Teamwork the key to Rastrick success
Rastrick Juniors U-16s 3, Battyeford U16 2
Rastrick Juniors held out for a hard-earned three points against a committed, well organised Battyeford side in this Huddersfield RCD league U-16 (division one) encounter at Rastrick High school.
Both teams are to be commended for the quality of their football, despite the poor state of the Rastrick High School pitches.
Rastrick went a goal down early on with defensive shortcomings allowing the visitors a simple chance. Rastrick fought back to take the lead with goals from skipper Danny McLeod and a rocket shot from Joe Lister. The pace of the Battyeford strikers was causing problems for the home defence and, just before half time, disaster struck as somehow a cross from the right squirmed under Rastrick keeper Craig Chew's body and trickled into the net to make it 2-2.
Rastrick regrouped at half time and came out in determined mood and dominated play for the first 15 minutes. Their efforts were rewarded with a tremendous strike from Matty Wilson.
Battyeford, to their credit, fought back and put the Rastrick rearguard under severe pressure. With 10 minutes to go they were awarded a penalty. The Rastrick keeper, Craig Chew, hurled himself to his right to pull off a stunning save which earned him the player-of-the-match award and his side the three points.
The win was achieved on the back of a great team performance with significant individual contributions coming from Joe Lister and Matty Wilson and the tireless commitment of Tom Hoodlass. Rastrick climb to sixth place in their first season in the top division.
Clifton Rangers Youth B U8 0,
Norristhorpe 1
NORRISTHORPE kicked off but Clifton soon went on the attack. Robert Blackburn had his first shot but this went across the goalmouth. There was then play from both teams in the middle of the pitch with Kieran Davies and Ujack Lemm both outstanding in defence.
Macauley Early and Will Banyard then spearheaded an attack into the Norristhorpe area with a missed shot going wide.
Clifton had quite a few corners which were taken by Joshua Vine but they just couldn't find the back of the net to open the scoring. When Norristhorpe did break away keeper Mark Hollingworth had nothing to be troubled by and the sides were locked on 0-0 on the half time whistle.
The second half started the same was the first with play pretty much even berween both teams, one side breaking away and then play quickly switching to the other end.
Thomas Henry had a good game in defence getting a foot in first to several important challenges. Norristhorpe then had a good shot on goal but the keeper managed to smother this.
Man-of-the-match Rory Davis and Rory Hardwick then battled well to try and get the ball back into the Norrsithorpe half. Garry Barraclough had several good runs up the right hand wing. Play then switched back into the Clifton half and Norrsithorpe had a good run on goal. The keeper was out quick to try and block the run but the attacking player kicked the ball over the keeper's head and into the net for the winner.
Clifton then had several more attempts on goal but couldn't find the back of the net resulting in only their second defeat of the season.
Brighouse U-11s 7,
Drighlington U-11s 1
THE visitors were quickly on the offensive and only some good defending by Louis Andre and Joel Macfarlane kept the attacks at bay. Brighouse managed to put together several attacks and after five minutes this paid off when the ball fell into the penalty area and Harry Sellars latched on to the loose ball and pushed it passed the stranded keeper.
Harry Sellars again came close after he was stopped on a weaving run. Drighlington had several dangerous moves themselves which were stopped from both Johnathon Lord and the ever cool Lauren Doyle. Also playing confidently was Luke Jarrom in goal, coming off his line twice to save dangerous through balls.
Brighouse rang the changes and started to pile on the pressure with Jake Malcher and Jacob Green getting straight into the game and when combining in attack a through ball from Joel Macfarlane found Joe Howard who doubled the score to make it 2-0. With half time looming a goalmouth mix-up between two defenders and the goalkeeper left Jake Malcher to round the keeper for number three making this the half time score.
Brighouse kicked off the second half and went straight for goal. From a second consecutive corner Joe Howard got his second goal and the fourth. Drighlington's heads were down and from a poor dead ball kick the ball fell to Harry Sellars who took two strides and crashed the ball into the back of the net.
The hard-working midfield of Green, Jordan Spencer, Kyle Broadbent and Hobson were causing problems in attacks pulling players wide which left gaps in the middle allowing James Metcalfe room to hammer home goal number six. Then came the move of the match in which Broadbent sent a ball for Lord who in turn released Metcalfe to finish stylishly for the seventh.
In the last minute Drighlington caught the home side napping and broke on goal only for a defender to pull the player back giving away a penalty which was duly put in the back of the net to make the final score 7-1.
Hepworth U-14s 5,
Brighouse Juniors U-14sB 1
Hepworth ended Brighouse's unbeaten run but the score wasn't a fair reflection on how evenly matched the teams actually were.
The home side went ahead when the ball struck the chest of Gareth Burrell and bounced straight into the back of the net. Hepworth maintained their momentum with the striker outpacing the central defender striking a fine shot into the net. Two minutes later the same happened again. The defenders couldn't deal with the pace of the centre forward who neatly tucked in Hepworth's third.
Brighouse eventually woke up after their dismal start and created some good chances. Gary Hall grabbed his first with a venomous strike hitting the back of the net. This lifted Brighouse who went close through Liam Johnstone whose shot agonizingly trickled across the wrong side of the goal line.
Brighouse started brightly in the second period with Harry Metcalfe and Luke Barraclough combining well on the left wing setting up Gary Hall, who should have scored. Brighouse went close through Joe Molloy and Ben Kearns but it just wouldn't go into the goal. Soon after, Callum Kitson struck the post with no one there to put in the rebound.
On the 50th minute, Hepworth put the game beyond doubt with their fourth.
Later on the match turned ugly with Hepworth's captain getting sent off for two bookable offences. The first booking was for a bad challenge and the second a stamp on Luke Barraclough.
Hepworth scored a fifth when the Brighouse keeper failed to win the ball leaving an easy tap in.
Damian Attfield won theplayer of the match award for his solid performance in centre midfield.
Clifton Rangers U-11s A 6,
Penistone U-11s A 3
CliftoN started well with a good attacking move between Scott Henry and Harry Birro but then they had to defend to keep out Penistone.
Liam Moffit made a good run and cross with Birro shooting just over the bar. Clifton continued to defend well and player of the match Matthew Haigh made some fantastic saves diving fearlessly at the feet of the on coming attackers.
Penistone, however, scored first when they split the defence and slotted the ball home. Clifton's first serious attack resulted in a goal for Greg Roper after a good ball through from Henry found Birro who beat his man to get a good cross over for Roper to get a foot past the keeper.
Clifton started the second half well and forced a corner which was well taken by Liam Moffit, Penistone could not defend it and they knocked it into their own net making it 2-1 to Clifton.
Matthew Haigh continued to make some important saves as Penistone, to their credit, continued to attack. He was well supported by Matthew Parnell and Elliot Richardson who made some timely interventions to stop the attacks. Clifton's third goal came from a ball through from Birro to Moffit who cooly placed the ball past the keeper.
Moffit was the provider of the fourth goal from another well struck corner which Roper headed home.
Although Clifton conceded another goal Clifton got a fifth through a fine strike from Jake Hall which beat the keeper and went in off the post. Clifton finished off the game with a sixth goal, courtesy of Birro after a shot from Liam Moffit came back off the cross bar.
Jake Streeting and Daniel Benton defended well during the game and although Penistone scored another goal Clifton won convincingly.
Rastrick Juniors U-8s A 0,
Bradford Park Avenue U-8s A 6
THIS was a game that taught Rastrick a harsh lesson in how they must help out their fellow defence as Bradford ran riot.
In a tense opening ten minutes where Rastrick were matching their opponents for effort but were undone by the Bradford strikeforce as they went on to score twice despite Jamie Miller's sterling efforts in the home defence.
Jack Porter showed his bravery by diving at the feet of the opposing centre forward but had to come off for treatment before he could go back on.
Rastrick tried to seize the initiative with Ben Birkhead and Ben Price trying their utmost to create opportunities for striker Ben Greenwood who was always looking to unsettle the visitors' rearguard.
Mitchell Cummings came on for his debut and can take heart from his performance as he tried to drive his team forward with his strong runs. Matthew Ashford also put in a solid display and arguably had his best game so far this season. Charlie Cowen showed off some of his old silky skills down the touchline but just could not deliver the final ball. Bradford appeared the strongest of the teams but showed signs of intimidation which did not seem to unsettle the Rastrick players, although George Jenkins put in an accomplished performance in the heart of the home defence and fully deserved the man of the match but was helpless to stop the Bradford forward combining to make the final score 6-0.
Rastrick Juniors U8 B 1,
Bradford Park Avenue B 6
IN a one-sided game that showed up Rastrick's inadequacies when it came to defending as a team, the home team took time to get into the game with Jack Sutcliffe and Lauren Joyce eventually getting a grip on the game in the middle of the park and receiving support from the strong running of Robert Mulhall.
Elliot Atkinson made an impressive debut in midfield and it was from his persevering run that set up John Rimmer to bear down on goal only for the opposing keeper to smother the ball but as he fumbled it, Rimmer, not for the first time this season, showed his predatory nature to slide the ball over the line to make it 1-0 to Rastrick.
As the half wore on Bradford started to move forward in numbers and eventually overcame the strong resistance of James Hunt in the home defence to make it 2-1 at half time.
In the second half Bradford carried on where they left off, although the midfield duo of Daniel O'Malley and Michael Whitworth battled hard to stem the tide but came to no avail which then left Harry Meneghan with the thankless task of facing the onslaught of the opposing forwards who went on to score three well taken goals.
Rastrick did have their goalkeeper Elliot Wheelwright to thank for keeping the scoreline down as he kept pulling off some wonderful saves, one after another, and was later rewarded with the man of the match.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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