turning sharply to the left, Ben spun away and hit a sweet shot into the bottom right corner. 1-0. Cumnor almost increased the lead when Laurie's long-range shot crept inches wide.
In the second-half, Henry M and Edward swapped places and suddenly, the noise level increased! Laurie went into central midfield and started blocking and breaking up Ducklington attacks. Toby got further forward on the right wing and Henry S made more impressive runs. Binky kept finding himself in dangerous positions and was unlucky not to score. James E played his trademark lovely passes and despite some truly brave saves by Edward, Ducklington scored. 1-1.
Cumnor got stronger as the match wore on with Henry M thundering forward but everyone felt the draw was the right result.
Well played everyone! Contenders for player of the week included Ben Mc for his goal, Rory for his brilliant defending, Ed for his defensive play and goalkeeping exploits and Fyn for his wing work. However, the winner was Ben C for his passing, tackling and imaginative play.
In the first match, Cumnor fielded a strong team with players reverting back to arguably their best positions. Ben C struck the first effort wide followed by a long range shot from Will. Early on, Cumnor dominated but it was Ducklington who went ahead with a miss-hit shot just squeezing past an unlucky Ollie. However, as in recent weeks, Cumnor proved that going behind is not a problem. Ben Mc picked the ball up from Rory and set off on a mazy run before feeding Will. The Cumnor No.4 hugged the left touchline, skipping past a defender before whipping the cross in. It looked as if the goalie had it covered but a cruel bounce saw the ball spin into the net. 1-1. Cumnor maintained the momentun til half-time and saw more good efforts by Ben Mc, Adam and Will.
In the second-half, James E came on for Ben Mc but went up front with Fyn moving across to the right flank. We were very unlucky not to score because the boys played some of the best football of the season. We looked organised in all areas with Ollie assured in goal, Rory magnificent in defence, Adam and Ben controlling play from midfield, Will & Fyn causing problems out wide and James ready to poach the winner. Lovely slick passing, where Cumnor moved the ball fluently left to right saw Ben draw Fyn in to almost score with two cross/shots.
The final whistle drew applause from parents and coaches with everyone appreaciating the quality of the game.
In the second match, Henry M started in goal, with Edward in defence, Henry S, Toby, Ben Mc, Laurie in midfield and Binky up front. Again, both teams threatened and tested one another with tricky runs and hard challenges. Edward made several excellent tackles and linked nicely with Toby and Henry S in midfield. Ben Mc showed his close control skills and put Ducklington on the back foot. It wasn't long before Ben found himself in the box with his back to the goal. Turning sharply to the left, Ben spun away and hit a sweet shot into the bottom right corner. 1-0. Cumnor almost increased the lead when Laurie's long-range shot crept inches wide.
In the second-half, Henry M and Edward swapped places and suddenly, the noise level increased! Laurie went into central midfield and started blocking and breaking up Ducklington attacks. Toby got further forward on the right wing and Henry S made more impressive runs. Binky kept finding himself in dangerous positions and was unlucky not to score. James E played his trademark lovely passes and despite some truly brave saves by Edward, Ducklington scored. 1-1.
Cumnor got stronger as the match wore on with Henry M thundering forward but everyone felt the draw was the right result.
Well played everyone! Contenders for player of the week included Ben Mc for his goal, Rory for his brilliant defending, Ed for his defensive play and goalkeeping exploits and Fyn for his wing work. However, the winner was Ben C for his passing, tackling and imaginative play.
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
A brave performance in tough conditions:
On a wet & windy Saturday morning Cumnor battled their way to a win and a draw at Witney Vikings. Only 11 players were available, so everyone had to put in extra effort, with many playing a game and a half.
Game 1
Cumnor 2-2 Witney Vikings
Cumnor tried players in different positions for the first game, with Ben C and Fyn sharing the defence and striker roles and Adam M and Ben Mc sharing midfield and goalie roles. The first action of the game saw Adam make a great save from the Witney striker to keep the scores level. The Cumnor midfield then started to combine well with Rory, Toby, Binky and Ben Mc exchanging some neat passes. This eventually led to a Cumnor goal, inevitably scored by Fyn. Cumnor continued to battle and came close on a number of other occasions, whilst some strong defending by Ben C meant Adam remained untroubled in goal.
The second half saw Witney improve and they scored a goal to make the score level. Cumnor bounced back well in the second half, with Binky and Toby making some good runs down the wing, one of which led to Ben C scoring from close range to give Cumnor the edge again. As time wore on Witney kept trying to force an equaliser and this eventually came late in the game.
Overall, a good battling performance.
Game 2
Cumnor 5-0 Witney Vikings
An all together different game to game 1, with Cumnor dominating from the outset. Adam M played very well in the centre of midfield and, after a surging run, struck the ball into the Witney net. Henry S spent the first half as striker and his continual threat eventually paid off with a neatly taken second goal.
The second half was more of the same. Henry S swapped with Adam W for goalkeeper duties and was rarely troubled, primarily due to some great defending by Henry M. Adam W moved into midfield and disrupted much of Witney’s play through good tackling. The rest of the midfield combined well. Joe made an excellent midfield debut on the right, showing that he is not just a defender. He cleverly followed in a powerful shot from Ben C to score his very first goal for Cumnor. Some good interplay by Fyn and Ben C led to the latter adding a fourth goal. The game was well and truly wrapped up when Henry M made a run from his own half and smashed home a fifth goal.
Some great performances on the day, with Adam M, Henry M and Ben C particularly impressive, however, for showing that he can play somewhere other than defence and for scoring his first ever Cumnor goal, the player of the week trophy went to Joe.
Game 1
Cumnor 2-2 Witney Vikings
Cumnor tried players in different positions for the first game, with Ben C and Fyn sharing the defence and striker roles and Adam M and Ben Mc sharing midfield and goalie roles. The first action of the game saw Adam make a great save from the Witney striker to keep the scores level. The Cumnor midfield then started to combine well with Rory, Toby, Binky and Ben Mc exchanging some neat passes. This eventually led to a Cumnor goal, inevitably scored by Fyn. Cumnor continued to battle and came close on a number of other occasions, whilst some strong defending by Ben C meant Adam remained untroubled in goal.
The second half saw Witney improve and they scored a goal to make the score level. Cumnor bounced back well in the second half, with Binky and Toby making some good runs down the wing, one of which led to Ben C scoring from close range to give Cumnor the edge again. As time wore on Witney kept trying to force an equaliser and this eventually came late in the game.
Overall, a good battling performance.
Game 2
Cumnor 5-0 Witney Vikings
An all together different game to game 1, with Cumnor dominating from the outset. Adam M played very well in the centre of midfield and, after a surging run, struck the ball into the Witney net. Henry S spent the first half as striker and his continual threat eventually paid off with a neatly taken second goal.
The second half was more of the same. Henry S swapped with Adam W for goalkeeper duties and was rarely troubled, primarily due to some great defending by Henry M. Adam W moved into midfield and disrupted much of Witney’s play through good tackling. The rest of the midfield combined well. Joe made an excellent midfield debut on the right, showing that he is not just a defender. He cleverly followed in a powerful shot from Ben C to score his very first goal for Cumnor. Some good interplay by Fyn and Ben C led to the latter adding a fourth goal. The game was well and truly wrapped up when Henry M made a run from his own half and smashed home a fifth goal.
Some great performances on the day, with Adam M, Henry M and Ben C particularly impressive, however, for showing that he can play somewhere other than defence and for scoring his first ever Cumnor goal, the player of the week trophy went to Joe.
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