Hawks win Valley Valiants F.C. Pre-season Tournament

Report and match notes by Andy Birchenall. 10am - Sunday 2nd September 2007
Old Wilsonians Sports and Social Club

The Hawks arrived for our first U8s tournament in confident fashion despite missing Rhys this week due to a family holiday. Apart from that we had a full squad of nine boys all making the trip just round the corner to West Wickham.

We found ourselves in a league of just four teams with Valley Valiants unfortunately not putting out a team. So it was us alongside Keston, Darwin and Barnet Wood. We all played each other in small 5 minute each way games, before there being a final between the top two teams.

It was important to get off to a good start and our tournament began with a game against Darwin. We started well with our new look formation with Hong protecting our lone defender really helping promote the offensive passing football that we like to play. We dominated the game and ran out 3-0 winners. With the defence never looking troubled and at the other end Owen looking very sharp at the start of his first full season scoring two and providing the cross, which brought an own goal.

It was a great start and important we maintained this form. I challenged the boys to go on and score me more than three goals in the second game against Keston and made sure they knew it would only happen if they continue to use the ball and move it quickly throughout the team. They certainly delivered! We went three nil up by half time. Then in the second half added two more fine goals. The first was a move, which started from our goal kick. Hong played the ball short to Spencer who had pulled into space, he layed a fantastic ball forward up the line to set Owen away. Owen put a great ball into the box, which Aaron almost finished, but Mehmet did picking up a goal at the back post. We have spoken a lot recently about our midfield working up and down the pitch supporting both offensively and defensively and this is what Mehmet demonstrated getting in at the back post grabbing himself a goal. That was a great team goal and then we also had a piece of brilliance from Spencer who is really developing into a great player now, recently really impressing me with his awareness of players around him with some great passing but still showing that individuality we all appreciate picking up the ball from out on the left outside the box cutting in on his right foot and hitting an amazing shot into the roof of the goal. The shine was slightly taken of the result conceding a sloppy goal at the end, but it worked as a good reminder to the boys not to switch off and stop putting the work in even if they are in the driving seat! 

So a 5-1 win really put us in a good position and guaranteed ourselves a place in the final. Next came Barnet Wood a team that have somewhat become a bit of a bogey team for us and we haven’t quite done ourselves justice in the games we have played against them. We took the opportunity to give Spencer and Hong a rest. Also Aaron had a game in goal enabling Liam to come out and have a run out on pitch. We struggled to get our passing game going and conceded a goal which was a fantastic finish from the Barnet Wood forward giving Aaron no chance to save. Despite the problems there was a good positive to take, I thought Liam looked very lively and really put himself around the pitch and gave a good account of himself, that bodes well for the coming season. The boys were still trying to do the right things and remembering the basics that we are trying to install. Second half we upped our game but it’s always very difficult when you’re chasing the game particularly with such short matches, Fortunately a fantastic finish from Owen, at an almost impossible angle, gained us a draw and maintained our unbeaten form.

Then onto the final to face Keston again and after our great result earlier in the day we were very confident of coming out on top. The boys were told it wasn’t just going to happen though and for us to go home as champions we needed to go out and perform. We were back to our best, the boys didn’t let Keston get the ball out of their own half for the entire first half and we built ourselves a two goal lead through Spencer and Aaron, the first a brilliant left foot shot. I keep trying to encourage Spencer to use his left when he gets the opportunity, as we know he can from training but often shys away from it in matches. So that was a very pleasing goal and will hopefully give him that bit of extra confidence to use it again. The second from Aaron was also a big boost to him, it is Aarons first tournament and he works so hard when he is on the pitch it is nice to see that hard work rewarded particularly with the goal coming from him attacking a cross that was put into the box. The second half was more of the same before a refereeing desision went against us and led to Keston pulling a goal back but I don’t feel the result was ever in doubt, another fantastic result for the Hawks.

All round I was very impressed with the boys today, their behaviour was great and they really took on the points we spoke about between games, which is encouraging as well. I want to say well done for Mehmet, putting in some great performances and maintaining that consistency I for one have been desperate to see. Every minute he was on the pitch he was performing at the level I expect from him. Also to Aaron and particularly Matias who often found themselves starting on the bench this morning they never once complained about it and spent the time instead supporting their team mates which is fantastic to see and one of the reasons these boys as much as anyone are very valuable members of the team! Liam came into goal and I felt completely confident in him performing well and while on pitch was very lively. On top of that we also had a great performance from Hong in his new role, which he is really growing into. His leadership qualities are shining through and so many times today I heard him giving direction to his team-mates, which was never questioned and always listened to, which shows the respect he has from them. All that and I haven’t even mentioned the typically tireless effort and strong performances from the likes of Owen, Spencer, Jamie and Ed. Well done all.

Squad: Liam, Ed, Matias, Hong, Mehmet (1), Spencer (3), Jamie (1), Aaron (1), Owen (4)