Home Match Reports Archive Constitution Policies Contact Directions Sponsors

Bishops Stortford Swifts U10 v Hitchin Harriers U10

Sunday, May 10 2009

CHAAAAAAMPIONS !

This match had everything: passion, drama, goals, skill, commitment, bravery, noisy supporters and three very deserved points to give the Harriers the title.

The match started not only with the usual commitment, but also with the kind of intelligent passing play the Harriers have been playing in recent matches. In an early passage of play Finley picked out Joe who skipped past players in midfield before releasing Daniel on a charging run up the wing. Minutes later Daniel & Joe combined well with Daniel finding Joe before running into space on the return pass that was perfectly threaded through a group of Swifts players.  Minutes later when the Swifts seemed to have found some space on the left wing to attack, Daniel ran half the length of the field to put in a covering tackle.

In the midfield Zac did a great job of chasing down every ball and not giving any of the Swifts players time on the ball, which time and time again meant that possession went to the Harriers. On one such occasion Joe took the ball and created enough space to get a long shot in from outside the area, which rocketed into the top corner (1-0). The Swifts came straight back into it and having had very little to do Ollie made a great save with his feet from point blank range to keep the lead intact. The Harriers went into half time ahead.

The second half continued at the same frantic pace. The Harriers were still creating chances, but Bishop Stortford were beginning to have more luck with the counter attack and both Finley and Danny had to work hard to keep them out. Danny made a great covering tackle at full stretch and when it looked like the ball would go out for a Swifts throw-in, in our half, Alfie ran the width of the pitch to take hold of the ball. Minutes later with the ball in the Swifts half Daniel struck a sweetly struck shot that was probably goal bound before Alfie poked it home to increase the lead (2-0). Minutes later Alfie was one on one against the Swifts keeper who raced off his line. He booted the ball and it looked to be going out before Daniel took hold of it and struck a sweet shot from a tight angle that was just over the bar.

To their credit, Swifts, despite being two down half way through the second half, refused to give up and having created space on the edge of the box tucked home the ball into the far left corner to narrow the Harriers lead to only one goal.

The last 5 minutes were not pretty. Nice passing went out the window and the boys probably made it harder for themselves by sitting back and losing some of their shape. However in the end what mattered were the sheer guts and determination and hard work they displayed to shut out the Swifts. Matthew came on for Zac (who had come agonisingly close to extending the lead, latching on to a back pass but seeing his shot well saved by the keeper) Matthew battled for every ball in midfield and every boy put every last piece of energy they had into defending their lead. When the final whistle went the Harriers were deserved winners and worthy champions.

A wonderful end to the season, a great match to watch, some very sporting congratulations from the Swifts supporters and a fitting way to mark the end of Richard and Martin (F’s) time as managers 

Bishops Stortford Swifts 1 v Hitchin Harriers 2

Harriers: Ollie, Finley, Daniel, Danny, Alfie, Zac, Matthew, Joe