Photo: Salisbury FC U8
Whites 18’s get their season off to a flyer at the seaside.
Salisbury FC 18s travelled to The Black and Gold Stadium on Saturday morning to play Poole Town 18s in their first away fixture of the season.
Poole Town won both the South West Counties league and cup last season, the latter at the Ray Mac in July against Salisbury. So this was going to be a difficult encounter for the young whites, but both sides as with U18 football, are now different squads with the older players moving on to adult football.
Both teams passed the ball well, playing out from the back with great composure. Poole town settled into their rhythm a little quicker, using the extra space of the pitch to their advantage. Poole opened the scoring after some very good link up play.
Salisbury looked to get themselves back into the game, but lacked that little bit of quality to unlock a very strong Poole Town defence. Salisbury then started to dominate the game. First it was Ronan Clancy to even up the score. Ryan Penny then had a tremendous strike to put Salisbury ahead. Ronan Clancy then made it 3-1 at the interval.
The second half started well for Poole town as they pulled a goal back to make the score 3-2. Then goals from Josh Sommerton and Ed Timperley took the game away from Poole. Poole did get another goal back through a penalty. Ed Timperley was then denied his second goal of the game when his fine shot struck the post. A very good game with both teams playing some very attractive football.
FT: Poole Town 3 v 5 Salisbury FC
Salisbury FC 18s next league match is home to Bath City, however tonight (Tuesday 3rd) they take on AFC Totton at the Ray Mac in the FA youth cup. 7:45 K.O.
16’s get back on track at Wellow.
Salisbury U16 bounced back from an unexpected 3-2 loss against Warsaw Wasps last Sunday with an emphatic 8-0 win against Wellow. Salisbury took the lead after 2 minutes with a pinpoint shot into the bottom corner by Will Haslam. Wellow pushed forward and were caught by what can only be described as the perfect counter attack. The ball was thrown out by keeper Dan McCarthy and with only 6 passes ended up in the back of the Wellow goal with Haslam finishing it off to make it 2-0. Salisbury continued to play incisive quick pass and move play and scored a further 2 goals in just 2 minutes on the 17 minute mark. The goals coming from the inform Sam Penton and Alex Simpson. A 25 yard thunderbolt from skipper Brad Waters saw the Wellow keeper picking the ball out of his net for the fifth time before striker Sam Edwards made it 6 -0 ending the first half.
The second half produced 2 further goals 1 from Penton and another from Haslam completing his hatrick.
FT: Salisbury FC U16 8 V 0 Wellow Youth U16
Under 15’s have one of those weekends.
Whites under 15’s travelled west AGAIN this Saturday. This time to a mile or two away from Bishops Cleeve (visitors to the Ray Mac on Saturday). The opposition on this occasion being North Somerset FD in the Junior Premier League cup seeding tournament.
The Whites we missing two thirds of their normal back three and the goals and the pace of Sam Butt, ‘butt’ pardon the pun, it didn’t show in the first half. With the Whites creating lots of opportunities which resulted in Ashton Goodger putting the Whites ahead. A couple of world class saves were required of Tom Brooker the Whites Stopper, but overall in the first 40 minutes of this JPL cup match, it looked more likely the visitors would go further ahead.
Then came a moment of madness from Brooker when we came out to the left side of his penalty box to clear a ball he didn’t need to, unfortunately for the Whites stopper he cleared the attacker out and forgot about the ball giving the ref no option but to point to the spot. However Brooker made amends when despite diving to his left as the kick was taken straight down the middle about a metre off the ground, he managed (not for the first time in the last few season) to raise his trailing leg and save the shot! So at half time it remained 1 v 0.
That quickly became two nil when new Spanish signing Alvaro Corral played a neat one, two with Ashton Goodger and some very good footwork saw him beat the last defender and go through on goal and he made no mistake slotting home his first goal for the Whites within 5 minutes of his debut.
However, the rest of the 2nd half saw the West Country side take over the game. With Alfie Mepham pulled from the pitch before he got sent off, and Salisbury allowing the opponents to change their stand in keeper for an unnamed U14, the balance of the game changed. Despite the Whites creating plenty of more chances the young Somerset keeper was unbeatable. At the other end once the opposition drew level, they looked the most likely to go on and win. And when poor Ashton Goodger scored a cracking volley, just unfortunately in his own net, the visitors were never really looking like getting back in the game and North Somerset ran out worthy winners, if not by 2 goals.
FT North Somerset FD 4 v 2 Salisbury FC. MOTM: Kallum Weir
Salisbury FC U15 Sunday.
10 man Salisbury took on Eastleigh Sunday on a sodden, almost water logged Hunts farm pitch. It was the conditions which gifted the Spitfires and early lead when a tame shot from distance bounced in front of Whites Keeper Aleksis Pugovics and instead of bouncing safely up into his arms, it aquaplaned through his legs.
The Eastleigh keeper on the other hand handled the conditions much better. This is one of the strangest games I have witnessed in 8 years of watching this age group. Even the opposition manager commented that had this game been a boxing match the ref would have stopped it. Kallum Weir in particular battered the opposition goal and his shots on target count would have 14-15, add to that half a dozen from James Eyres and it was one way traffic.
However, football is a game were possession and shots stats mean nothing. If it did 10 man Whites would have won this game 25-5. As it transpired Eastleigh won 4-3. MOTM for the 2nd day running was Weir. But 10 Whites deserved it. They never looked like they were the team a man down on a heavy pitch. I would like to be able to say what cost them the 3 points, but no one watching this game would have been able to give you an answer, other than that is, a defiant Spitfires keeper whom had the game of his life.
Ed Searle’s New Look 14’s - a different kettle of fish to last season.
Under 14s White League day2 - Salisbury hosted last season’s Cup winner Oakwood. Both teams very much with changed line ups from last season.
Salisbury started very strong and had total control of game and soon went 1-0 with a great goal worked from the back with Waterston providing the finish. Before long Salisbury doubled their lead with a low drive from Shering blasted into the corner of the goal. Salisbury were running riot and when Mussell the Whites skipper tucked away a 30 yard free kick it looked as though this could be a walkover.
But the momentum changed and the game got niggly and scrappy and Oakwood swung the game around by scoring before half time 3-1.
Oakwood carried on the pressure and soon forced a second. Oakwood went on to have several excellent chances but were unable to take them with mentions to great defensive displays from keeper Belkin, Roberts, Fernando, Cooper and Thatcher and man of the match Will Corfield who defended resolutely keep the score at 3-2 to the Whites.
Depleted U14 Blacks in one hell of a roller-coaster of a match.
With only 11 Salisbury Blacks available for this game they started brightly with a quick attack from the kick off seeing Leo Penna lob the keeper in the first minute and Captain Aiden McMullan slotting home a neatly worked attack after 3 minutes. Fawley Falcons then re grouped and made it harder for the Blacks to break them down. They attacked with pace, looking more dangerous and scored in the 9th minute.
Salisbury scored in the 23rd only for Fawley to respond in the 27th minute.
This was turning into a very good spectacle for both sets of parents! Bradley Robinson was working unselfishly as he made a lot of runs creating space for other team members to run into and get shots away, this was a theme throughout the game. Just before half time Leo completed his hat trick which saw the Blacks come in at half time 4 goals to 2 up.
The team, looking understandably a little tired as they had put everything into that first half. The 2nd half started as positively as the first with Fin Monteith’s quick feet, he turned Fawley’s midfield inside out and chipped the keeper from 18 yards. The blacks looked to be cruising, however they switched off for what turned out to be a crazy 10 minutes. Fawley seemed to find their form and broke quickly 4 times to go into the lead for the first time 6 goals to 5.
It seemed that the blacks 11 had run out of steam and Fawley were unstoppable, which would have been the case if Chris Mundy had not been on top form in goal. Waves of attack came and time and time again Chris was pulling out top draw saves. The back four of Abdul Ahmed, Archie Ford, Logan Blandford and George Rigiane-Davis held their line also providing cover to give our keeper rest bite.
With 4 minutes to go the blacks changed tactics and pushed Archie Ford into Midfield, leaving 3 at the back. Pushing forward he quickly controlled the ball looked up and struck it sweetly from the edge of the D. the keeper looked to have made a great save however it squeezed through and the blacks were level. This seemed to reinvigorate the Blacks tired legs. From the resulting kick off the midfield duo Aiden and Jake Bartlett closed the ball down, won the ball back and then found Leo Penna sitting on the edge of the box who turned and completed a hard day’s work with a 4th. The winner you would have thought however in the last minute Sam Hunter was rewarded for his endless running and excellent skills as he smashed the ball into the back of the net to complete a great result and give the blacks their first their points of the season. All 11 Blacks deserved to be nominated for MoTM for their heroic display however only one can be named which was Leo Penna for his 4 goals.
Salisbury U13’s unbeaten run continues
Salisbury u13 were away this week to a very well drilled Shooters FC with no recognised keeper available. Shooters had all of the first half possession and were playing the ball around well. Zac Roberts the Whites stand in keeper pulled off an incredible double save to save the whites from going 1 down. Then the whites got what they feared was coming when shooters played the ball over the top to lob the whites keeper to make it 1-0.
However, just before the first half ended, Fin Roberts played the ball through to Dylan Beauchamp who manage to get it inside the keepers near post to make the half time score 1 apiece.
In the 2nd half the whites woke up, playing the ball around nicely and settling into the game. a second goal for Dylan came with a fine curling effort to the far post to make it 1-2.
In the final minutes of the game, shooters was given a penalty with Matt Robinson bringing the player down. The stand in keeper Zac pulled off a fantastic save to keep the score at 1-2, which is how it ended.
New U11’s team is off to a flyer.
Darren Spillers new Salisbury FC U11s travelled to Durrington for their first away game of the season. The Whites started the game strongly creating plenty of chances and scored some good goals, but we lost our discipline in the first half, losing our shape, piling players forward and making bad decisions in front of goal and the hosts scored a couple good goals, deservedly so. However in the second half the Whites early good form this season continued with better decision making, keeping our shape and creating some good goals. Especially with Elliott breaking into the box and squaring it for his team mates twice for tap in’s rather than going for goal himself even though he was on a hat trick, really unselfish play. This was an entertaining game played by two very good teams.
Mini Soccer round up.
Salisbury FC U10’s v St Francis Knights
With No League match scheduled the U10's played a strong St Francis Knights side in a friendly on 4G. Both teams had to adapt to larger goals, Louis Knight adapted brilliantly with a virtuoso performance in the Whites goal. All of the lads played well and responded to a strong challenge with some great football. Despite never leading, the young whites always responded to going behind, their heads never dropped. Elohenee (2), Orlando, Ollie and Ben W shared the goals today. A very spirited performance against a strong side, thanks to St Francis Knights for a great game, hopefully we can meet again this season.
Salisbury FC Under 8's whites v Whitchurch Under 8's
After not having a game last week our young whites were back playing in the Oak Cup. As this was the silent weekend in the Testway League where coaches and spectators are not able to instruct the players from the side line, it was a great opportunity to just let the team play and enjoy football.
Salisbury started really well keeping control of the ball and passing really well. Whitchurch came into the game and made some excellent tackles and created many chances making it difficult for Salisbury.
In the second half our young whites looked more organised, played a good passing game and created more chances hitting the post whilst scoring a few good goals. Whitchurch played well and proved they are a tough team to break down.
Captain for the day, Stanley Goodridge-Reynolds, commanded the team from the back and showed great maturity and leadership skills for such a young player.
Man of the match went to Max Little for putting in a good performance and adapting to different positions when needed.
We'd like to thank Whitchurch for making the trip down and look forward to seeing them again later in the season.
