under 7 Hawks
Coaching Team 2011/12: Chris Barnes & John Lloyd
Next Fixture:
15.1.12 Claygate Royals Griffins v AFC Brooklands
Missing a few key players it was a stiffer test this time out against a better drilled Claygate side. A cagey opening first half saw both teams fighting for midfield supremacy, with Cassian Hodges, Finn Coffey and Owen Donovan-Phillips linking well and working the channels. Aydin Malek-Zadeh and Sava Vujnovic were looking solid in the defence, but a rare lapse in concentration at a throw in saw the whole team other than the goalie sucked in to within 3 yards of the ball, with the Claygate striker emerging from the scrum to burst through and finish calmly in the corner.
1-0 down at half time, and time for the coach to earn his bacon; a tactical reshuffling saw Dylan Barnes swap the goalie gloves with Vujnovic, with Theo Lloyd bringing his usual bustle to the middle of the park. Within minutes of the restart, Donovan-Phillips earned a free kick on the left hand edge of the area, and Barnes stepped up and calmly stroked the ball into the right hand corner direct from the kick to bring the scores level. A couple of minutes later a strong run and finish from Barnes put Brooklands back in the driving seat. Hodges, after a rampaging first half, had dropped back to hold the defence steady together with Alex Cobb, who was relishing the chance to put in some meaty challenges. Coffey and Lloyd were linking well in the middle of the park, and the mounting pressure led to a corner. Lloyd drilled it low into the box and Donovan-Phillips was on hand to apply a poacher’s finish. Vujnovic was getting some good distance on his kicks, and found Barnes on halfway who beat two players and then slotted home in the corner. A fourth goal from Barnes wrapped up a solid comeback, and a real 100% performance from all the lads, who had nothing left in the tank at the final whistle.
8.1.12 AFC Brooklands v Halliford Boys
A scintillating display showed that the mid-season break had benefited the players, with no ill effects from a surfeit of chocolate coins and mince pies. It’s not often that you get two strong candidates for goal of the season in one game, but the team looked strong and fresh from the start, with Dylan Barnes crossing in for Theo Lloyd to open the scoring with a neat finish. After 5 minutes, the move of the match, and it was as though we had been transported to the Nou Camp as the boys strung together a flowing 5 man passing sequence reminiscent of the ‘tika-taka’ of the great Barcelona side; Cassian Hodges was on hand to stroke the ball home as the ball was worked from right to left then slipped through the eye of a needle by Sava Vujnovic. The team was getting in to its stride now, and Barnes dinked past three players on the edge of the box and slotted home to make it 3-0. Matthew Bennett was playing his usual consistent impassable rock at the back, and on the rare occasions that Halliford broke out he snuffed out the danger, ably supported by Dylan Stanger who is proving to be a very useful addition to the squad. Shortly before half time, Owen Donovan-Phillips won the ball on the edge of the area and fed Barnes, who unleashed a fierce strike that cannoned off the goalie’s head into the top of the net. Rowan Vincent was looking for a clean sheet between the sticks, and had looked calm and unruffled, but a rare Halliford break caught the defence square and their striker finished well to make it 4-1 at the break.
The second half saw the lads realise that putting pressure on the goal kicks could pay dividends, and so it proved as Kennedy won the ball and laid it off to Donovan-Phillips to finish well. Hodges got his second of the match, finishing off a powerful run with a good strike, then it was Lloyd’s turn to notch his second with a long-range thunderbolt after Alex Cobb had won the ball off half the Halliford team. Barnes got his hat trick after Kennedy again pressured the goal kick, and then rounded off the scoring with a goal of the highest quality; Lloyd picked him out on the left hand edge of the box with a pinpoint cross field pass, and Barnes swivelled and struck the ball sweet as a nut on the volley into the top right hand corner of the net. There was still time for both Bennett and Stanger to burst forward from the back in pursuit of that elusive debut goal, but both were denied by good saves from the Halliford goalie. 9-1 it ended; onward and upward for the boys.
11.12.11 AFC Brooklands v Byfleet Village Whites
The youngsters finished off the year with another convincing win that show-cased their growing teamwork and passing ability, with goals spread all around the team. Owen Donovan-Phillips opened the scoring with his trademark poacher’s finish from a well struck Theo Lloyd corner, and Dylan Barnes doubled the lead with a powerful strike from the edge of the box. 2-0 up at the break, and in the second half the team got into their stride. Matthew Bennett was a solid springboard at the back for mounting pressure, and Donovan-Phillips capitalised on a goalie error to stab the ball home. Sava Vujnovic, Theo Lloyd and Zack Kennedy were dominating the midfield, with Vujnovic full of running in the channels. It wasn’t long before Kennedy’s box to box stamina brought him the reward of a goal, followed by Alex Cobb’s first of the season as he was the quickest to pounce on a loose ball in the box. Lloyd then got his name on the score sheet, skilfully guiding the ball through the keeper’s legs to make it six after Dylan Stanger had won the ball yet again in the middle of the park and picked him out with a slide-rule pass. Barnes had been untroubled in sticks for the second half, and came charging out of his area to clear the ball down the line to Cassian Hodges, who used his pace and strength to race through on goal from the half-way line and slot the ball in the corner for seven. Hodges wrapped up the scoring with a great volley from a Stanger cross.
4.12.11 Abbey Rangers v AFC Brooklands
A tough examination from the new boys to the league saw a well balanced game ending in narrow defeat. It looked good from the start as the dubious goals committee awarded the opener to Zack Kennedy following chaos in the Abbey goalmouth, but the oppo then pulled two back before Dylan Barnes rifled an equaliser into the top of the net. Abbey’s movement was causing our midfield some problems, and Matthew Bennett and Aydin Malek-Zadeh had their work cut out at the back as the pressure built to a third Abbey goal before the break. It looked game on early in the second half as Barnes snatched an equaliser with a neat finish. Cassian Hodges, Zack Kennedy and Alex Cobb had worked hard in the middle of the park, and despite the fresh legs of Finn Coffey and Sava Vujnovic, Abbey scored three goals in quick succession leaving us a mountain to climb. A late goal from Barnes, who skipped past the keeper, was not enough to launch the come-back, with the team looking forward to the return fixture at home when the Thorpe Green roar should be worth those two goals.
27/11 AFC Brooklands Hawks v Molesey Juniors Tornadoes
Another convincing win for the boys in
orange on a crisp autumn day at Thorpe Lea. Having beaten
Molesey 6-0 two weeks before, the lads were given a stiffer test
which they coped with well. The opening minutes saw the teams
jockey for position, seeking to dominate the midfield, but
gradually the speed, skill and strength of Theo Lloyd, Dylan
Barnes and Dylan Stanger, making his debut, gave Brooklands the
upper hand. After some concerted pressure, Barnes opened the
scoring with a neat finish low to keeper’s right. Stanger looked
sure-footed on his first competitive start, and was providing an
effective screen in front of the ever reliable defensive pairing
of Matthew Bennett and Aydin Malek-Zadeh, who was timing his
tackles superbly. This solid platform led to the second goal, as
a well defended corner saw Barnes pick the ball up inside his
own half then race away to slot calmly in the back of the net.
Shortly afterwards he completed his first –half hat trick with a
close range effort having been fed by Owen Donovan-Phillips. The
first half ended with Barnes rattling a penalty against the
cross-bar after he had been brought down at the end of a
barn-storming run.
20/11 AFC Brooklands Hawks v Mayford Gladiators
Our third meeting of the season with
Mayford Gladiators, and those who could see through the murky
mist were treated to the best game yet. Two evenly matched sides
fighting it out with great commitment and sportsmanship; and it
was a true nail-biter, with our boys falling behind on three
occasions to claw their way back into the game each time. Dexter
Illsley made his debut in goal, and looked very useful – but
there was nothing he could do with the first goal, as their
danger man the no.10 drove the ball home midway through the first
half. The one goal advantage didn’t last long, as Brooklands
strung together their move of the season, as Zack Kennedy fed
Cassian Hodges down the right; he powered past two players then
drove a low cross into the box, which Dylan Barnes laid off
beautifully first touch to Owen Donovan-Phillips, who picked his
spot coolly in the corner. Shortly before half time Mayford made
it 2-1, but the lads self-belief never wavered. Finn Coffey,
invigorated by several orange segments at half time, had swopped
the gloves with Illsley at the break, having disrupted the
Mayford attacks in the Makelele-role in the first half. Illsley
had come out of goal to team up with the tough as granite
Matthew Bennett at the back; nobody was getting past the
ferocious but fair tackling of these two. Ten minutes into the
second half, Barnes was fed the ball by Hodges and darted into
the box, skipping past two challenges before being scythed down
by the goal-keeper. Penalty! roared the crowd, and the ref
pointed to the spot. Barnes picked himself up and coolly
hammered the ball into the corner. 2-2 and the momentum was with
Brooklands. Then Mayford broke out, and to be fair their no.10
hit an absolute screamer into the roof of the net, leaving
Coffey no chance. Then the turning point of the game – Kennedy’s
tooth fell out, and after safely handing it to his Dad, he found
some hidden reserves of energy having already run his socks off;
making up fully 50 yards at pace to arrive in the box just as
the ball squirmed free, he bundled it home for the equaliser as
the Tooth Fairy sprinkled her magic dust. A great game by both
teams, all the more creditable as we had no subs and each and
every one of the boys gave 100% for the full forty minutes.
We’ll beat ‘em next time.
13/11 AFC Brooklands Hawks v Molesey Junior Tornadoes
Our see-saw season continued with the boys
showing great bouncebackability from the heavy loss the week
before. This time the tables were turned with a comfortable 6-0
win that combined some great passing with focused defending; one
for purists and the old school alike. Dylan Barnes opened the
scoring with a characteristic pile-driver from the edge of the
box. Cassian Hodges, relishing a more advanced role at the heart
of an attacking midfield, grabbed the second after a lovely
passing move involving Theo Lloyd, Finn Coffey and Aydin
Malek-Zadeh. Barnes made it three after snaking past two
defenders and cutting inside onto his trusty right boot. Our
very own ‘fox-in-the-box’ Alex Cobb then pounced on a moment’s
hesitation by the goalie to rob him of the ball and feed Zack
Kennedy who slotted home from close in to make it four. Theo
Lloyd was full of his trademark energy and together with Hodges
and Sava Vujnovic, who had done a reliable twenty minutes
between the sticks in the first half, the trio was bossing the
midfield. A long range effort by Barnes that nestled in the
corner completed his hat-trick for the fifth. Molesey then
mounted a period of pressure, forcing a number of corners, but
with Matthew Bennett expertly marshalling his defence there was
no way through; he even relished a rare couple of forays into
the opposition penalty box and was unlucky not to cap another
cast-iron performance with a goal. The scoring was wrapped up by
Hodges, after a sweeping move down the left and a great cross in
by Kennedy.
6/11 AFC Brooklands Hawks v Byfleet Village
An unexpected gap in the schedule led to a
hastily arranged friendly against a strong Byfleet Village side
which represented a step up in class for the boys, especially as
we were missing some key players.
30/10 AFC Brooklands Hawks v Halliford Boys
No Halloween nightmares for the Brooklands
boys as they cruised to a comfortable win away to Halliford.
Straight from the off, the team looked up for it; Theo Lloyd,
who had his best game of the season so far, was full of energy
and hustle in the midfield and together with Cassian Hodges, who
had been pushed up into a more advanced role in an inspired
coaching move, were bossing the middle of the park and keeping
Halliford pinned back. After about 5 minutes, the pressure paid
off, as Dylan Barnes picked the ball up on the left hand side
and cut inside two players before planting a neat finish in the
corner. Whenever Halliford tried to break out, the newly formed
defensive partnership of Matthew Bennett and Aydin Malek-Zadeh
sent the ball straight back with interest. It wasn’t long before
Lloyd’s industry paid off, as he controlled the ball neatly just
inside the box and then beat the keeper with a fierce low drive
from a tight angle. Shortly afterwards, a trademark barnstorming
run by Hodges was completed with a solid finish and the big man
from Worplesdon had his debut goal for the club. A good first
half display was capped by another goal from Barnes, who had
gone on a mazy run before slipping the ball past the keeper.
Four nil up at the break, and in the second
half the lads started to express their inner footballer; at one
point, Hodges and Bennett were stringing passes together,
playing keep ball, to shouts of ‘Ole’ from the delighted
spectators. Hodges had grabbed his second goal straight from
kick off, and there was some lovely pass and move developing,
with Malek-Zadeh and Finn Coffey linking well down the right
hand side. Rowan Vincent had been typically steadfast in goal
and was certainly getting some extra distance on his kicks.
There was nothing he could do however as a rare lapse in
concentration saw the Halliford striker burst through and finish
strongly to pull one back. Normal service was resumed as shortly
after Vincent fed Coffey, who laid it off to Hodges, who found
Barnes; one touch, then a slide rule pass to Alex Cobb, whose
shot was blocked but pounced on by Lloyd, ever alert in the box,
to make it 6-1. Cobb was finding some great space in the
opposition box and went close twice, one a rasping drive that
sneaked past the left upright. The scoring was wrapped up by
Barnes, who completed his hat trick with a strong run from
halfway, riding three tough challenges, before unleashing a
fizzing shot from just inside the area. Pumpkin pie all round!
23/10 AFC Brooklands Hawks v Feltham Youth
From the ecstasy to the agony in one week;
after the 10-1 win 7 days earlier, the Brooklands youngsters
came down to earth with a bump, going down 5-1 to a well drilled
Feltham side.
The lads got off to the worst possible
start; clearly their minds were still on the morning episode of
Scooby Doo as Feltham scored almost immediately, with confusion
in our ranks that was more Shaggy and Thelma than the resilient
defending we had grown used to. It wasn’t long before we were
two down, and it looked as though it was going to be a tough
morning. But to their credit, heads did not go down, and with
Cassian Hodges leading the fight-back from defence, Brooklands
pulled one back before half time as Dylan Barnes crossed from
the left for Owen Donovan-Phillips to drill one into the bottom
corner. Theo Lloyd was having one of his best games of the
season in midfield, and was well supported by Sava Vujnovic,
making his first appearance for a while after a lay-off due to
illness. Dexter Illsley was getting stuck in at the back, and
has begun to limit his random wanderings so that the defensive
shape was beginning to gel.
16/10 AFC Brooklands v Claygate Royals Griffins
A scintillating display saw the team really
hit their stride, raining in goals from all angles on a less
experienced Claygate side. Owen Donovan-Phillips opened the
scoring early in the first half, using his predator’s instincts
to pounce on a loose ball in the box. He followed this up
quickly with a strong run and shot to go two up. Theo Lloyd and
Zack Kennedy were proving too quick and skilful in midfield for
Claygate, and provided the support for Dylan Barnes to slot two
neat finishes to make it 4-0 at half time. Rowan Vincent was
back between the posts but will not have a quieter afternoon in
goal as Cassian Hodges and Matthew Bennett formed an
impenetrable wall in defence, snuffing out any threats and
forming a springboard for further goals in the second half. Alex
Cobb was full of running up front, and came close on a couple of
occasions. Lloyd was denied by a good save after beating three
players on a darting run, but got his reward shortly after with
a well taken goal. Kennedy had covered every blade of grass, and
deserved his goal, a neat poacher’s finish midway through the
half. Barnes had already buried two more goals before that, and
completed a fine all-round display with a couple more delightful
finishes to record a double hat-trick for the day to bring his
season’s tally to 12 goals from 5 games. A great team
performance all round, with a good platform to build on for the
coming weeks.
09/10 AFC Brooklands Hawks v Mayford Gladiators
Back to back fixtures against Mayford, and
partial payback for the loss the previous week. Once again, the
Brooklands youngsters started well, and a strong challenge from
Theo Lloyd on the edge of the box after 5 minutes saw the ball
break free to Dylan Barnes who stabbed it past the keeper to go
one up. Cassian Hodges resumed his defensive partnership with
Matthew Bennett, and nothing was getting past this cultured duo
who combine strong tackling with good skill. Midway through the
first half, Zack Kennedy’s typically energetic running opened up
space for Barnes down the left channel, who cut inside and
buried a neat finish at the near post. Owen Donovan-Phillips had
been untroubled between the sticks, but a warning came as
Mayford rattled the crossbar twice.
The second half saw the team playing into a
stiff breeze and were camped in their own half for long periods,
unable to break out. Aydin Malek-Zadeh and Alex Cobb were doing
good work in front of the back two, running tirelessly and
putting the foot in where it mattered, but the pressure was
building and Mayford pulled one back which left new keeper
Kennedy no chance. As the seconds ticked away, the boys were
fighting a valiant rearguard action, with Hodges in particular
making several decisive clearances. However, the attacks were
relentless and Mayford scrambled an equaliser in the dying
minutes.
02/10
Mayford Gladiators
It felt like Mexico 1970 as the sun beat
down at the Mayford Centre and a pulsating game full of Latin
flair and British passion was played out in front of an
enthralled crowd. The Brooklands boys started strongly, with
Alex Cobb causing problems up front with his mazy movement, and
Theo Lloyd and Finn Coffey supporting strongly in midfield.
Dylan Barnes had clearly had his extra Weetabix that morning, as
he was driving forward at every opportunity, and from one such
run he buried a strong shot in the back of the net to make it
1-0. Shortly afterwards, he set off from his own half down the
touchline beating three players before unleashing a fierce
strike from well outside the box that went in off the far post;
2-0, and it looked very comfortable, especially as nothing was
getting past Matthew Bennett and Aydin Malek-Zadeh at the back.
However, with their only shot of the half, Mayford pulled one
back before half time.
New signings Dexter Illsley and Cassian
Hodges had come on, and looked very useful; Illsley made some
key tackles, and Hodges raised the tempo in the middle of the
park. Whether it was the strength sapping sun, or a lack of
concentration, but the boys unfortunately discovered what a
cruel cruel game this can be – Mayford had pulled it back to
2-2, then a shot came through that Rowan Vincent, normally the
safest hands in the business, looked to have gathered
comfortably only for the ball to squirm through for 3-2. To
their credit, no heads went down, and with Bennett holding the
team together with cultured defending at the back, and Hodges
rampaging forward at every opportunity with great pace and
power, the last 5 minutes saw unrelenting Brooklands pressure
that somehow Mayford resisted. A great effort nonetheless, and
the chance to reverse the result next week when we play them at
home.
25/09 v Woking Town v AFC Brooklands
The AFC Brooklands youngsters opened their
league campaign with a good win that was more comfortable than
the score line suggested. Pressing from the start, the strong
midfield of Dylan Barnes, Theo Lloyd and new season debutant
Zack Kennedy controlled the game and were not intimidated by
some robust challenges from Woking Town. Midway through the
half, Barnes drilled in a free kick that was only palmed away by
the keeper, and Kennedy was on hand for a simple tap in to open
up his account – based on his tireless running and strong all
round play this should be the first of many in the orange shirt.
The boys kept up the pressure – Matthew Bennett and Sava
Vujnovic carried on where they left off last season, with a
telepathic understanding and rock like defence – and from this
defensive springboard the second goal was not long in coming;
again, a free kick from Barnes caused chaos in the Woking
defence, and Lloyd pounced on the loose ball to make it 2-0.
Finn Coffey and Aydin Malek-Zadeh came on to freshen up the
midfield, and their energy led to a succession of corners; from
one of these Barnes scored direct, the keeper only managing to
palm it in to his own net.
A rare lapse of concentration in defence
saw Woking pull one back just before half time, a fierce drive
in to the roof of the net leaving Rowan Vincent no chance in
goal. The boys were still thinking of half time oranges when
they came back out, as a free kick from distance flew through a
crowd of players and put Woking back in to the game. Normal
service was resumed however, as Owen Donovan-Phillips got his
reward for hard work up front, when he skipped past one defender
and slotted home in the bottom corner to make it 4-2. A careless
pass led to an anxious final few minutes as Woking made it 4-3,
but in the end the holy defensive trinity of Bennett, Vujnovic
and Vincent held firm to secure the win for Brooklands.
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