2008 2009 Under 11 Eagles

Results:

• NWR Eagles v Aldenham L 0-1
  

  Another windy rainy day at the cricket club. A day that needed brightening up by some top class football. We started brightly and kept the ball well with some neat pass and move, it looked like the sun was going to come out. We got behind Aldenham on a few ocassions and could have taken the lead if we had met the crosses. 0-0 at half time, and the break in the clouds failed to materialise, the football became a stop-start scrappy affair and Aldenham nicked a poor goal to win it. Five minutes of pressure at the end was not enough and we crashed to our second home defeat of the season. Well done to those who gave it their all today, the next win is only around the corner.

• NWR Eagles v Whetstone Lions L 1-3 Scorers: Michael
  

  Something of a familiar feel to the match today. Lots of optimism, hard work that you cannot fault, but yet again we come up second best to Whetstone! We started much the brighter team and had them on the back foot for large parts of the first half. Despite the open football both teams were limited to half chances. Half time and 0-0, if we could carry on as we had started we had a chance. Unfortunately Whetstone found another gear and we could not match them. We conceeded sloppy goals to find ourselves 0-2. Pressure from Jake and Michael presented us with our only clear cut chance which we took. The goal only fuelled Whetstone's determination and we were finished off with less than 10 min to go.

  A good strike from outside the box.

  A small squad seems to be costing us as we tire in the second half. Well done guys today. Disappointing to lose but you battled throughout and made them earn the win. It's back to the training ground again!!

• Cassiobury Rangers Panthers v NWR Eagles W 4-2 Scorers: Michael (2), Joe, OG.
  

  Back to winning ways after the disappointment of last weekend. Not the best performance of the season but one that showed determination and a battling quality that we are trying to add to our football. We were slow to start and found ourselves 0-1 down. We began to find our feet and pressed Cassiobury further up the pitch. This paid dividends as we forced errors and got ourselves up. A break shortly before half time saw Joe beat his man and fire in a hard low cross that the defender turned into his own net.

  Second half saw a closer match as both times scrapped through the midfield, we failed to kill the game off and got caught on a counter 2-3. With ten to play Michael managed to turn his defender and beat the keeper with a curling shot from the left. Nice to get the points and show our physical side today but the football was a bit rushed and not up to scratch. Plenty of room for improvement before next week. Well done guys.

• Whetstone Wanderers Lions v NWR Eagles L 5-1 Scorer: Michael
  

  Another game of two halves! We gifted Whetstone the lead in the first minute but went on to dominate the first half and simply failed to take our chances. The half time chat was to keep going but a quick Whetstone goal put us on the back foot. Down to the bare bones, a knock to Paolo put us down to ten men and the game became a tricky task. We pulled one back to 1-4 but Whetstone scored again late on. A disappointing result and a mixed performance. Some of us need to step up and be counted in these difficult matches. Something to work on. Well done boys.

• Hadley Rangers East v NWR Eagles W 3-1 Scorers: Michael (2), James McG.
  

  A good start to the league campaign as the Eagles clocked up their first 3 points of the season. A composed start saw us playing to feet and trying to get the ball wide. We created a couple of attacks but failed to threaten the keeper. The deadlock was broken towards the end of the first half. We worked the ball wide on the right, Hadley failed to deal with the cross and Michael managed to nick in and finish. 1-0 at the break we made sure we continued to press Hadley and play with more urgency. The second came shortly after the break, James McG hitting a cracking shot from the edge of the box across the keeper into the far corner after a good spell of pressure. The third goal came again from the pressure we applied. James Y attacked their goal kick, he put in a great cross for Michael to head in. Hadley came back at us as we took our foot off the gas, and scored a penalty late on. The game got scrappy last ten but we kept cool and took a deserved victory. A pleasing start to the red division campaign. Well done guys.

• Bishop Stortford CFC v NWR Eagles L 3-4 Scorers: Jake, Paolo, Michael
  

  I don't think you can sum up the game today without the old cliche, it's a game of two halves. Dire from the start, we managed only one effort on goal before the break. Second to the ball, hesitant in the tackle and poor throughout we came in 0-4 at half time. Some choice words and a quick reflection saw a different team emerge for the restart. Strong in the tackle, quick to press and win the ball, we played to feet and dominated possession. Jake pulled one back heading in from a corner before Paolo burst through to make it 2-4. With ten to play Jake was clattered in the box and Michael stuck away the penalty. BSCFC did not manage a shot on target second half and on another day we could have come back to snatch a win. On reflection I think the result was fair and the lesson should be learnt. We cannot play that badly for any length of a game and expect to win. The second half was a great example of what we should achieve, we totally dominated and bossed a good team winning the second half 3-0. Out of another cup so we'll focus on the league. Let's not forget what we have learnt about ourselves today.

• NWR Eagles v London Colney Colts W 7-1 Scorers: Michael (5), Jake, Matt
  

  Our first match at the new home ground and a winning start on a lovely surface, if not a lovely day! Greeted by a monsoon, the weather played its part today. We were quick to move the ball around and the wet surface aided our play. Some wonderful interchanging of passes in the midfield and clinical finishing upfront put us in a dominant position 5-0 at half time.

  The second half we controlled possession but failed to take as many chances as we experimented with positions and tactics. Michael added his fifth and Matt tucked away a penalty he earned with a skillful burst into the opponents box.

  A nice way to finish the qualifying matches and top the group. We go into the County Cup next week and the League campaign the week after. Another pleasing performance boys. Well done.

• Omonia White v NWR Eagles W 9-1 Scorers: Michael (5), James McG, James Y, og (2)
  

  Another glorious morning for football and the Eagles did not disappoint as the team clicked from the start and the shots rained in on the Omonia keeper. Some quick pass and move down the wings created good chances and we raced to a 2-0 lead. Half time we came in 4-0 to the good and were beginning to take our foot off the gas. A quick chat about what we could use the second half to improve and we added more goals to the tally. Omonia started the second half well and pulled one back but we stepped it up a gear to finish the game in style. Some wonderful approach play gave Omonia no chance.

  Well done for maintaining focus throughout the match and for making some big improvements in terms of our communication and use of the ball. A pleasing morning of football, well done!

• NWR Eagles v Harvesters North W 6-4 Scorers: Michael (4), Jake (2).
  

  A tough fixture for the first round of the County Cup, we put together some nice football in parts to progress to the next round. Slow to start, we found ourselves 0-2 down. Chances were even but we were slow to defend. We were linking well going forward and kept up with Harvesters. At half time we came in 3-4 down. A good chat among ourselves at half time and we put the wrongs right. We won more tackles, got the ball down and passed with more urgency. We dominated the second half and deserved the win. The learning curve continues and each week we are showing signs of improvement. Well done to all of the boys today for great focus and football against a good side in hot conditions.

• NWR Eagles v Hadley & Wingate W 8-0 Scorers: James (2), Michael (2), Jake (2), Paolo, Charlie.
  

  Our first home match of the season and we play at our training pitch at Bushey Manor! Despite the slope we played some good football. The first half was slow and cramped as we failed to get the ball wide. A quick chat at half time and the boys took responsibility for the match communicating more effectively and getting the ball to the wide men. Handley & Wingate gave it their all but ran out of puff as we swept up the hill.

  Some really nice team moves and a few very tidy finishes gave us a comfortable win. A pleasing result and nice to bounce back after losing on the weekend. The learning curve continues! Well done guys.

• Gadeside Red v NWR Eagles W 1-4 Scorers: Jake (2), Joe, Michael
  

  Only our second match in four days saw us clock up another victory. The pitch was big and gave us plenty of space to try and play our pass and move, something we are slowly adapting to in 11 a side. We started well, and got to a two goal lead with Jake and Joe finishing neatly. Other chances were missed and Gadeside pulled a scrappy goal back just before half time.

  Second half we knocked it about with more accuracy and kept a better shape going forward. Scoring another couple of goals before the end, we finished comfortable winners but should have dominated the match.

  Fair play to Gadeside for a spirited encounter and a well tempered match. On to the cup and our old friends Whetstone Lions!

• Whetstone Lions v NWR Eagles L 5-1 Scorer: Michael
  

  Strangely enough this was our most pleasing performance of our short eleven a side experience. We started brightly and played with composure creating some flowing attacking moves and getting behind Whetstone on several occasions. Unfortunately Whetstone broke the deadlock just before the break, confusion in the goal mouth led to a shot taking a deflection and beating Bradley in goal.

  Second half we tired a bit and struggled to find our rhythm going forward. Whetstone added fresh faces and found the gaps in our defence. Credit to the boys we kept going and played really well in the last ten minutes scoring a good goal and dominating possession.

  Lots and lots of positives to take from the match and some important lessons to learn. One cup out of the way and the league qualifying to focus on. Well done guys.

• Enfield Rangers Black v NWR Eagles W 0-2 Scorers: Michael, James Y
  

  A baptism of fire for our first adventure into 11-a-side! With only a few training sessions and no friendlies to warm up this was always going to be a tricky match. Enfield were fired up and quick into the physical contest. We were hesitant and slow to start. The first half passed without much event, neither side creating many chances. A quick motivational pep talk at half time saw us come out more confident and determined. We opened the scoring mid way through the half. James McG beating two players and finding Michael who slotted past the keeper when in the clear. The second goal was a scrappy affair with Enfield failing to clear a corner that James Y tucked in on the fourth rebound! We battled on and hit the bar a couple of times. The work rate against a tough side and some interesting decisions was pleasing.

  Not a classic, and lots of room for improvement, but a winning start and a clean sheet is a positive start to the new season. Well done boys.

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