|
|
SUN 4th May - Kexborough (away) - Lost 9-1. Sounds bad, but we played OK - in truth Kexborough were awesome, certainly the best team in the division, unfortunately they saved their best performance until the last day of the season for this title winning game. Nobody has come close to beating us like this all year and even Kexborough only just shaded the last meeting. Decent performances from LiamW, Alex, Tom, Corey and Rory Some fantastic football played throughout this year - some great performances (and a couple of shockers)........Well done Elland 8th spot last year , 4th this year (promotion next year?) SUN 27th April - Hepworth B (away) -Lost 5-2 Crikey - you can't have a game without a ref, but we could have done without this one! two goals offside and a very dodgy penalty decision gave Hepworth the game. Although it has to be said that the home team showed more desire to win and more agression through midfield and attack. Nice goals from Ben and Rory, however worryingly (once again) Elland were massively wasteful in front of goal. The weather was awful, but was the same for both sides. Elland went down to ten men due to injury, but in truth did not really deserve the win. Decent game from Tom and Robbie, but MOTM was Alex. MOTM: ALEX GOALS: BEN, RORY, FRI 25th April Kemble rangers (home) - won 9-0 Ten minutes in and the tie was ignited, with a sweet, sweet strike from Corey - who hit a volley with the outside of his foot, which swung away from the diving keeper to crash into the right hand side of the goal 1-0. barely five minutes later Rory followed up Ryans saved shot and tucked the rebounding ball away past the keeper for Ellands second. Kemble's keeper suffered an injury to his wrist saving a bullet of a shot from Tom and had to leave the pitch , however Kembles replacement performed well for the next ten minutes, but was unable to Stop Ryans next attempt and after being put clean through, the centre forward took his goal well 3-0. It looked as though the first half would play out, however Robbie had other ideas and seeing the keeper some distance off his line, struck a 40 yard lob over the keepers head that David beckham would have been proud of, for an amazing finish to the half. 4-0 A reshuffled back line allowed Tom to join Midfield and after five minutes Corey took off on a nice break down the right hand side, finishing with a pinpoint cross on to the advancing boot of Ryan , who skilfully added his second and Ellands fifth. Kemble struggled to assert themselves and following a loose pass in midfield Tom set off for a superb solo effort, beating three challenges and drilling a powerful shot past the despairing keeper 6-0. Confidence in the side was high and Elland were playing high in their opponents half. A poor kemble clearance was met by Matty, who fired a shot back in with his left foot, glancing off a kemble defenders head and beating the keeper high to his right 7-0 moving in to the last ten minutes and an excellent flick through from Rory, was met with a crashing shot from Corey, who scored yet another impressive goal, by stepping away from the ball to provide room for himself to finish in impressive style. It was also the right winger who provided the feed for a final flourish from Robbie, who added his own impressive Left foot strike for Elland to run out as 9-0 winners. Great performances from Tom, Robbie,the entire back 4, and especially LiamH in goal who showed much more aggression and comittment off his line, beating the attackers to the ball on a number of occasions. however Man of the match for another impressive performance was Corey. MOTM: COREY GOALS: COREY(2), RORY, ROBBIE (2), RYAN (2), TOM, MATTY SUN 20th April Norristhorpe B (away) - won 4-0 In truth , probably the most one sided affair of the year and but for Norristhorpes wonder goalkeeper, it would have been at least 10-0. That said, however Elland did play some very attractive football. Without the pressing play of a decent opponent Elland allowed their creativity full rein and the crowd was treated some fantastic passages of play. From a barrage of well delivered corners from Ben, Liam W made full use of his prescence in the goalmouth, tucking away to open the scoring 1-0. moments later a good through ball from Ryan gave Rory the chance to spring the off-side trap and increase the score to 2-0. Wave after wave of Elland pressure was brought to bear on the Norristhorpe goalmouth, however the keeper was having "just one of those days" and must have made around thirty saves throughout the game. The second half arrived with the score still at 2-0 to Elland and Liam H having not even touched the ball.Elland continued the same way, and from one of Tom's trademark long throws, Ash reacted first and netted for Elland to move to 3-0. Some days you just know it won't be your day and Ryan must have felt that way today. his only goal was ruled out for offside, but he also hit the post and fired inches wide on numerous occasions. going into the last ten minutes and Ben slid a defence spiltting pass through for Corey, whose first touch and decisive finish combined for the move of the match. 4-0. Much better performance (against a weakish side) but a pleasure to watch nonetheless. Excellent performances from Ben, Ash, Robbie and Tom but MOTM by a mile was Liam W who had his best ever performance today. MOTM: LIAM W GOALS: LIAM W, COREY, ASH, RORY SUN 06th April Battyefrd B' (away) - won 4-3 Decent game, with Elland having the better of the first fifteen minutes, at times Elland rode their luck especially in defence, however a blatant handball in the Battyeford box awarded Elland a penalty. Ben Confidently strode up and tucked a powerful shot in to the bottom Right of the goal, giving the keeper no chance and Elland took the lead 1-0. Battyefords Right wing was the stand out player and he was instrumental in the award of a corner to the home team. The resultant clearing kick fell to an advancing midfielder, who made no mistake to even the game 1-1. Five minjutes later Ryans first touch was adjudged not to be handball and the striker kept running to finish with a crisp shot past the keeper and elland retook the lead just before the half time changeover with the score at 2-1. Elland began the second half brightl;y and some good work by Robbie saw a beautiful ball through to Ryan, who finished well again to score his second and Ellands third. 3-1 Unfortunately the following goal from Battyeford was completely missed, by the entire defence and most of the crowd, who had taken their eye off the ball, thanks to an over officious linesman, moving the spectators back ( you know who you are MW) - 3-2 Minutes later the ball rebounded to Corey, following a goalmouth scramble, the Right winger appeared to have all the time in the world and he executed a brilliant twenty yard lob over all the defenders and the out of position keeper to take the game 4-2. Unfortunately instead of killing the game, Elland lost the ball and put themselves under pressure, with some appalling defence and let Battyeford back in at 4-3. This time and learning from Last week, Tom stayed at Centre back and started to direct traffic around him, steadying the ship and letting Elland Control the final five minutes. Some good performances today, Matty was unlucky with two long range shots and performed well at Right Back. Tom was more disciplined and Robson orchestrated some good moves, however MOTM was Corey. MOTM: COREY GOALS: BEN(p), RYAN (2), COREY SUN 30th March Kexborough (home) lost 4-2 Elland started brightly enough against Kexborough, and took the lead following a long throw from Tom, Ryan turned and took a smart goal to open the scoring. the game was nicely poised and kexborough beat Ellands defence, then put a shot past the Keeper, which was scrambled away with a desperate covering clearance from Alex, clipping the ball off his own line to save a certain goal. Elland surged forward and some good work on the right ended with a shot from Ash, being touched in over the line from Rory. Elland Turned round at 2-0 looking by some distance the stronger side. With the wind behind and playing down the slope, Elland should have easily gone on to win the game, however a mistake in posession in Midfield exposed the fact that the centre backs were out of position allowing a free run through and kexborough pulled a goal back to 2-1. This was quickly followed up again by more soft goals, again with players well out of position. 2-2, It's times like these when the character of a team is exposed, some teams will pull together and encourage, or dig in and rally - Elland sulked and collectively shirked responsibility. The nature of this footballing age group is changing and teams are maturing this year, becoming more aggressive in their approach, with more boys having a real desire to win - Elland must realise this in order to avoid the following: Soft Goal 3-2 (players out of position and unwilling to get back) Soft Goal 4-2 (people not concentrating on the game) Robson went over nastily on his ankle and we hope he has a speedy recovery in time for the trip to Battyeford 'B MOTM: Alex GOALS: Ryan, Rory. SUN 16th March Silkstone away lost 3-2 NO Match report SUN 9th March Hartshead 'B (away) Draw 2-2 Exciting game to watch, Liam H's unavailability saw LiamW take his place in goals. Playing against a very strong wind Elland struggled to contain early moves down the Left wing from Hartshead's Pacey number 14, and Hartshead were able to take a few shots at Goal. Tom Goddard orchestrated his back 4, and dealt with everything that was thrown at them. Elland were looking to go in to the interval with the scores level, however Hartshead were gifted an offside goal by the referee, who made little or no effort to keep up with play. Seconds later however, an excellent ball from ASH in midfield put Rory through on goal and a last ditch clumsy tackle gave Elland a penalty to square the half. Ben confidently placed the ball, however his penalty kick hit the bar and even though the ball rebounded back to him, his second effort went wide. and both teams turned round at 1-0 to Hartshead. The second half with the wind behind was a different story and Elland battered Hartshead, time and time again, with much more conviction shown from the whole team. A great corner from ben produced a goalmouth scramble, with Tom pouncing on a loose ball to level the game at 1-1. All the pressure was from Elland, however a clearing ball from midfield saw the Hartshead centre forward receive the ball in an offside position (again), his effort was cleared, but the rebound was converted and a second, (this time blatantly offside) goal was allowed by the Referee. Elland restarted and kept some sustained pressure on Hartshead, Robson had the bit between his teeth and after beating three men in midfield delivered a superb through ball for Corey to chase. The striker got to the ball and his shot easily beat the keeper, who had stayed on his line. Elland had chances to win, and a free Kick from Corey in the last few minutes just went the wrong side of the bar. A good game, with a couple of poor decisions, however you can't have a game without a referee, (even if it is the other teams coach!!) MOTM: TOM GOALS: TOM, COREY SUN 2nd MARCH Shelf (home) Lost 1-0 No Match Report MOTM : TOM SUN 24th FEB Scissett (home) Won 3-2 Decent game, but Elland made it hard work (again). Elland took the lead mid-way through the first half, from Ben's corner. Scissett Failed to clear their area and the ball came out to Robson, who showed nice composure and drilled a shot to the far left of the oppositions net. Some sustained Elland pressure drew a foul from Scissetts central defender, right on the edge of the visitors box. Coreys display of confidence, grabbing the ball to take the shot was well founded, the nicely placed shot beat the outstretched arms of the scissett goalkeeper and elland turned round at half time 2-0. The restart saw Elland once again forcing the pace of the game, and Ash, following up a shot with liamW was first to the rebound, netting to put elland ahead at 3-0. In truth at this point it appeared that Elland would go on to be easy winners, however, some loose defending on the edge of Elland box, gifted the Ball to the attackers. Even then the first touch of scissetts centre forward was not great, but a mix up and an uncharacteristic slip opened the door to the visitors 3-1. Worse was to follow, Robson raised his hand to blatantly intercept the ball form a corner, while in his own penalty area and LiamH aggrivated an existing back injury, trying to save the resulting penalty Kick. 3-2 Liam bravely played through the pain, and Elland raised their game, playing the more inventive football and should have increased their lead, when Ryan went through one on one with the keeper, his resulting shot, just going the wrong side of the upright. Elland should have won by more, they hit the woodwork and had a number of near misses, however they ran out as winners 3-2. MOTM: LiamH GOALS: Robson, Corey, Ash. SUN 17th FEB Hartshead 'B (away) Match Postponed Frozen Pitch SUN 10th FEB Batley 'B (away) Won 5-3 Back to winning ways at last. Welcome back to Scott, who played like he had not missed a game, some nice touches at left back today. Elland travelled to Batley without a substitute (again) and after some nice play down the hill, went one down after a mix-up between matty and LiamH. This was immediately cancelled out by a nice take from Ryan down the hill. Moments later Kieron added a second, (his first of the season) after Rory ballooned a shocker over the bar from less than two yards. Five minutes before the breakTom pounced, to add a third from Bens Corner following some poor defending from Batley. Corey had an excellent first half down the right wing and the only way for Batley to stop him was to continually foul him. Elland setup a number of opportunities, which they failed to take. in truth Elland could have scored six in the first half, but actually turned round 3-1 up Elland were always in control of this half, but it was characterised by some shaky moments accross Elland back line The second half opened in the same manner, Ellands out ball was up the right wing and Corey was giving his marker a torrid time, which resulted in another three fouls. This was brought to the referees attention in no uncertain terms, however the official seemed reluctant to do anything about it. Following some more good work, a ball in from the right winger saw Kieron on to the poor clearance to claim his second of the match and Ellands fourth. Elland had the bit between their teeth, and Ben was playing with skill and confidence, providing ball after through ball for the front line, who could and should have done better, however Rory finally muscled his way through to force home an excellent goal. The switch in formation between Corey and Rory, seemed much more effective, and Ben semed assured and composed in the centre of midfield. Elland Were cruising at 5-1, the game was in the bag and in a typical lack of concentration, Elland conceded two goals (both very well finished it must be said), however rather than an easy victory, the game finished a bit nervy at 5-3. Another fine display from LiamH, who is improving week on week, secure behind a number of shots and certainly called into action in the second half. Ben Looked good in midfield, two goals from Kieron, some nice touches from Robson, solid display from Tom, however: MOTM: Corey GOALS: Ryan, Kieron (2), Tom, Rory. SUN 3rd Feb- Kirkburton (Home) Lost 3-0 Yikes , thats three on the run we've lost - Decent game against Kirkburton 1-0 at half time, Elland were always in the tie. Lack of substitutes did for us again, Elland started to run out of steam a little. Good attitude and some decent performances from Ash, Corey, Ben, Tom and LiamH looking sharper. MOTM - BEN SUN 20th JAN- Wyke (Away) Lost 2-0 Tricky tie made even harder for both teams by howling gales accross the pitch. Extremely even contest - stalemate for 50 minutes, then Wyke capitalised on Ellands defence being out of position. Elland went to three at the back to rescue the game, but in chasing the result, conceded a late second. The most important thing was the difference in attitude, this is Elland back to something approaching their early form. In truth Elland had four players missing, and Wykes fresh legged substitutes was the only difference. Some excellent performances - PB, Robson, LiamW, Ash, and LiamH back on form, but MOTM (mainly for first half) was TOM. Keep going like this and we will turn in some much more impressive results than the previous two outings. Well done boys - much better attitude - now lets bring the same attitude to training please. MOTM - TOM SUN 13th JAN- Batley B' (Home) Lost 4-2 lost and deserved to lose...poor overall performance, with not much evidence of fight, when the going got tough. Ryan was unlucky when a long range lob bounced up off the bar (twice) before going dead. However, minutes later a long ball from Matt was flicked on to Ryan whose well struck shot was parried by Batleys keeper and Corey, who was following up finished the rebound well for Ellands first goal. Playing down the slope with the wind behind, it was imperative that Elland opened up a commanding lead, unfortunately chance after chance went begging and instead of taking control of the game Elland allowed Batley to dominate through midfield. with both Ellands central defenders continually drifting out of position, it was only a matter of time before Batley burst through to equalize. Second half - It was always going to be tough against the wind & slope, but Elland just never got going, and in truth did not look up for the fight. Batley (with only three wins all seasons) just wanted it more and scored two more goals. With five minutes to go Elland seemed to realise that they would lose the game and Tom Goddard took a grip of the game with some strong running and secent interplay, resulting in a goal and a chink of light at 3-2. However immediately from the restart Batley were allowed through and a poor lob was not held on the line. Elland got what they deserved from todays game - the team that beat YMCA, with only 9 men was nowhere to be seen. the heart and the energy was missing - this team is much better than todays performance, lets hope they re-emerge for next week and the rest of the season. MOTM: COREY GOALS: COREY SUN 6th JAN- Kemble Rangers (Home) won 5-4 Sometimes you have to win Ugly, and thats what happened today. Both first Choice strikers were unavailable, connor - (Injury) and Ryan (panto - he's behind you !! ) saw a reshuffled team, struggle to make best use of their natural talent. 3 minutes into the game, saw Elland Open the scoring with a superb goal from Corey, cutting in from the right and producing a super finish. Robson and Tom in the midfield should have devasted most opponents in this league, and for the first fifteen minutes Kemble, bareley made it into Ellands Half. The floodgates never opened though, and Kemble started to have more self belief. Some Kemble play down the right should have gone nowhere, but inexperienced defending allowed the visitors an easy run inside and to cross for a goal to level the game, giving Liam H No chance. Worse was to follow, when barely three minutes later the same player mishit a clearance kick past his Keeper for an OG. These things happen and what doesn't kill you makes you a stronger player, This was especially unlucky given this player had an excellent debut at Left back last time out. At 2-1 down Elland briefly raised their game and an Awesome ball in from the left by Ben found Robbie, who opened his account with a good goal. On the stroke of half time Tom delivered an excellent cross, and Liaw W was first to the ball, reacting quicly to score Ellands third of the match - half time 3-2 to Elland. The two goals just before half time did little to disguise the fact that Elland looked slow and did not seem to relish the fight, however playing downhill and with the wind behind ( and following a stiff half time team talk) Elland tried to pick their game up. Ben was unlucky not to score from a well taken free Kick, which just went the wrong side of the post, however he had a claim for a goal from a corner a few minutes later. Robson delivered (another) massive corner and Ben felt his effort had crossed the line, the whole team ahouted for a goal, but Kemble somehow managed to scamble the ball out, however Tom, following up buried the ball in the back of the Net (Whose Goal? Ben or Tom - Answers please) . Having Gone 4-2 up it seemed that there would be no way back for Kemble, but Elland collectively went to sleep fo the rest of the game Allowing Kemble to break back, once from the right and once down the middle. Having conceded 4 goals and with the score level at 4-4, it has to be said that Liam H was not at fault for any goals, and in fact was having a decent game - pushing on, ignoring the pain of an injured knee, just that the defence was leaky and midfield drifting in and out of the game. Elland tried to Rally for the last five minutes, and following two late corners, Ash managed to Net for the deciding goal from a goalmouth scramble. The game ran out with Elland victorious at 5-4 and as said previously, they can't all be fantastic, but a win is a win. No man of the match was awarded at the time, however after review MOTM is Ben, with honorable mentions to Liam H, Liam W and Alex. MOTM: BEN GOALS: COREY, ROBSON, LIAM W, TOM/BEN, ASH SUN 23rd DEC - YMCA'B (home) won 2-0 one word... Fantastic! Elland took to the pitch with 10 men due to unavailability, down to Holidays and Illness. The matter was made even worse when Conner, already struggling with a back injury had to leave the field, mid way through the first half. The 9 men however, took the game to YMCA and inspired by Tom, who was MASSIVE, all over the park, actually went ahead following a fine strike by Tom Himself. All over the pitch you could see responsibility for each position being accepted by each player, and every single player played extremely well. Connor bravely re-emerged for the second half to lend a hand. Even though Elland had been 1-2 men down for the entire game, they were always in charge and following a Tom Free Kick, Ryan was first to the knock down and added another goal to this seasons tally. An exciting game to watch, all the players should feel proud of their contribution today - well done boys.. MOTM: TOM GOALS: TOM, RYAN SUN 16th DEC _ Pitch Frozen Game Postponed SUN 09th DEC 2nd round league cup (home) lost 3-0 Good match - nil-nil for forty minutes in a very even game against table toppers Kirkburton, however superior fitness, and a little more class won out, with Kirkburton going two up, mid-way through the second half. Elland chased the play, going to three at the back, however this left the door open for the visitors to kill the game off with a third, well taken goal. Nice individual performances from Tom and Robson, lets beat them when they return in the league match. MOTM: ALEX SUN 02nd DEC - Shelf (home) Match Postponed 3 days of heavy rain leaves standing water on pitch - game postponed SUN 25th NOV - Silkstone (home) won 2-1 Elland started the game without two of the first choice back four, including their captain, however the reshuffled back line worked well for the majority of the game, with only a first half injury to Alex temporarily unbalancing the defence. Silkstone took to the pitch and all eyes were on their 5 foot 11 inch Yugoslavian goalkeeper, who sported the first proper moustache seen on an under 12. As might have been expected, he coped admirably with Ellands Early attempts however, he parried a shot from Ryan, which fell for Connor, who finished with a fine strike for the opening goal. The first half was evenly balanced, however Elland should have gone two in front with Ash clear on goal, unfortunately his extra touch took him too close to the advancing giant goalkeeper, who saved well. The second half continued in the same vein, with Ash playing well in Midfield and a good number of through balls to the front pair, from midfield. one of these resulted in an Elland corner, and a fine ball in from Robson resulted in Zach nodding a good header over the crowd and into the goal. Silkstone pulled one back from a corner of their own, after elland failed to put pressure on a half clearance, allowing the silkstone striker time to shoot. Alex came back on and a reshuffle saw more balance to the team, and this provided a platform for Elland to try and extend their lead. Ryan hit the post from around twenty yards following a good ball out of defence from Matt and an equally impressive ball from Ash. Today saw some good performances from Connor, Ash, Matt, Robbie, Ryan and Liam H, however more impressive was the fact that players are taking responsibility and talking to each other more, on a day like today in a tight game, communication is vital. MOTM: MATT GOALS: CONNOR, ZACH . SUN 18th NOV - Scissett (away) won 9-0 Talk about a game of two halves! Scissett were first out of the starting gate and in the first few minutes really took the game to Elland, causing the visiting team a few early panics in defense. In response, Elland raised their game and went ahead after a goal from Ryan, nicely improvised and well taken. The game was very even for the next twenty minutes, with chances for both teams, however Elland were playing the better football. Corey in particular was having a lot of success against the left back , who resorted to fouling the winger as often as possible. Some nice play from midfield, again linking well with Corey, resulted in superb cross, well taken by Ash for the second goal, five minutes from half time. This saw the teams turn round at 2-0 to Elland, a fair reflection of the first thirty minutes play. Little did we know what the second half had in store, however playing down the slope Elland began a seven goal romp, started by Rory, who found himself in space following a half clearance, who struck a nice shot giving the Scissett goalkeeper no chance. This was followed up by another goal very quickly, Tom goddard sent Corey away down the right wing with a long throw and Corey turned, took the ball, ran straight at the keeper and finished with a magnificent shot for Ellands Fourth. Two minutes later, Ash took the initiative and put in a superb cross to Ryan who finished well for his second of the game. That man (Ryan) again, showed his invention with a clever lob following some nice passing through midfield for his second hat-trick of the season. The back four were covering well for each other and during a couple of Scissett corners, Liam H dealt well with any threats puching clear of danger. There is no substitute for confidence and at 6-0 Elland were turning the heat up on Scissett. Clever linking play from Tom, to Robson, and a good final ball from Corey setup a scoring chance for Ash, who notched his second and Ellands Seventh. Ryans Pace onto a through ball put him in for his fourth goal of the day, slid past the keeper, who, by now, must have been sick of the sight of the back of his own net. With ten minutes to full time and following a foul, twenty yards from goal, Ben delivered a beautiful free kick into the heart of the Scissetts box, which beat the defenders, the attackers and even the despairing goalkeeper, to finish in the bottom right of the goal for Elland to go 9-0. Elland piled on the pressure to make double figures, but a good number of chances were missed, with even the defenders shooting wide and the goalkeeper looking to try and get in on the action. Some days it just clicks, unluckily for Scissett this was one of those days, however from an Elland spectators point of view it was fantastic to watch. Every player did well, but there with some superb individual performances, none more so than Corey and Ryan, who deservedly share the man of the match award, Well done boys. MOTM: COREY & RYAN - Shared GOALS: RYAN (4),ASH (2), COREY, RORY, BEN. SUN 11th NOV - Collegians (away - friendly) lost 5-1 Yikes, glad this was a friendly. Although the first half was pretty even, Elland had neither the desire or the attitude to win the game. Nice first half Goal from Corey, and great first half from Connor, but too many people off their game today. Thanks for Collegians for the game. SUN 4th NOV - Battyeford (home) won 4-1 what a contrast to last week, a beautiful sunny morning, more like Summer than Autumn, however what was the same, was most of the football played by Elland. Another super game to watch, with some fine individual and overall team performances. Elland took a while to settle, especially accross the back, however after around fifteen minutes a big clearance kick fromTom turned defence into attack, with Ryan latching onto the ball and lobbing the ball over Battyefords advancing Keeper for an excellent goal. As often happens in football, teams are most vulnerable just after they have scored and sure enough Elland switched off , to gift a goal to battyeford within twenty seconds of the restart. Elland however were playing the more creative football, and following some good work from Robbie down the right wing, (beating three men and delivering a superb cross), Ash was first onto the ball poking it past their keeper and into the Net. This was followed up very closely, by the goal of the game. Ben's long range free kick from Just inside Battyefords half, was met by a sweeping half volley on the turn from Tom, giving the keeper no chance, and putting the score on to 3-1. This is how the score stayed until half time due mainly to Liam, who was having a sound, shot-stopping game, and the opposing keeper, who was just as secure. The second half provided more of the same and it was not until ten minutes from time that Connor latched on to the end of Rorys excellent cross for a well taken goal that settled the score at 4-1. Nice to see the team back to winning ways - onwards and upwards. MOTM: ROBSON GOALS: RYAN, ASH, TOM, CONNOR. SUN 28th OCT - Kirkburton (away) lost 2-1 a miserable rain drenched morning was brightened by Ellands performance on the pitch, unfortunately (and as described by the Kirkburton touch judge) "the best team lost". In truth Kirkburton playing up the hill in the first half had the better of the opening twenty minutes scoring the opening goal, however for the remainder of the game Elland were well on top. In football however you must take your chances, which apart from Ryans equalising goal, following Liams,big goalkick, Elland Failed to do. Kirkburton scored a second following some sloppy defending, but therafter Elland pressed the game, creating chance after chance, but converting none. Conner was unlucky with a shot , which rebounded off the Crossbar, and was even unluckier in not keeping the resulting header down. The Second half carried on in the same vein, and playing up the hill, the ball held up much more for the front line time after time, however the woodwork came to Kirkburtons aid twice more in the second half, and you could sense it was not to be Ellands day. The final 30 minutes in particular was excellent to watch, the reshuffled back four worked very well and Kirkburton were restricted to only one chance. The midfield also worked much better, taking more time on the ball and not kicking posession away. Difficult to pick a man of the match , but on his second half showing... NB DONT FORGET INSIDE TRAINING @ BROOKSBANK FROM 02nd NOVEMBER 17:45 - 18:45 ALSO PLEASE COME IN TEAM KIT 02nd NOVEMBER - TEAM PHOTO SUN 21st OCT - Wyke Wanderers (home) lost 3-1 Superb game of football, two very evenly matched teams both going all out for the win. Wyke brought a formidable goal scoring record to Elland, but were restricted to just two chances in the first half. Unfortunately for Elland they scored one of them, however this was fairly much against the run of play. No real individual star performances this week, with the honours shared evenly through the team, although an honourable mention goes to PB for coming back to the pitch after taking another nasty knock right on top of the one he took last week (see picture below). Some clumsy defending in the second half allowed Wyke to nip in for a second, however Elland changed their formation and aggressively took the game to Wyke. The Wyke goal was under seige for large parts of the second half and it was only a matter of time before Elland clawed one goal back, after a goalmouth scramble following a series of superb corner kicks from Robson. Elland threw more men forward to get the equaliser, and Wyke had to do some frantic defending. However in throwing players forward, doing so left the door open slightly and Wyke scored their third with virtually the last kick of the match, after some tired looking challenges from Elland. If ever a game deserved to be a draw, this was it. MOTM: ALEX GOALS (not sure goalmouth scramble - who's claiming it ?)  ........Nice Shiner PB. (you should'ave seen the state of the other blokes elbow though - hehehe) SUN 14th OCT - Hartshead 'B (home) won 4-2 Scott (broken wrist), Tom (holiday) and Liam (unavailable) Left Matty on his own as a regular from the back 4. However he was joined by Ben, PB and Robson, who all performed very well and provided a good platform for the game. Ellands Midfield worked well, to provide plenty of opportunities, but it was a well taken free kick from Robson, that gave Corey a long through ball, he took his chance well and finished with good composure. The "ball over the top" worked well, and a few minutes later Ryans pace put him in to score another very well taken goal, from around twenty yards. Robsons natural speed was getting Elland out of jail, and he broke up a number of Hartshead attacks. It was only a momentary lapse of judgement from all the defenders that allowed Hartshead to sneak in and squeeze a shot through Liams legs. A couple of minutes before the break and Ryan was on to another through ball, his Classy finish brought his tally up to 8 goals in the last 5 games and Elland turned round at 3-1. The second half started much the same way as the first, and following some sustained Elland pressure, Ashley was first to the Ball, calmly picking his spot in the bottom Left Corner of the goal to go 4-1. This however seemed to be the signal for a period of poor-ish play by Elland, in comparison to the rest of the game. Hartshead made a couple of substitutions and really took the game to the home side.Hartheads pressure and some naive defending allowed the visitors to pinch a goal back, in truth they were unlucky not to get another, with a further shot rebounding off the post. Elland looked tired and were struggling to maintain their momentum, when a break from Hartsheads substitute ended in a nasty collision with PB. They were unlucky to go down in a tangle and the winger caught PB in the face with his elbow, requiring PB to leave the field and take a trip to casualty. (no broken cheekbone but good blackeye - see above) Elland battled onto the end, and the 4-2 scoreline was a fair reflection of the game. MOTM: ROBSON GOALS: RYAN (2), COREY, ASHLEY SUN 7th OCT - Clifton Rangers (away FA Shield) - Lost 5-2 The instruction was to "just go and enjoy it" but Elland took the lead with (another) superb shot from Ryan, which whistled past the keeper into the top corner, and proceeded to dominate the first half against their division 1 opponents. Liam H had a rare excursion outfield and Corey stood in for him between the posts, Coreys display was assured and composed and he never looked out of place. He made a number of fine saves and was unlucky to concede just before half time, receiving a knock to his head to add insult to injury. Both teams turned round 1-1, but Elland were much happier at the interval. Clifton Rangers came back for the second half and caught Elland napping, adding three quick goals within ten minutes, showing their class and some very nice individual skills. A further goal to the home team was cancelled out by Connors High lob, which found the keeper off his line, to leave the score 5-2 to clifton. To be frank, the score flattered Clifton, who were give a good scare by Elland. Some outstanding performances Notably, Liam W who was massive at the back and Corey who turned in a fine display, however a brilliant afternoon by Robson earns him his first man of the match award. MOTM: ROBSON GOALS: RYAN, CONNOR. SUN 30th SEP - Norristhorpe 'B (home) - won 5-1 Elland went into the game full of confidence, looking for a hat trick of wins on the roll, and when Norristhorpe arrived with 10 men, Elland seemed to believe that a further win was almost guaranteed. However Norristhorpe had other ideas ,and following some good attacking play, through an experimental Elland back three, took the lead 1-0. Elland persisted with three at the back, and took the game to Norristhorpe, through a congested midfield, with a first Club Goal for Ash. Further goals from Ryan and Corey, meant that Elland turned round 3-1, however the shape of the team had meant that Norristhorpe had been given plenty of chances to even the score. The second half resumed, with Elland reverting to their familiar 4-4-2 formation, restricting Norristhorpe to a single chance throughout the entire 30 minutes. The introduction of Liam W nullified the threat from Norristhorpes impressive centre forward, and the defence looked much more assured. Ryans pace found him quickly on to a good many through balls and it was only a matter of time before he found the net for his second goal. In truth, this is the second game that Ryan was unlucky not to score a hat trick, and the service through from midfield is massively improved. Elland continued to press their advantage and following a series of corners a loose ball made its way towards Corey, who smashed a twenty yard thunderbolt into the top corner for the goal of the match. The 5-1 win flattered Elland a little, who will need to raise their game and their levels of concentration, when they meet the teams who will be challenging for the league title, however the additional goals are welcome to the goal difference total. MOTM: TOM GOALS: RYAN (2), COREY (2), ASHLEY SUN 23rd SEP - YMCA 'B (away) - won 7-2 YMCA came to this game With a 100% home record, however Elland took the initiative and stated their intentions with a goal on 50 seconds from Rory. (fastest goal this season ?- lets see). This was quickly followed up by a goalmouth scramble on three minutes with Connor claiming the goal, as his first and Ellands second. The game settled down at this point, but Elland were very much on the front foot, even though they were playing uphill. Some nice wing play from Zach put him in a goal scoring position , which he took with a decent shot to put Elland 3-0 up. Excellent work in the midfield from Robson and Ashley set up a number of chances, and it was not long before Connor was put through to claim his second of the match and Elland went in to the interval at 4-0. The introduction of three Substitutes, in Corey, PB and Ryan did little to alter the attack minded play and within ten minutes of the restart, Connor scored his third goal to give him his first hat trick of the season and a well deserved man of the match award. Ryans Pace down the hill and his fresh legs caused plenty of problems for the YMCA defence and some super passing setup an opening for Ryan, who turned and executed an excellent shot to the bottom corner from twenty yards. Although this was probably the goal of the game, Ryan scored again within 5 minutes and was very unlucky not join Connor on a hat trick, with a further shot hitting the post and dribbling just wide. Ellands defence was sound for the best part, however there were signs of tiredness late in the game and even though the game was comfortably won, YMCA nicked two goals back towards the end. MOTM: CONNOR GOALS: RYAN (2), CONNOR (3), RORY, ZACH. SUN 16th SEP - HEPWORTH 'B (home) - won 1-0 As may be expected, Division 1 champions and Huddersfield cup winners, field a better than average second team. They arrived at Elland determined to win the match, but came up against some super football from the home team. Ryan Stocks had a goal disallowed for a questionable offside, but with the wind behind them it was only a metter of time before Elland opened their account, with a very well taken goal, again from Ryan In truth playing with the strong wind, and with an assured display from the back four, Liam was not really tested in goal throughout the entire first half. Elland failed to capitalise on their lead and the teams turned round with the score still at 1-0. The second half started with some positional changes and straight away, substitute Zach took the eye with some inspired play down the left wing. Time after time he beat his man to run the ball out of defence and set up some useful attacks. Hepworth tried to use the strong wind , however Ellands back four dealt with the threats fairly comfortably and look to be settling into a good unit, providing cover for each other and playing intelligently. Towards the end Hepworth threw more players forward and could have tied the game. A strong 20 yard drive was Hepworth's best chance and would have denied Elland the win, had it not been for Liam's acrobatic tip over the bar. Entertaining, with some real flair, hopefully this will set the tone for the season - well done boys MOTM: ZACH GOALS: RYAN
SUN 9th SEP - SHELF (away) - Lost 3-0
Elland Came straight out of the starting gate, to dominate the first half playing down the slope at Shelf. Apart from one early chance for Shelf, Elland showed greater determination and played some attractive football for the first twenty minutes. Tom Goddard looked Impressive and Matty Spence showed some excellent composure at the back, with some inventive play from the midfield and pace at the front, it looked like there was only one team in it. However a lapse of concentration allowed Shelf to get a breakaway goal against the run of play and both sides turned round at 1-0. Shelf returned for the second half and showed exactly how to play down the slope, and with some superb play from both wings, caught Elland napping to increase the lead to 2-0. and then to 3-0. Elland battled onwards, but the damage had been done, some excellent individual performances show that progress has been made from last season, and Elland should take some confidence from the fact that they pressed Shelf right to the end.
MOTM: TOM
|
|