Latest News 30 January 2012

COUNTY NEWS

Nottinghamshire Schools' Under 16s put up a brave fight when they travelled to Kent in the last eight of the ESFA County Championship on Saturday but two goals in the last six minutes ended their good run in the competition. Notts had to draft in three new players to the squad due to the unavailability of some regular members but started briskly.

Notts played far the better football in the first half with Will Krafts tormenting the Kent defenders and Arron Mills up front harassing the home team's defence but they could not put away their chances. When Kent did break out the reshuffled Notts defence with Jake Harrington and Stuart Street in fine form held firm in front of sound keeping from Jordan Fell.

Extra time looked likely before Kent took the lead in fortuitous circumstances. Substitute keeper Matt Wood made an excellent save from a fierce shot only to see the ball ricochet off the right hand post and run across goal to a surprised Kent forward who bundled it home. It was that goal which really settled the game although the home side added a second in the final minute.

South Notts Under 12s were unfortunate not to defeat York in the Junior Star League. York went into an early lead but Luis Kelk equalised for the home side before Lewis Bingham made it 2-1. They could not net a third time giving York the chance to level the scores and share the points.

After the defeats this week for Bluecoat School (Aspley) and Trinity School (Aspley) in their respective national competitions (see City News), Nottinghamshire Schools’ hope of a national title now rest only with Arnold School and Manor School (Mansfield Woodhouse).

The former, after defeating Brookfield School (Chesterfield) 10-2 in Round 4 of the Under 18 Schools’ Trophy then beat De Lisle Science College (North Leicestershire 6-0 thanks to two goals from Corder and others from Marshall, Langdale, Frost and Parr. In Round 6, they scored one of the best ever victories for a County school in national Cups by travelling to Liverpool and defeating the powerful Cardinal Heenan School 2-1.

Frost and Marshall were their scorers in this famous victory and they now travel again, this time to Chesterfield, to meet Chesterfield High School Specialist Sports College on February 9th.

Manor School’s success has come in the Under 15 National Cup in which they have also reached the last 16 following their 6-0 win over Boston Grammar School in the previous round. They now also have to travel to Roundhay School (Leeds).

Six schools from the County took part in the Area D (Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Humberside, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire) Finals of the E.S.F.A. Munich Trophies Under 12 indoor 5-a-side Cup. They had all qualified by winning their respective local area competitions and the two Nottingham sides, in particular, did well.

Nottingham University Samworth Academy (NUSA) reached the boys’ final after a roller-coaster ride. In their League games, they lost their first two matches but recovered well and won the group with a 3-1 victory over William Farr School (Lincoln) which took them to the top by one point. In the semi-final they drew with Martin High School (North Leicestershire) 1-1 but went through on penalties. In the final, they were outplayed by a very strong Malet Lambert School from Hull who triumphed 6-0 to go through to the National Finals.

The girls’ of Trinity School also reached the knock-out stages of their competition, also held at the Power League Soccerdome at Derby. They too qualified by winning their last group game in which Emma Thompson scored all four goals as they beat Noel Baker School (Derby). They, like NUSA, drew their semi-final 1-1 but failed to score in the penalty shoot-out against South Charnwood (South Leicestershire) and thus went out to the eventual winners.

The three other schools from the County who took part, Arnold Hill), Christ the King (Arnold) and Tuxford all finished in the middle of their League groups.

CITY NEWS

Two Nottingham Schools’ representative teams entertained their Leeds counterparts at Nottingham University’s Highfield Sports Ground on Saturday morning. Nottingham U15s were delighted to increase their unbeaten run to five matches with a 3-2 victory, while the Leeds Boys were 4-2 winners at Under 14 level.

The City U15s were well on top throughout most of their match, but somehow managed to concede two early goals. However the home side continued to play some excellent football and began to create lots of goal scoring chances. Finally they broke down the Leeds defence with Akeem Douglas (Nottingham Academy) scoring to make it 2-1 at half-time.

After the break, Nottingham Boys stepped up the pressure and were rewarded with a penalty, which was coolly converted by Joe Ellis (Bluecoat). The City team continued to push forward and eventually Casey Hodge (Djanogly Academy) fired home the winner.

Leeds dominated the first ten minutes of the U14 contest, but the Nottingham side also had their chances to open the scoring with a long range effort that hit the post. However, assisted by some sloppy defending, the visitors stormed into a 3-0 half-time lead.

Nottingham started the second half well and created several attempts on goal. The Leeds keeper pulled off three superb saves, before Tom Harrison (Trinity) fed a great ball through to Reece Peacock (Farnborough), who lobbed the keeper from 15 yards. Nottingham dominated the game from this point, but a Leeds counter attack made it 4-1. The City Boys never gave up and the Leeds keeper was again forced to make two more great saves, before Reece Peacock scored his second goal two minutes from the end.

Hopes of a Nottingham school winning a national trophy were shattered this week, when Trinity U16 Girls and Bluecoat U14 Boys were knocked out of their English Schools’ Football Association K.O. Cup competitions.

The Trinity U16 Girls’ team had battled through to the last eight of their competition, which had begun with 246 entries nationwide. They had reached this stage with victories over Henry Fanshawe School (N.E. Derbyshire) 5-0, Carlton-le-Willows School 5-1, Meadowhead School (Sheffield) 4-0 and South Holderness College (East Riding) 3-2. On Tuesday afternoon, they travelled to play Countesthorpe Community College (South Leicestershire).

Trinity started well and created several goal scoring opportunities which were saved by the excellent Countesthorpe keeper. The home side eventually took lead with a powerful strike that gave the Trinity keeper, Alex Baker, no chance. Libbi Bexon was unlucky not to equalise two minutes later, but once again the keeper made a brave save. 

Early in the second half, Countesthorpe increased their advantage to 2-0. Trinity created lots of chances and shots on goal, but each time they were thwarted by the Countesthorpe keeper. With three minutes remaining a headed goal by Libbi Bexon gave Trinity hope, but it was too late.

In the ESFA U14 Boys’ “Premier League” Cup, which had an original entry of 804 schools, Bluecoat reached the last 16 with five victories to their credit. They had knocked out George Spencer School (Stapleford) 4-0, Hucknall National 1-0, Priory Ruskin Academy (Kesteven) 7-0, Tuxford School 6-5 on penalties and finally Holmfirth High School (West Yorkshire) 7-1. Unfortunately in the next round they were drawn away to the Cardinal Heenan School (Liverpool), who were last season’s national champions at U13 level. The match was played on Monday afternoon 30 January and although the Bluecoat boys fought bravely they were well beaten by 5 goals to 1.