Bergholt Heath YFC – Results w/e 25th January
St Edmunds vs BHYFC U10s
As this was the last week of the winter break Bergholt Under 10’s arranged another friendly to keep the boys fit and ready for the first “league” match next week. So they made the short trip to play St Edmunds who they played earlier in the season in another friendly. In that game St Edmunds came out on top so Bergholt went out looking to even up the score.
The opening exchanges were even with both teams playing some nice football and were always looking to pass the ball around despite the heavy pitch. Because of the evenness of play Bergholt were able to show their attacking flair and the defence were joining in to, in particular Joseph who was having a lot of good possession down the Bergholt left.
The Bergholt manager encouraged Daniel to mix up his distribution and sometimes roll the ball out to the wide defenders rather than always kick the ball. This was working well until he rolled it out to the midfield who were not switched on to this new tactic. The St Edmunds player got the ball just in the Bergholt half and ran through and fired a low drive into the bottom corner of the Bergholt net.
To their credit the Bergholt boys keep their chins up and looked to get back on levels terms as soon as possible and got their reward when Eddie fed a superb ball right through the St Edmunds defence for Oliver to run onto. With just the keeper to beat Oliver didn’t panic despite the ball coming to him on his unfavoured right foot and his shot rocketed past the keeper for the equaliser. The HT score of 1-1 was very reflective of the fact that despite the picking the ball out of the net, both keepers didn’t have to deal with any other goal-bound efforts as both sides cancelled each other out.
The half-time chat from the Bergholt manager was more about keeping the boys calm after the goal as it was clear to them that this was a winnable game. He also commended the midfield who were working their socks off and tracking back when required.
The second half was more of the same as each side continued where they had left off from the first half. So the next goal was going to be all important and it went to Bergholt when a break away saw James and Freddie free and the former got his fourth of the season. So it was then St Edmunds turn to get back on level terms and that they did when the Bergholt team forgot the tackling training they had only had the day before and the St Edmunds attacker was able to stroll through unchallenged and despite Daniel getting his hands on the shot, the power saw the ball end up in the Bergholt net.
This ended up being the last goal of the match as both sides had their respective keepers to thank in the last five minutes – Bergholt when Daniel did really well to push the ball away when the shot was bound for the top left-hand corner, and St Edmunds when their keeper got his hands to James’s last minute shot.
Final score 2-2, which was a fair result given the equality of both teams
FC Clacton Reds vs BHYFC U16s
Another trip to Clacton in the Colchester Open Cup on a cold and windy Sunday, to play on a pitch that was showing significant wear from the match immediately beforehand.
The match started evenly with both teams finding the pitch difficult to play on due to the divots it had sustained from several previous matches which made passing and control extremely difficult. In an open first half both teams had half chances but the strikers were finding it difficult to connect cleanly with the ball as it bobbled around, so both ‘keepers were largely untroubled. HT: 0-0.
The second half saw Bergholt start to impose themselves on the match more and despite not being able to play their normal passing game, the strikers were seeing increasing amounts of the ball and but for some last ditch committed tackling and some wayward shooting, the away team could have been 2 or 3 up by mid way through the half. As it was, a hopeful ball forward, against a Bergholt defence that had seen both full backs withdrawn, saw the revised back line caught very square and the ball fell kindly for the home striker to left the ball into the net with some ease for 1-0. This set back rocked Bergholt and for the next 5 minutes it was all Clacton, but back the visitors came and yet again chances were being made but not taken, with 3 one-on-one’s not taken. On an increasingly rare foray forward Clacton gained a corner and from the kick the ball was headed against the bar, half cleared, shot again with the defender clearing off the line only for the ball to hit the post, hit him again and go in off his knee for 2-0 to Clacton.
Again Bergholt came back and Ronan was put clean through and looked to have a clear shot on goal when the defender appeared to clip his heals from behind, but the referee did not see a foul. Finally with 5 minutes remaining Tyler again got free in the inside right channel and this time did get a clean shot away to put Bergholt on the score sheet. It was now all Bergholt and Sam had an opportunity to score but it was on his weaker right foot so he missed the target. The final action saw Conor M beat one challenge in the box but he was squeezed out when trying to find the room to get his shot away.
Final score: FC Clacton Reds 2-1 Bergholt Heath
Bergholt Heath man of the match: Connor Welfare. On a day when outfield ball control was missing and the increasing wind made anything in the air difficult, the Bergholt keepers positioning and handling were back to their best.
Next weeks fixtures, Sunday 1st February:
- Lawford Junior vs Under 8
- Under 10 vs Long Melford, KO 11.30am
- Under 12 vs Colchester Athletic, KO 10am
- Under 16 – no game