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Junior U8 Blues
News and Information
Next Game - Luton Borough Dragons Blues
U8 v Crawley Green Lions U8 Saturday, 2nd
February 2008
MATCH REPORTS
Date - Saturday, 26th January 2008
Game - Eaton Bray Lions Reds V Luton Borough Dragons Blues
Score - 4-0 (half time 2-0)
A tricky away game - and an even trickier journey - saw a convoy of
cars set off for Eddlesborough. The sun was very bright indeed and the home side had no hesitation in choosing the slope advantage
in the first half which put the sun firmly in Max Burgess' eyes. Desite a very bright start from the away side, a long
shot flew past the Luton keeper who appeared to be blinded.
This encouraged the home side who, later on in the half tried the same attempt which brought
the same result to make the score 2-0. Luton needed the beak and some reorganising saw stirling performaces from Jai Graves,
Cameron Veazey and Lewis Weedon in particular. The side put together some of their best football of the entire season, passing
and moving to excellent effect.
The goal just wouldn't come for Luton and, when the home side added to their tally you could
have excused it if Luton had given up. Instead, they stuck at it really well and were very, very unlucky indeed when a fourth
goal went the way of the home side. This is a day that Max will hope to forget as he did not play to his usual high level.
Next week - Home to Crawley Green Lions
Date - Saturday, 5th January 2008
Game - AFC Luton U8 V Luton Borough Dragons Blues U8
Score - 4-0 (half time 1-0)
Another bright, sunny but cold Saturday morning and another away game! The short trip across
Stopsley was made with hope after the 'winter break' had been successfully negotiated.
The away side started well and were passing the ball around, using great movement. It was
against the run of play that the home side netted on 7 minutes and straight after this, both sides exchanged good examples
of counter attacking football.
The visitors were undaunted by the score line and continued to exert pressure on the home side
and 'one way traffic' summed up the rest of the first half. A number of good efforts first from Harry and later from Jayden
Murray narrowly went wide and the score remained unchanged as both sides took a well deserved beak.
Luton again started well and the defence, and Max in particular showing good signs of improvement.
The away team kept the pressure up with a string of set pieces but the home goalkeeper was up to everything thrown or kicked
at him. It was hard to take when the home side again scored, again against the run of play.
As seems the be the story of the season, Luton play well and don't take their chances whereas
their opponents know how to score and how to win. It came as no surprise then when 2-0 became 3-0, despite great pressure
from the away side.
Again, Luton responded well and Harry again went close and Jai went even closer but the goal
just wouldn't come. Lewis Weedon, who had come on as a substitute for Jayden put in a goal saving tackle and played well in
the cicumstances.
Harry forced another good save from the home 'keeper and it was hard to take when the ball was
quickly moved the length of the pitch and the hom side made it 4-0. A great finish from the striker showed the real difference
between the teams.
Next week - no game
Date - Saturday, 15
December
Game - Luton Borough Dragons Blues V Bushmead Wanderers
Score - 0-2 (half time 0-1)
On a day when many other people might have been tucked up in bed, our brave boys took the field for another
tough encounter with one of the league's high flying teams. Luton's cup conquerers seemed strangely subdued and clearly
didn't fancy the conditions and seemed happy to hold possession rather than create a great deal.
When Bushmead opened the scoring on 9 minutes from a scrambled corner,the ball appeared to go in off a Luton
defender however there was an away side attacker waiting to pounce and weight of numbers in the box told. In a game where
each one of the 8 boys who showed got a game, credit is due as the conditions were very cold.
A dubious charge down of a goal keepers kick out was allowed to go unpunished and the onion bag bulged for
a second time and the away team were celebrating doubling their lead.
Shortly in to the second half, a few tactical and positional changes were made and a new 'No 1' was created
as Lewis Bush took his turn in between the posts allowing Max to have a well earned run out on pitch.
Despite a number of good saves from Lewis in goal, the match ground down due to weather and no-one was disappointed
to hear the final whistle. This was another spirited performance from the team who had previously lost by a much greater margin
the last time these 2 sides met. The signs are ecouraging!
Next Week - no game
Date - Saturday, 8th December
Game - Luton Borough Dragons Blues V Crawley Green Tigers
Score - 0-2 (half time 0-1)
I've never know a morning like it - and I didn't look forward to the journey home, neither!
It was cold and wet and generally not very nice. This reduced the match as a spectacle and the first half to 20 minues and
the second half to just 15 which was, by mutual consent the right thing to do.
A goal either side of half time by the visitors condemed the Luton side to another defeat however
they can be proud of the way they played in attrocious conditions. Fair play to Max, Lewis B, Jayden M, Harry, Jayden R-F,
Cameron and Jai who started and Lewis B, Sam and James who came on as replacements.
Not one that will live long in the memory but a good character building game and one that our
boys came out of with their heads held high.
Next week - Home to Bushmead Wanderers
Date - Saturday, 1st December
Game - St Martins Blues v Luton Borough Dragons Blues
Score - 2-1 (half time 1-1)
No doubt encouraged by their performance of the previous week, Luton Borough Dragons Blues made
the trip across Luton to Lewsey to Play St Martins Blues. They faced another team near the foot of the table who were scrapping
for much needed points.
Luton started with their regular 'back 4' consisting of Max in goal, Lewis Bush at right back,
Jayden Murray on the left and Harry sitting just in front in the middle. The wide men were Cameron on the left and Jack on
the right with Jayden Roper-Fisher the lone striker.
The early exchanges were very even so it was with some surprise that the home side scored with
7 minutes on the clock. The ball was bundled home from a corner which was awarded after some strange refereeing! The
weather was not helping however Luton stepped up their game and went looking for an equaliser.
Just after the quarter hour mark, Luton had a string of corners and Jack delivered one too many
quality balls for the home defenders to cope with and Cameron swooped to get his toe end to a ball that crept over the line
after good work by Harry to make it 1-1. Lewis Bush kept Luton in the game at half time with a succession of excellent tackles.
Luton came out of the traps quickest at the start of the 2nd period and Jayden Roper-Fisher went
closest with a goalbound effort being cleared off the line by the home side. St Martins broke and a well worked moved ended
up with a shot on goal that rebouded back off the post to safety. Max then made another great save. In an attempt to mix it
up, Jai Graves was sent on for Jayden Roper-Fisher.
This broke up the home side's rhythm and max again made a fantastic stop on 10 minutes to keep
the scores level. Only 3 minutes later, St Martins again could have had a goal but the sweetly delivered free kick appeared
to be heading in but just went over the bar. With 10 minutes to go Cameron made way for Lewis Weedon and Sam O'Dell replaced
Jack. The game was very tight and appeared to heading for a draw until the home side broke away after a Luton corner.
They would have scored but for a length of the pitch run from Luton's man of the match and skipper,
Harry who put in a superb tackle to deny St Martins an almost certain goal. Again Luton pressed and again St Martins broke
away, playing on the counter as though they were the away side. A glorious opportunity whent begging when the St Martin's
striker drove the ball high, wide and handsome over the bar. Luton had been warned!
With barely seconds left on the clock, Luton were holding the ball on the edge of their box.
No obvious outlet pass seemed on and, after one trick too many frm Harry, the St Martin's striker robber him and took
the ball round the keeper to make the final score 2-1 to the home side.
Gutted.
Next week - Home to Crawley Green Tigers
Date - Saturday, 24th November
Game - Crawley Green Lions v Luton Borough Dragons Blues
Score - 7-2 (half time 1-2)
It was top versus bottom but clearly no one had told Luton Borough
Dragons Blues as much! For the entire first half of this match you could easily have been forgiven for thinking it was Luton
that were top and Cawley that were bottom, such was the difference in pace, determination, skill and positive attitude
on show.
Luton were 'at it' from the first whistle and a change of personel up front prior to kick off
seemed to completely change their approach to the game. Defenders Jayden 'the rock' Murray and Lewis 'el libero' Bush seemed
comfortable with anything the home side could throw at them in the opening exchanges and Harry 'Skipper' Poulton linked
the defence and attack in his customary fashion.
The away side were justifiably 1-0 with only 4 minutes on the clock after consistently good,
early pressure forced a corner. Jack 'the Luton Pele' Emerson duly stepped up and launched a beauty in to the danger zone
allowing Cameron '10' Veazey to lose his marker and swivel in the penalty area before smashing the ball in to the roof
of the net.
Crawley did not know what had hit them and they put together a good spell of possession football
but were still forced on to the back foot. A well worked move produced the first of a string of top quality saves from Max
'the cat' Burgess who looked as relaxed as ever in between the posts. As the half wore on, 1-0 looked a fair score as neither
side could capitalise on good chances.
A seemingly harmless ball was speculatively pumped in to the Luton box by Crawley on the quarter
hour and Cameron Veazey jumped like a salmon but, when the ball hit his outstretched arm, the referee had no choice but to
order a spot kick. The penalty was duly dispatched and Crawley felt very glad to be back in the game, judging by their jubilant
celebrations.
Not to be outdone - only 3 minutes after conceding - Cameron Veazey, who was putting in a 'man
of the match' performance took the game by the scruff of the neck. Harry Poulton won the ball on half way and fed the left
sided attacker who ghosted past 2 defenders and closed in on goal. An excellent and unselfish dummy run by newly installed
centre forward, Jayden 'the man' Roper - taking with him his defender - gave Cam a clear route to goal and he calmly drove
the ball past the diving keeper with the outside of his right boot.
This brought about the unlikely score line of Crawley Green 1 Luton Borough 2. Almost from the
resulting kick off, Cameron again nicked the ball in midfield and ran straight at goal only to drag his shot agonisingly wide.
How would Crawley have handled being 2 goals down at half time, at home to the bottom team? I know which huddle I would rather
have been in! Despite all this, Crawley could have snatched an unjustified equaliser just before half time as a good
attack resulted in only a goal kick for the visitors. Luton had clearly won the first half and the score did not do justice
to their dominance.
The second half started much as the first with good pressure coming from the boys in white. The
Crawley Coach clearly thought his starting line up lacked height as the tallest 'under 8' year old I have ever seen entered
the fray along with a couple of other impact players. This immediately had the desired effect and the home team surged forward
with renewed confidence.
Luton still seemed 'game' and continued to attack well, bravely committing men forward at
every opportunity. This unfortunately caused their undoing as a Crawley counter attack led to Luton conceding a corner. A
well worked routine which seemed to be straight off the 'Barcelona' training ground saw Cameron Veazey defending his
near post with everything he had. Unfortunately, this included his arm - again - and the Referee - again - pointed to the
spot.
Max in the Luton goal had clearly taken note of the previous effort as this time he guessed right
(or was it left!) and made an outstanding save of the torpedo-like effort on goal. The first rebound was brilliantly cleared
but only went as far as a Crawley attacked who slotted home to make it 2-2.
This proved to be a turning point as, from then on Crawley showed exactly why they are top of
the league. The home side, who had clearly been shocked in to action raced forward now that parity had been restored. Concerted
pressure forced another corner which was quickly taken. Luton seemed a little slow to defend it and intelligent play from
Crawley saw an almost perfect ball delivered in to the area which rebounded in to the goal off a Luton defender. In less than
5 hectic minutes, Luton had gone from being a goal ahead to a goal behind.
Still their resilience was laudable as they tried to play football and attack every time they
managed to grab the ball back from a now ecstatic Crawley team. More smart passing from the hosts saw yet another corner which
resulted in a goal to make it 4-2. Whilst Crawley Green were worthy of their lead, a good 5th goal from open play and a 6th
soon after from another quick corner started to make the score line look more than a bit flattering.
I am sure the Luton Caoch will be working on defending set pieces this week as he will no doubt
feel aggrieved at leaking 3 goals from them and also at how slick the Crawley side were at taking them. When the 7th and final
goal went in, despite another great save from the keeper the game was as good as over and Luton barely had time to restart.
This game will not be remembered for its score line or the fact that the top of the table side
- eventually - prevailed, but for the grit and determination of a young side that is developing ahead of schedule.
The Luton boys can be very proud of themselves as they have resillience in spades as well as strength in depth
with another great cameo role for Jai 'back stick' Graves who must be worthy of a start. Lewis 'chopper' Weedon came on as
a late replacement and quickly got up to the speed of the game. Jack Emerson, no doubt in part for his exellent delivery at
set peices won the most improved player of the week.
Next week - Away to St Martins
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