Epsom Eagles vs Farnborough FC (under 15) - SYL Prem Elite

After a good win in the cup last week our next challenge in the league was away to Epsom Eagles - a venue that produced a thrilling cup game between us last season. After a delayed kick off Epsom settled more quickly and were unlucky not to find themselves a goal up early on. 

It was Farnborough that took the lead through Ryan McCartney when Matt Cook won the ball high up the pitch and played a great through ball to Ryan who shot low and hard across the GK into the far corner. A great finish against the run of play. 

Just before half-time Epsom equalised when we gave a free kick away on the edge of our own box only for the Epsom centre back to put the free kick high into the top corner with a great shot. 

Half time and 1-1, with Rutty, James, Tom Baines and Dan onto replace Rory, Okey, Callum and Adam. 

The second half started with Epsom having a couple of great chances to go ahead but not able to finish them before a great team goal put us ahead. Rutty won the ball deep and played it to Scott. Scott found Matt Cook who played a great ball through to Ollie. Ollie turned and threaded a delightful through ball to Thomas Blackburn who scored with a shot hard and low giving the GK no chance. 

2-1 soon became 3-1 when Ollie ran from inside his own half beating 2 players and taking the ball around the GK before cooly slotting it home. 

We were definitely living up to our fast breaking reputation and indeed this was no different with our fourth goal when Okey, who had just come back on for Mikey, ran down the left and played the ball inside to Ollie. Ollie beat a player and threaded Tom Blackburn through who once again finished well giving the GK no chance. 

In between these goals, Epsom were still creating some good chances but just didn't have the same outcome in front of goal as we did. Ollie then scored his second of the goal and our 5th goal when he was put through by Ryan and cooly finished it into the far corner. Our goal to chances ratio was certainly good today and some of our attacking we breathtaking. 

Epsom pulled back 2 late goals to make the final score 5-3 to us. In a way the scoreline flattered us a little as Epsom certainly created enough chances but as they didn't put those chances away, we came away with a good victory. Some of our forward play as mentioned earlier was breathtaking. We do need to take better care of the ball but that's something we can work on in training. A great second half today and some memorable goals. Well done all. 

Match report: Surrey County Cup (under 15s) - Ash Utd vs Farnborough FC

After a disappointing result result at Carshalton last week the boys had to focus on the competition that we probably stand our best chance of winning any silverware in; the Surrey County Cup. The draw saw us against Ash Utd, who were unbeaten in the league so far this season and second in the Surrey Primary League; so were always going to be strong opponents. 

On a fresh Sunday morning the game started at pace with neither team really settling in the early minutes. The first chance of the game fell to Dan Muyambi when Ryan broke down the right only to pull the ball back which Dan hit really well but straight at the GK - a yard either side and it would have been a great goal. 

Ten minutes later the same two players combined to produce the first goal of the game when Dan ran at the centre half and hit the goal line drilling the ball across the box for Ryan to be on the end hitting his shot low and hard from close range. A well deserved opening goal. 

This started to settle Farnborough and we started passing the ball more and keeping possession. Ryan made it 2-0 when a good run from Mikey down the left, saw his pass finding Ollie who squared a great through ball to Ryan who finished low and hard across the GK again giving him no chance. 

With half time approaching the team looked comfortable at 2-0 and were starting to boss the game. With no further goals to report half-time saw Adam, Tom Blackburn, Ben and Rory come on for Callum, Tom Baines, Okey and Ryan. 

The second half started with the same routine as the first with Farnborough controlling the possession and playing some lovely football. Playing the game in the opponents half is the way ahead, although the two Ash forwards were fairly tasty, so we always had to be aware of the long ball forward. Rutty and Ben seemed to have this under control and were the start point for a numbers of our attacks. 

The team were playing really well now and Rory with the help of Matt and Scott started to stamp our authority of the midfield. Indeed it was a great run from Scott down the wing which provided us with the important killer goal when his cross was flicked on by Tom Blackburn for Ollie to finish well on the half turn. 

Callum then came back on when James took a hefty blow to the shin and Ollie made way for Mikey. Rory then produced a great run to beat the Ash defence and score our fourth goal to put the game beyond Ash. A super run and a great finish. 

Ryan then came back on for Dan. With the last corner of the game Ash pulled a goal back when Adam saved well from a shot only for the second ball to drop to the Ash number 10, who looped his shot over Adam into the far corner. Not keeping a clean sheet was the only negative of the game and the boys seem to have that confidence back and to have belief in their ability, playing some great football. A good performance and bring on the next round!!!

Surrey County Cup (under 15s): Ash Utd 1 - 4 Farnborough FC

After a couple of disappointing performances, it was good to see normal service resumed. The under 15s squad at Farnborough FC is stuffed full of players with huge potential and the coaching challenge is all about getting the best out of those players, so that they realise that potential.

Sometimes, results will go against us, but our coaching job is not to look at the league table, but to focus on the players, train hard and well and measure progress each week on the pitch. Today, versus a strong Ash Utd side, Farnborough FC showed just how good they are. Ash Utd are second in Surrey Primary Premier Division with one game in hand having won 4, drawn 1 and lost none - scored 11 goals, conceded 4. Today, our players doubled their "goals conceded" and played some lovely football, with sweeping moves across the pitch and through the thirds.

We made a slight adjustment to the system of play today - not because of results - but because in the last game we did not create as much as I would like to see from a team that likes to play attacking football and score more than the opposition (...as opposed to conceding less). If the players understand what we want to do better by switching to what they perceive as 4-3-3, then so be it. My view is that 11 players who are better than the opposition 11 players, should win. Kenny and I are certainly in agreement that the boys have developed sufficiently to start to solve technical challenges themselves - during a match if necessary. All seem more comfortable with this system of play though.

From a "goals conceded" perspective, out of the 6 conceded in the last 3 matches, 4 have been from corners/crosses and 2 from individual slips in the last third. We will continue to work on defending corners in training, but my long-term view is that football is a game of mistakes and every team will make individual errors at some point. Just as referees will make mistakes too (...some more than others, of course!)

To solve this, our mantra is "let's get better at what we do" and then an individual error will not matter, as we'll be 2 or 3 goals ahead. If we play the match in the opponents' half, then errors matter less, but 80 minutes of constant pressure is not very realistic and as Herbert Chapman once said: "You can attack for too long!"

So, marching on, we'll continue the work about when to press/when to drop as a unit (defending); counter attacking and the variety of attacking play. Kenny will develop the latter two themes in training tomorrow evening, while I attend the Licensed Coaches Conference at St. George's.

Let's continue our good representation at training with as few texts in the afternoon to me about absence as possible and I'm sure we'll achieve our objectives ;-)