U11's Gladiators

26th September 2009
Pinhoe Gladiators 1 v 8 Ottery St Mary
Goals : Cullen Angus

Gladiators Line Up - Ben O'Keeffe (Gk), Jack Hooper, Keir Durie, Jordan Cross, Niall Barefoot, Cullen Angus, Nathan Powell (Cpt), Tye Densham, Sam Dickinson and Jordan Rodgers.

The first match home match of the season and oh dear me, can we start again, please!!!
The old saying "Game of two halves" is very true of this encounter. The first half Ottery dominated and the Gladiators looked shell-shocked and complete strangers to each other and the ball!!

Gladiators never started! When the whistle blew, we stood still! We didn't tackle, we didn't pass the ball, we looked uninterested and a shambles. The team started arguing and blaming each other for mistakes and that just increased the number of mistakes and the goals conceded!! Half time was a welcome break form Ottery scoring!! Six nil down and only 30 minutes gone!!

A few harsh words were spoken at half time, about discipline and pride, Ben was restored to his usual position at left back and Sam took on the responsibility of goalkeeper. We had to improve; surely we couldn't play any worse! The boys started brighter and began to close down and tackle. They began to pass the ball better and there confidence suddenly started to seep back and a game commenced suddenly!

The Gladiators started to surge down the right with Jack, Jordan C and Keir playing some good passing football. Jordan Rodgers upfront, started to close the down defenders and chase every ball, unexpectedly Ottery started to make mistakes. The pressure was building on the Ottery goal and a goal from Pinhoe seemed imminent! Then unpredictably Ottery broke away, Pinhoe conceded a free kick. Which was superbly taken and Ottery scored, again! But this time the boys fought back tremendously and Cullen scored a wonderful goal to raise hopes and expectations.

Pinhoe pushed and probed for another goal, Jack Hooper struck a fantastic strike, of loose ball from a corner, which the Ottery goal keeper just tipped over. With the clock ticking and Pinhoe pushing forward, Ottery broke away and scored another 8-1!!

We must start matches quicker and sharper in the future, or it will be a very long season!
We must believe in our ability and have confidence in our football. We must start to believe we are a good team.

12th September 2009
West Hill Wasps 4 v 4 Pinhoe Gladiators
Goals : Tye Densham, Keir Durie, Cullen Angus x2

Gladiators Line Up - Callum Jones (Gk), Jack Hooper, Ben O'Keeffe, Keir Durie, Jordan Cross, Niall Barefoot, Cullen Angus, Nathan Powell (Cpt), Tye Densham, Sam Dickinson and Jordan Rodgers

The first match in Competitive football, playing 9-a-side on a larger pitch. The boys started brightly, using the size of the pitch excellently with Keir Durie tormenting the defender with surging run after run. The early pressure paid off and after some excellent passing football, Tye Densham scored the Gladiators first goal of the season 1-0!! The goal seemed to inspire them and they pressed forward looking for the second, which came via Cullen Angus.

West Hill were shocked into life and started to push forward and it took a couple of inspired saves from Callum Jones and interceptions from Jack Hooper to keep them on zero. But West Hill struck back with a sweetly hit free-kick and while the Gladiators were licking there wounds, West Hill struck again and made it 2-2! The Gladiators surged forward looking for the lead again. Finally some outstanding inter passing set Keir through on the right wing, he struck a Ronaldinho cross/shot which flew into the top of the goal and 2-3, The Gladiators back in front!

West Hill started the second half, the much brighter team, pushing the Gladiators back, but Jack Hooper and Ben O'Keeffe were in no mood to surrender and threw themselves into every tackle and block. Callum Jones in goal made a number of excellent saves to deny West Hill the equalizer. But eventually their pressure paid off and it became 3-3. Both teams started to wilt under the sun and the size of the pitch began to takes it toll on tired legs, leaving more space and gaps to capitalise on. The Gladiators pushed forward determined to regain the lead and after a period of sustained pressure Cullen Angus scored his second and made it 3-4. Just when you thought victory was in sight! West Hill scored another equalizer and it was 4-4!! The Gladiators pushed forward again and after corner after corner couldn't score the decisive goal!

In hindsight 4-4 was a fair result on an excellent, thrilling match, played in good spirit by two committed teams. The Gladiators Man of the Match was the whole team!! They played as team, passed as team and so nearly won as a team!!

Player of Match: Team