Age Group Manager - Darren Barnes
Assistant managers - Dan Martin & Steve Palombo
Friendly
Hilton Harriers U11 v Belper Town U10 - 20th July 2008
Belper Town had been invited to put together an 11 a side team from Black & Gold Sox for a friendly with Hilton who are an age group older and moving to 11 a side football. This would be some test for Belper who are still playing 7 aside football and have not played together as an U10 squad before. Learning the offside rules was another challenge……! Anyway, the management team deemed it a worthwhile friendly in which to gain a valuable lesson or two.
Belper lined up with Trent Pickering in goal and Rafe Gregory and Barney Andrews flanking a central defensive two of Joel Cain and Luca Palumbo. Ben Cartwright and Dillon Garnett provided width and Jorge Knowles was paired with Joe Daley in the middle. Attack was all about pace and predatory finishing with Jake Wright and Will Cummings leading the line.
Hilton kicked off but Belper soon had possession and looked to expose Hiltons back four with the pace of Ben Cartwright. Ben was pushing the ball past the last man and beating him for pace every time and soon fired in a low shot that was spilled by the home keeper at Jorge Knowles feet, who gleefully slotted home. 1-0. Rather than sit back and enjoy the lead Belper pressed on and soon caused more embarrassment to the home team. This time it was Joe Daley who lofted the ball into the box and Will Cummings ran in to fire in to the corner. 2-0. Hilton looked dazed and had no answer to pace and accurate passing – it was no longer obvious who the older team were. Ben Cartwrights raiding down the right, ably assisted by full back Rafe Gregory, was causing all sorts of trouble. The midfield two of Knowles and Daley were putting in some crunching tackles and were stamping their authority on the game early on – they were not going to be bossed about in this match.
As time wore on Belpers confidence grew and quick feet by Jorge Knowles created a chance for Ben Cartwright and then Will Cummings again. Rafe Gregory was then clear on the overlap and his cross was headed just wide by Will Cummings who was taking up some excellent positions. Luca Palumbo was called in to action to produce an outstanding slide tackle to break up Hiltons first real attack after 25 minutes.
Ben Cartwright then chased a long ball from Joel Cain and cut the ball back to Joe Daley who struck the foot of the post. Barney Andrews and Dillon Garnett linked well on the left to force a corner and it was Dillons corner that was headed just wide by Rafe Gregory. The resulting goal kick didn’t have any distance and Ben Cartwright hit a powerful shot back to the keeper that was handled in the area for a penalty. Ben took the resulting spot kick and coolly slotted into the bottom corner for 3 -0.
Shortly after a testing shot from Joe Daley was spilled and “fox in the box” Jake Wright was first to the rebound to chip the keeper and give Belper a remarkable 4-0 lead at half time (and earn a fat lip for his troubles!). The greatest compliment that could be paid to Belpers outstanding defence was that goal keeper Trent Pickering had not touched the ball once! Hilton were truly shell shocked by Belpers power and pace, and set about making substitutions.
Belper too could now afford to bring on their subs, and Russell Fletcher took over in goal, Bobby West the left wing and James Rowson Jones and Tom Chinn given the strikers jobs. Dillon Garnett dropped further back to play as an attacking left full back and started to stamp his authority on the game early on. In fact the sharp passing down the left hand side started to cause Hilton problems who had just thought they had solved their right flank issues! Jorge Knowles had an early run and shot just wide whilst Luca Palumbo was heading everything in sight and holding his defence together well. Some great slick passing involving Joel Cain, Bobby West and James Rowson Jones created a shooting chance for Ben Cartwright who forced a corner. It was quickly taken to the back post where it was collected by Jorge Knowles who slammed it home after side stepping two defenders. 5-0. He was soon in action again when put through by good work from James Rowson Jones and he slotted his hat trick goal to give Belper a well deserved 6-0 lead and cap a truly outstanding performance in the middle of the park.
Will Cummings and Jake Wright were reinstated to give a well earned rest to Ben Cartwright and Rafe Gregory. Will Cummings put Tom Chinn through for a chance which forced a save, and then a great period of slick passing resulted in Joe Daley passing the ball into the net for 7-0. Barney Andrews was now settled at centre half and demonstrated some quick footwork to move the ball out of defence, sending Dillon Garnett on a run whose pass was knocked back for Tom Chinn again who couldn’t quite convert the chance. Jake Wright then went on a mazy run which forced a corner – Jorge Knowles turned provider as his cross was put away by Barney Andrews……..8-0.
Hilton were genuinely relieved to hear the final whistle as Belper celebrated a wonderful win. Russell Fletcher had been untested and so both keepers will rightly claim a great clean sheet against older and much bigger opposition. The management were full of praise for how well the team had played, as they passed the ball all over the pitch and never resorted to along ball game. From back to front the ball was zipped about at great pace and this created numerous goal scoring opportunities. Picking a single man of the match was an impossible task as the boys had played so strongly as a team and all put in 100%.
Hilton Harriers under 11’s meanwhile must have wondered what had hit them……….DM 20.7.08
Black Sox Sponsors
Independent Financial Advisers
Proud Sponsors of
Belper Town Black Sox U’10s
Gold Sox Sponsors
ECI Europe Ltd - European Components For Industry
