Match Reports: Waverton Dynamos 3 - Tarvin 4 & Waverton Arrows 3 - Tarvin 3

Two great matches this evening with some real talent on display across all teams with some great positives and a couple of things to work on over the next few weeks.

Game 1: Waverton Dynamos 3 - Tarvin 4

Considering the Dynamos is a team that has only been formed over the last few weeks and still waiting to be processed into the league proper, we more than matched the first Tarvin team that had been playing for well over two years. We moved the ball around superbly at times and there was some great fluid passing going on; the main downside was that the boys are tending to literally attack as a team, all pushing up the pitch together which did on occasion leave us with no-one in our own half other than Finlay in goal! As we haven’t yet trained on any of the specific areas though, I can honestly say that the boys have clicked very quickly indeed and are already starting to know where others are on the pitch.

Some great displays across the entire pitch from back to front drew really solid praise from the Tarvin coaches who couldn’t believe how new the team was – really well played everyone.

Game 2: Waverton Arrows 3 - Tarvin 3

Our second match was just as competitive as the first, the main difference was that the Arrows were holding their positions a bit better - although not always! It was quite end to end in large periods and there was some great goalkeeping, defending and forward attacking play that we should be proud of. The main area in this second team that we need to address, and quickly, is our continued pressing of the ball across all areas of the pitch (we were being far too polite again this evening) and also our shooting – we had a number of chances and we have to at times know when to just put our foot through the ball rather than trying to place it into the net. We can certainly work on that though. Again, well played to all the boys tonight – it was a real hard-fought match, and sets us up well for next weekend.

I’m keeping it brief this week and will try to keep to this format going forward, although I can’t always promise it. As you know I handed out the new kit tonight – all the boys looked superb and seemed very proud to be wearing the colours. For the boys that weren’t there, I’ll hand them out at training next Friday which will be back at the County Offices in Upton: 5:45-6:45.

I’ll advise on matches for Saturday 7^th shortly – the Arrows definitely have a Shield game against Tarvin (!), but just waiting on confirmation of the location and time. For Dynamos, I’m trying to get a match sorted but am struggling with the location – I’ll keep you posted but time is starting to run out unfortunately.

Thanks all and hope you have a Happy New Year.

Carl

AFC Waverton u9 Arrows & u9 Dynamos
07896 515717

Match Report: Arrows 1 - Princes Villa 5

We last met Princes Villa two months ago and the score line was the same (5-1 to the opposition) and looking back at that match report I called out how well we kept and passed the ball to really stretch PV, whilst at times we unnecessarily invited pressure onto ourselves which, when added to a few lucky goals led to our defeat that day. Today was similar in some aspects, but unfortunately we decided not to use our passing and positional awareness and instead, on the whole invited PV to put an awful lot of pressure onto us which cost us heavily.

From our point of view, not all, but most of our players today didn’t seem up for it – there was a lot of tiredness throughout and we seemed very lethargic and we started to fall back to how we played at times early on in the season in that we didn’t seem willing to put pressure on the ball and on the occasions we did, we didn’t see it through with a second tackle or push up the field, or we kept trying to do the same thing again and again which PV quickly recognised and cut the play down. PV have one or two individually skilled players, but the Arrows as a team can outplay them, I’m certain of this; but they need to want it, and today they just mostly didn’t – I know that may sound harsh, but it’s what we all saw this morning.

I felt that we all collectively started off on the back foot this morning – there wasn’t a decent number of goal builders like we normally see (many, many thanks though to the Parents (and cajoled Grandparents!) that did help us get ready). On top of that we had nearly half the boys getting here late this morning – this then impacts on how warmed up and ready to play they all are - at 20 minutes to kick-off we only had 5 boys on site ready to warm up and at 15 minutes we had 7... Being fully ready to warm up with goals prepared and in place really does set the tone for the rest of the session so can I ask all parents to really help us in this aspect going forward.

Our bookings for training for the next two Fridays have been cancelled by the club and County Offices so unless you hear anything from me regarding a friendly between Christmas and New Year then we should next convene on Friday 6^th January. I’ll drop out confirmations either way before then.

I hope you all have a great festive period and some much needed rest.

Carl

AFC Waverton u9 Arrows & u9 Dynamos
07896 515717

Match Report: Waverton Arrows vs. Waverton Dynamos

To all the new parents/guardians, I’d like to say a formal welcome, although I know I’ve spoken to you all individually.

To every parent and player today – I’d just like to reiterate what I said at the end of the match – I’m proud of every single boy. I always look at players and then try to match them to their best positions, but obviously it was a bit different today; the Arrows team selected I was comfortable with, but with the Dynamos team I was going on past experience for five of the boys and then I had to go with my observations with the remaining four today from what I’d seen over the last 2-3 training sessions. I don’t think that anyone was disappointed.

Normally, in the past when we have played Arrows v Arrows they were always competitive, but today the boys really took it up a notch – I called out the boys as Yellows and Greens and they played as such – really competitive across all areas of the pitch. I’m not going to call out individual boys today as with eighteen it will make the mail longer (although I know that hasn’t stopped me in the past).

What I will say again though, is the competitiveness of both teams was outstanding; you would be hard pressed to call out that this was the first time that one of the teams had played together at all, let alone in a competitive match. I saw every single boy come off the pitch today with a massive smile on their face which ultimately is what it’s all about for me, I hope you all agree.

As you know I introduced all the parents to the two teams at the end of the match today; every single player that was there was happy and there were loud cheers all around when I announced the teams – I am extremely excited to drive the development in both teams now and see how we all progress in the coming months and seasons.

I promised I would reconfirm the teams, and these are below. All new players have provided me with their forms so these just need to be processed now; for players that are moving between teams, I’ll need a transfer form to be completed (sad I know) – I’ll send these out this week and hopefully we can get the players aligned to their teams as soon as possible.

Dynamos

Finlay

Larry
Elliott
Sam Ch
Sion
Oliver Barnes
Kailen
Reece
Alex
Jack C-P

Arrows

Oscar
Max
Harry
Oliver Wrigley
Tom
Jack Binns
Sam Curtis
Henry
OMG
Jack Broadhurst

Both teams will be playing in the same league, although the Dynamos will not play in the Shield competition this season as its already mid-flow. I’ve had commitment from the league that the Dynamos will have fixtures early in the new year – between now and then I will be trying to organize matches myself with teams in and around the area, please bear with me on this.

I hope you and the boys all enjoyed it and look forward to seeing you all at training on Friday.

Final thanks go to Damon for being our Ref, Matt for running the Dynamos today and to all parents that helped construct and break down the pitch.

Carl

AFC Waverton u9 Arrows & u9 Dynamos
07896 515717