Sunday 18 October 2020

U12 Mellor v Stockport

Mellor v Stockport 10/10/2020

‘Keep calm and stay organised’

Following on from the result last week at Cheadle Hulme, there was an air of positivity around the boys as we made the anticipated trip to Mellor Sports Club.

Due to heavy, overnight rain there was a pitch inspection at 08:30 and albeit being a bit boggy behind one of the goals, the decision was given that the surface was playable.  

Earlier in the week, Mellor indicated that they were short of a few player's so they played a couple of inexperienced older boys to bolster their team. We, on the other hand, took a full complement of 13 players which disappointingly meant no start for young Josh Livesey due to the maximum bubble size, 13.  I am sure he will get some game time later in the season.

The weather was OK to start with but deteriorated during the match and at one point the rain can only be described as torrential. For some unknown reason Dan Clarke’s umbrella seemed to let more water onto his coat than it repelled (Deborah, a new umbrella for Christmas maybe)?

The game started slowly and we finished the first quarter 3-2 with Stockport goals from Henry and Ethan.

Onto the second quarter and we seemed more positive with goals from Henry, Tom and Ethan. Our play was better, but Mellor responded each time to extend the score to 8-5.

We seemed like a team of two groups but the constituent parts didn’t equate to one. The defence were struggling for organisation and I think this unsettled our keeper whose distribution wasn’t as crisp as the previous week. Our attack options were good but again we gave the ball away too many times and a team like Mellor were always going to take advantage.

Q3 was a quiet affair and in Q4 we only scored twice to make the final score 14-7.

In summary, today’s game was a mixed bag, played in trying conditions. This Stockport team CAN win fixtures but the players need to be more organised within themselves and follow the basics like picking up a player and staying with them. With this in mind we reflect on the title of today’s blog… ‘Keep calm and stay organised’. We know that the boys have the physical attributes and the talent to compete against any team but the lack of consistency in decision-making and lack of organisation that they displayed today has demonstrated that they will ultimately lose games. For now, let’s put this game to bed, learn from our failings and pick our heads up for the next one! 









U12 Cheadle Hulme Vs Stockport

Cheadle Hulme v Stockport 03/10/2020

From the car to a star!

I am sure I speak for all but after such a difficult year it was great to see the first Lacrosse fixture up and running.

Firstly, a big thank you to Craig and the rest of the team involved at Stockport Lacrosse for providing us all with clear and concise information to allow the games to commence in safe manner. I would also like to thank everyone for their patience today as we took the players temperatures to ensure that they were safe and healthy alongside their team mates. Finally, thank you to all our parents for registering with the English Lacrosse Association (ELA) this week to ensure that players are insured and ready to commence action.

Hopefully, our organisation and relatively relaxed approach at the venue, allowed Steve and Jim to concentrate on coaching the team.

This week, we had a squad of 13 including two sets of brothers, the Liveseys and the Kitchens.
 
I feel that there is no point summarising the game by each quarter and dissecting the action goal by goal because the upshot is that Stockport were utterly dominant and we won 0-32! Unlike some games in previous seasons, we played as a team and every player was involved. Well done Ryan on a clean sheet on debut. The coaches moved players around during Q3 and Q4 to allow Cheadle Hulme to compete a bit more but as a squad, Stockport continued to control the game.

Now, back to the title of this week’s blog ‘From the car to a star!’. Last Saturday morning Eddie Kitchen was sat in the foot-well of his Mum’s car and refused to get out for the junior session. After being coerced with the offer of the Krispy Crème donuts he finally appeared (who wouldn’t be persuaded by a doughnut eh?). Chris Bland started throwing balls to him and he then joined the session. When it looked like we needed a bigger squad for this week’s game, he was asked to play in the match. Well, what a great debut…he looked like he had been playing in the team for a while. At the end he came off having scored a hat-trick-what a transformation. Huge praise should also be given to all the younger players who got stuck in today in drizzly, boggy conditions.

Another player, that deserves a mention is Jacob. His shooting was excellent and another example of one of the younger players stepping up.

Between the end of last season and the start of this one, the boys have matured physically, and rather than having just 3 or 4 players who we rely on to put the ball in the back of the oppositions net, it looks like we have an increasing number of players that can add to the tally of goals we score during each game. I’m pleased to say that the team unit looks strong so let’s march on and look forward to the next game.

Fantastic start guys, well done everyone!

  









 



Saturday 17 October 2020

U16s at Home to Mersey

It has been 6 months since the last game of lacrosse was completed, and for a few months now we have been able to train but not compete against a visiting team.  

Whilst one cannot trivialise the impact of Covid-19, we hope that the benefits of sport for the young participants will out weight any risks associated with this disease.  Unfortunately, having had 6 months away our wonderful photographer has forgotten how to take photographs, so only a match report from today.

New rules a plenty, and with a maximum squad of 13 players, and no 'Face-Offs', both teams are guaranteed a good level of percentage throughout the game.  Arguably bringing teams a lot closer.

As the game started it is clear Heaton Mersey are benefitting from being coached and they are much improved over the last time these two teams met.  With Mersey taking the lead, with a deflected shot, and possession coming back to Blue, we were patient and Hugo got 1 back.  Mersey did get another before we got one back before quarter time. 

During the first 3 quarters the guys were asked to concentrate on the plays and what they have been coached during the last few months in training.  Once we started to concentrate and get into the feel of the game we did start to move forward, with some well worked good goals, involving good movement of the ball, and good implementation of the plays.  Q2 score gave us a 4-1 quarter, Q3 quarter was a 3-1 quarter.  The final quarter the lads were allowed to play freely, and finished the game with a 4-1 quarter.

Goals were evenly spread throughout the team, and a good number of goals were assisted.  Hugo (2), George (3), Cameron (4), Rhys, Jay (2), Joel.

Great to be back playing, and the benefits that team sport bring the boys.