12th
September 2004 Bottisham
2-2 Milton Colts
First game of the season and some new faces on the pitch for Bottisham,
who started brightly enough. In Bottisham's first attack, Wes
managed to scramble the ball out of the outstretched 'keepers
grasp but failed to convert. Milton's first break came soon after,
their pacy No7 clear on goal before Mike cleared the danger. Moments
later George tested the 'keeper with a long-range attempt after
Bottisham had won a corner. Bottisham then enjoyed a good spell
of about 5 minutes in the visitor's half but with no pay-off for
their efforts. Milton then showed how dangerous they can be, as
a player launched a high, speculative shot which went just wide
of Jamie's goal. Some pressure from Milton followed, a shot from
their No 7 going over the bar thanks to Joe Wilson's intervention
after a long chase back.
The team were starting to play a bit now, getting used to the
new pitch size and passing to players in space - George and Hughes
in particular were linking up well. In the last few minutes of
the first half, Wes nearly forced his way through, just shaping
up for the shot when two defenders each got a foot in. Rhys continued
the attack, his shot collected comfortably by their 'keeper. The
last actions of the half were defensive for Bottisham, with Paul
dealing with the high balls calmly. Score 0-0 at half-time.
The second period saw more action in the visitors' half, their
No 8 clearing one attack effectively before their skilful No 12
began teasing our midfield. Mike was having none of it though
and sent the ball forward time and again. Alex Morley forced a
corner by chasing a lost cause, but the ball came out of defence
fast and Milton were on the attack. Their No 5 used good skills
to get a shot in, Jamie made good save but the ball ran loose
for the player who wasn't going to squander a second chance.1-0
to Milton, who kept up the momentum. A penalty awarded for handling
in the area with 15 minutes left seemed to seal the game, their
No 3 slotting the ball in the bottom left corner for Milton's
second goal.
This seemed to spur our boys on however, surging runs from Wes
then George testing Milton's solid defence with no result. George
then took the ball from midfield, outpacing his marker before
taking the ball round the 'keeper. A defender managed to put the
ball out for a corner which resulted in a goalmouth scramble,
Joe McCluskey poking the ball in the net to bring the score to
2-1. More time in their half followed. A nice drag-back from Alex
Morley before laying it off for George nearly resulted in an equaliser.
At the other end, their No12 missed by a whisker. Then came another
corner for Bottisham. Joe Wilson received the ball and intelligently
laid it back for George, whose shot found the target.
The game ended at 2-2. Either side could have stolen the points
with the chances they had. Our lads acquitted themselves well
against a team whose strength was in their defence and counter-attack.
Well done to all of you, especially the new signings!
Report by D.Smith
26th
September 2004 Bottisham
3-5 Saffron Walden
The weather was mild but the tackles weren't in what proved to
be a physical encounter between these two teams. Saffron Walden
started well, making several runs down their left flank giving
Alex Breeze and Sam plenty of work. A corner to the visitors saw
their first chance go begging - a narrow escape for us, but it
didn't seem to wake the lads up. After fifteen minutes the tackles
still weren't going in quickly enough - we were second to every
ball and Saffron Walden went 1-0 up.
The team were missing the speed and tackling skills of Joe Wilson
in this match. Some good tracking back from Alex Breeze prevented
us from facing a second corner. The play continued, and eventually
a wave of Saffron Walden strikers rushed at Jamie, who really
stood no chance. 2-0 to the visitors. Our newest signing, Séan,
came on for Hughes and immediately made an impact on our right
flank and we began to enjoy brief forays into the visitors half.
We got caught on the break however and one of their strikers lashed
in a shot that Jamie could only tip higher towards the goal. The
ball struck Wesley's hand on the line and a penalty was awarded,
which was duly converted.
Surely the boys would respond now? An excellent free-kick from
Mike released George but their big 'keeper mopped up the danger
well. Following the coach's advice, Mike then collected the ball
from a visitor's throw-in and launched it to George, who shook
off his markers before getting a shot on target. The 'keeper could
only parry it to Wes who was following up on the far post, his
effort rewarded with a goal.
Mike was showing his strength in midfield now and supplied George
again, who swerved to get the angle before sending the ball crashing
into the back of the net.
The half ended 3-2 to the visitors.
Adrian came on for Alex Breexe in the second half and made some
good clearances when it counted. A corner to Saffron Walden was
not dealt with however, and the ball ran to a striker who coolly
struck home to put us 2 goals behind again. This time the lads
kept going - they seemed to realise that they handed a two goal
start to this team and were determined to get it back.
Alex Morley was harassing the defence well with his presence,
Paul was throwing everything into his headed clearances and Sam
was doing well in his sweeper role. It was end-to-end stuff, with
Thomas reading the game well and intercepting some sloppy crosses
to our advantage. Wes was tracking back too, clearing an effort
off the line. The visitor's caught us on the counter-attack for
their fifth goal, but Bottisham replied immediately, Wes jinking
past three players before sending George on his way. George calmly
slotted the ball home despite having two defenders bearing down
on him to get his second.
Time was running out though and the game ended a couple of minutes
later at 5-3 to the visitors.
Report by D.Smith
3rd
October 2004 Bottisham
1-6 Spartak 78
This was a match that, on paper at least, promised to be a fairly
even contest, with both sides looking for their first win in a
tough division. The lads started brightly enough, with Wes getting
an early chance to test Spartak's goalie with a high, driving
shot that the 'keeper held onto well. Joe Wilson was kept busy,
tracking back, making tackles and putting in some intelligent
safety play.
A chance for Spartak went just wide after about 7 minutes, followed
by another scare as they exchanged passes on the left, undoing
our defence too easily. Thomas managed to get his head on a corner
which just skimmed wide at the visitors end but the Spartak boys
were enjoying more and more possession - only their poor finishing
was letting us off the hook. It was good to see Alex Morley getting
more involved - some unselfish linking play between him, George
and Séan was one of the brighter points. After 25 minutes
the threatened goal arrived, the ball looping over Jamie to give
the visitors a 1-0 lead.
At the restart Bottisham went forward and George nearly got an
equaliser, which might've have been a turning point. With three
minutes to go in the half, the Spartak No.9 showed great anticipation
and pounced on a loose ball, forcing a save from our 'keeper.
The ball fell to another Spartak player who buried the shot. Again
Bottisham surged forward at the restart, this time a great long
shot from George found the target to make the score 2-1 to the
visitors.
The second half started with our midfield happy to watch events
rather than participate, we seemed to be second to every ball
and far too polite. This is not to discredit Spartak, who were
having a great game and working hard for it. Spartak's third goal
was a great curling free-kick from outside the box. Their fourth
was a great strike from an acute angle on the right. Their talented
No.9 dribbled right through our defence for the 5th and the 6th
came courtesy of a headed corner. They also missed a penalty towards
the end of the match. Make no mistake, the score-line was a true
reflection of this match. Not a lot of positives to take from
it, although Alex Breeze seems to be gaining in confidence and
Séan partnered George in attack well in the first half.
Rhys was missed.
Overall, a performance to learn from...
Report by D.Smith
17th
October 2004 Little
Paxton Colts 5 - 4 Bottisham
An
unbelievable game. Despite having to bring an under-strength squad
to Little Paxton, Bottisham began well on a lumpy, bumpy, pitch
that clearly favoured the home team (getting the excuses out of
the way…). Bottisham were playing with the wind behind them in
the first half and notched up four goals - two for George, an
excellent free-kick from Mike and one from Rhys, scoring his first
goal for Bottisham. At half-time the lads must have thought that
the game was won…how wrong they were…
Less than a minute after the second half kick-off Little Paxton
were celebrating a goal. More pressure followed from the Colts,
Bottisham just didn't seem able to get their foot on the ball
and keep it. A second goal for the home team followed and then
it stayed at 4-2 for about ten minutes. Little Paxton were a different
team this half, almost literally, with their big 'keeper of the
first half now on the field dominating events. Two more goals
and now it became obvious that the tide had turned. Little Paxton
were playing neat, passing football, their attackers switching
the ball from left to right and wrong-footing our defence. We
were struggling to get out of our half and there was something
inevitable about the fifth goal. An excellent result for Little
Paxton, how often does a team come back from 4-0 down at half-time
and go on to win? Good luck in the competition.
As for us, we are all a bit shellshocked…
Report
by D.Smith
24th
October 2004 Newmarket
Town 3-0 Bottisham
A
few absentees for this match, namely Sam, Joe Wilson and George.
Three strong players who would be missed. Newmarket kicked off
and for the first 8 minutes things were fairly even - a bit more
work for Jamie in goal but no real threats. Wes, playing in a
sweeper role was blocking most of the home team's efforts. Bottisham
were defending very deep though and not spreading the play out
when we did win possession. After 16 minutes, a lofted ball set
Joe McCluskey up for his first opportunity to test the 'keeper.
Their 'goalie had a good kick and play remained in our half for
most of this period. We were missing George as an outlet - the
ball would reach the half way line and their defenders would knock
back into our half.
On 24 minutes, a break for Bottisham saw Alex Morley have a good
shot at goal, the ball going just wide. On 28 minutes Newmarket
won a corner which was scrambled in to give the home team a 1-0
lead, not against the run of play but not a great goal to concede.
Good points from the first half were seeing Alex Breeze tracking
back well and Paul's big clearances when they mattered.
In the second half, Newmarket began stronger, two chances denied
by Jamie in the first two minutes. Thomas was running well and
nearly beat their 'keeper to a loose ball which would have changed
the game for sure. Next came a big let-off for us as the Town
strikers swept through our defence. Jamie read the situation well,
then Alex Morley cleared the danger.
After 20 minutes of the second period, the ball ping-ponged around
our 6yard box before finally finding the target. Another soft
goal to concede and two goals down with ten minutes left on the
clock. Newmarket continued to press, seeing one shot go over the
crossbar. Some of the lads were puffing a bit, playing with no
subs was taking it toll on the team. Thomas, however, showed great
commitment and energy, chasing a seemingly lost cause as he retrieved
the ball on their back line before pushing it through to Séan.
Their No7 saw the danger and closed Séan down before he could
get the shot in but it was a good effort from the lads at this
late stage.
Our last chance fell to Thomas, their No 6 making a rare mistake
to let Thomas in, but she recovered well to put him off. Hughes
was battling for every ball too but was fighting a lone battle
up front without his strike partner, George. In the last throes
of the game Newmarket scored a third to make the final score 3-0.
A disappointing game - with a full strength squad the result could
easily have been different. Newmarket's defence was rarely put
to the test on this occasion, the outcome is sure to be different
for the home fixture
Report
by D.Smith
7th
November 2004 Bottisham
2-3 Fulbourn Institute
In
previous games Bottisham have been a bit slow out of the blocks,
but not today. For the first five minutes most of the possession
was theirs. When Fulbourn Institute made their first break, Thomas
ran half of the pitch to provide cover - an example of the determination
of the lads not to lose this game. First chance of the game fell
to Hughes, but the 'keeper was out quickly to snuff out the attack.
On 10 minutes Fulbourn were almost let in with some confused defending,
only Wesley getting stuck in to clear the danger.
Three minutes later Joe McCluskey had to leave the field with
a nosebleed. Down to 10 men the visitors took advantage of the
situation and got the first goal of the game. Another chance for
Bottisham came quickly, Mike's pass setting up George whose shot
went just wide. On 17 minutes their speedy No17 got through the
defence and finished clinically to make it 0-2
More pressure from Bottisham followed but a big clearance from
a corner released Fulbourn's two nippy strikers who out-ran our
defence and bore down on our 'keeper. Jamie came out bravely and
dived at their feet, doing enough to put them off. Mike then tested
the 'keeper at the other end with a fine free-kick but the 'keeper
had safe hands. A nice move then resulted in our first goal. Wes
rode a tackle in midfield and released Thomas who pushed the ball
to George. He had two defenders nibbling at his heels but kept
his composure to lob the 'keeper.1-2.
Sam was putting his foot in where it counted with some rock-steady
defending, and Alex Breeze made some strong clearances. A corner
to Fulbourn resulted in a loose ball heading for the just inside
the post until Jamie pounced on it, sustaining a boot-to-face
injury in the process.
With a minute to go before half-time Wes took it round three players
before teeing up an unstoppable shot. The celebrations were short-lived
however as another Bottisham player was deemed offside and potentially
interfering with play. In the resulting confusion the ball was
cleared deep into our defence who were outpaced by their No17
and slotted the ball past Jamie to make the score at half-time
1-3.
Thomas replaced Jamie in goal for the second half with Rhys, Joe
Wilson and Adrian coming on for Hughes, Joe McCluskey and Alex.
Joe made an impact straight away, turning a defender inside out
in their penalty area. Bottisham were playing with more confidence,
passing the ball well. George showed the defence a clean pair
of heels on more than one occasion but couldn't get the shots
on target. Bottisham enjoyed long spells in Fulbourn's half with
several chances for Joe and George - the ball just didn't want
to go in the net!
On the rare occasions that the visitors counter-attacked our defence
was ready for them. With ten minutes to go, Joe had his best chance
but was unable to steer it past their 'keeper. Only five minutes
left and Wes put in a great block tackle, slipped the won ball
to Mike whose slide-rule pass released George. He twisted and
turned his defender before powering the ball past their 'keeper.
2-3. With our last effort of the game, Sam belted the ball down
the wing to George, who took it upfield but the shot was wide.
Final score 2-3.
The boys put in a huge effort today and usually would have been
well rewarded for it. We had the majority of possession and more
shots on goal. We deserved to win this one.
Everyone played well but special mentions to Wes, Joe Wilson and
Thomas, who had an excellent first half on pitch and kept a clean
sheet in the second.
Report
by D.Smith
14th
November 2004 Haverhill
United 8-1 Bottisham
The
home team kicked off at 10.30 am on a cold, crisp Remembrance
Sunday morning after observing a minute's silence. Haverhill's
reputation suggested that this would be a difficult match for
us but it was Bottisham that got the first chance after seven
minutes when Thomas's shot beat the 'keeper only to be cleared
off the line by an alert defender. After ten minutes Haverhill's
first effort sailed over the bar from the right wing. Five minutes
later their skipper showed his class with a mazy run that left
three of our players standing before dragging his shot wide. Jamie
was getting to see a fair amount of the ball in goal but most
of the attempts went straight to him and he was dealing with them
comfortably. Alex Breeze at right back made some well timed clearances,
and Alex Morley, playing at right midfield was putting in some
great tackles. Joe McCluskey took a knock on 20 minutes, couldn't
run it off and so made way for Séan.
The resulting positional changes to accommodate this substitution
may have caused a temporary lapse of concentration in the team
who, up until this point had been listening and responding well
to the coach. We seem to concede goals after re-starts and so
it was this time. The home team broke fast, beat the offside trap
and put the ball away to take the lead on 22 minutes. Two minutes
later Jamie made a fine save from a point-blank shot. The resulting
corner was cleared by Mike, who launched the ball forward to George,
waiting at the halfway line. George turned and ran the ball forward,
showing great strength as first one defender tried to run him
off the ball, then a second Haverhill player bounced off him as
he cut inside him and banged the ball past the 'keeper.
To bring the score level so quickly fired the team up, they continued
to play with lots of passion so it was a blow to concede a goal
just before half-time. A great cross-field ball found their right
winger who knew his job and placed a pass across the goal to make
it an easy tap-in for the arriving striker.
The second half began badly, with their captain breaking through
on the right and given enough space to unleash a shot that left
Jamie with no chance. Ten minutes later a hooked shot helped the
ball into the net to make it 4-1 to Haverhill. Another fine pass
from the right wing a minute later undid our defence and a striker
slid in to make it 5-1. Adrian and Hughes came on for the two
Alex's but the traffic remained one way. Haverhill were simply
too strong for us. Their passes from the wing were wrong-footing
our defenders and their No 7 was picking up all our goal kicks
to dominate possession in midfield. An excellent shot from outside
the area flew past Jamie's reach to make it 6-1 then Rhys, who
had been battling hard all game, had to come off for treatment.
We played with ten for a couple of minutes then conceded a soft
goal from a corner. The last goal went in after a series of fine
passes from the home team to make it 8-1.
Report
by D.Smith
28th
November 2004 Bottisham
2-4 Newmarket Town
It
seemed that finally Bottisham were getting some the luck that
we were owed this week when George's corner flew straight into
the net after eight minutes of play. Six minutes later George
capitalised on their keeper's confusion regarding a back-pass,
rounding him before sticking the ball home. 2-0 to Bottisham after
14 minutes and the team were playing with the confidence you acquire
when you are two goals up. A minute later, George pulled four
defenders to him, a great opportunity to release Thomas, but he
was on a hat-trick and who can blame him?
Thomas was giving great support to George and Alex Morley was
standing up well to challenges, putting pressure on the Town lads
when they had the ball. Another chance for Bottisham came as a
right side cross, Sean couldn't get his foot to it. Brave goalkeeping
kept Thomas's next effort out then Newmarket broke fast and got
a goal back. The play was end-to-end, a defensive mix-up between
Jamie and Paul leaving the goal empty but the chance was squandered.
Alex Breeze cleared the danger confidently. Bottisham regained
possession with two crunching tackles from Wes in centre midfield,
before releasing George, whose cross asked a bit too much of Thomas.
After more pressure from Bottisham, a counter-attack undid our
defence, who seemed curiously reluctant to tackle the attackers.
A great lob left Jamie with no chance and levelled the score at
2-2.
The second half started disastrously, the whole team seemed to
be ball-watching as Newmarket scored in the second minute. A free-kick
to the Town was deflected into our own net five minutes later
to bring the score to 4-2 to the visitors. Rhys was having a good
game, putting in a lot of effort and making Newmarket work hard
for every ball. Newmarket Town were putting lots of pressure on
Bottisham in the last minutes of the game, and the lads were struggling
to soak it up. It is to the defence's credit that they didn't
buckle under this pressure and concede more.
In fact, two late attacks for Thomas and George showed everyone
what can be done - the last of the attacks resulting in the ball
going in the net, but disallowed for offside.
Report
by D.Smith
5th
December 2004 Bottisham
2-8 Chesterton Eagles
A
dream start for Bottisham this week, going 1-0 up after only thirty
seconds after George floated in a great ball after his corner-kick
came back out to him. The lads were encouraged by this, Sam carrying
the ball out well and Thomas linking well with George in attack.
With five minutes played, the Eagles began to settle down and
the play became more even. Jamie made a fine point-blank save
from a corner but three minutes later their centre forward found
himself with enough time to trap the ball, set himself and place
a shot to level the score.
The game continued to swing back and forwards, possession being
fairly equal until the Eagles broke the deadlock with a low shot
that bounced awkwardly and fooled our 'keeper. Two chances to
level the score were foiled by their 'keeper, who came out well
on both occasions to block Thomas first, then George. Jamie made
a great save with his feet on 22 minutes, but the ball came out
to one of their alert strikers, who struck it sweetly first time
into an open goal. A minute later a well-taken corner from the
visitors dropped dangerously into the box and rattled around before
it was poked into the net. To add insult to injury, a break from
the halfway line led to a great strike just before half-time -
three goals in seven minutes making the half-time score 5-1 to
the visitors - a score-line which didn't fairly reflect the good
play we'd witnessed by the home team. First half highlights were
Paul's directed headers out of defence and Thomas's reading of
the game.
The second half started well, with Bottisham pinning the Eagles
in their own half for five full minutes. The lads were doing everything
but score, with our defence on the half way-line, so when the
ball was eventually hoofed up-field, three Eagles strikers, still
hungry for goals, bore down on the 'keeper and made it 6-1. One
attack - one goal. All the pressure was in Bottisham's half now,
George and Thomas both weaving through players to get the ball
forward but the Eagles defence was doing its job well. George
got two shots away, but they were both wide of the mark. A cross
- or was it a shot? - took a deflection and gave the visitors
their seventh goal. Sam was putting a noticeably big effort in
the closing stages of the game though, chasing back to make critical
tackles. He was rewarded with his first goal for Bottisham, coolly
knocking in a shot that the 'keeper couldn't hold onto. Well done
Sam.
The last word went to the Eagles however, a speculative shot forcing
a diving save, resulting in a tap-in for the second striker following
up .
Report
by D.Smith
9th
January 2005 Saffron
Walden 2-3 Bottisham
On
a very cold day Bottisham started well, the home team's 'keeper
coming out fast and making good interceptions early on as George
tried to make the most of good through balls from Jamie and Thomas.
At the other end of the pitch Mike was doing well in goal, Tom
providing good protection with some powerful clearing headers.
On 11 minutes a deft touch from Thomas outwitted his marker and
he shrugged off a strong challenge to push the ball to George,
who fended off three defenders on the right side before drilling
the ball home for Bottisham's first goal.
On 14 minutes Bottisham launched an attack up the left wing, their
'keeper reading the game well and making a good save to deny us.
His huge kick set off a Saffron Walden striker, but their No6
saw his shot rise over the crossbar. On 17 minutes a well-worked
corner between Thomas and George gave Bottisham their second goal.
George's shot flew into the top right corner and left the 'keeper
no chance. Barely three minutes later, Bottisham let Saffron Walden
back into the game with a defensive mix-up that gifted their No
7 a goal.
Encouraged, the home team began to play with more vigour, winning
a lot of the ball in midfield. Bottisham began to lose focus and
give the ball away too much but the half ended with Bottisham
a goal up. The second half began and after five minutes Bottisham
should arguably been 3-1 up after their 'keeper made late contact
with a Bottisham striker. Sometimes decisions go against a team
and their heads go down but Bottisham answered in the best way
possible - after 12 minutes Sam sent a great ball down the left
to release George who buried the ball in the back of the net to
claim Bottisham's third goal and his hat-trick.
With the wind at their backs, Bottisham continued to play the
majority of the game in Saffron Walden's half, forcing the home
team to defend deeper and deeper. Saffron Walden were clearly
unhappy about the way the game was panning out and the tackles
started to get a bit stronger. On the few occasions Saffron Walden
ventured pas the half way line Jamie showed great determination
in tracking back to nullify the danger. With five minutes remaining
the home team produced a great passing move, an unchecked cross
coming in from the left and their No7 hitting it sweetly to get
a well deserved goal. Bottisham were getting a bit edgy now, knowing
they were close to their first victory this season but still managed
to get two more strikes at goal, one after a great lay-off from
Hughes, the other a cut-back from George, Thomas unfortunately
getting under the ball and hoofing it aloft.
In the dying seconds Tom earned the thanks of the whole team when
he cleared a speculative effort from Saffron Walden off the line
with another great header.
A well-deserved win for a great bunch of lads who showed us all
what stars they are today.
Report
by D.Smith
30th
January 2005 Bottisham
7-2 Burwell Tigers
After
5 minutes of fairly even play Bottisham had the first clear chances,
both coming from the left. Wesley saw his effort hit the upright,
whilst George's shot went across the goal. The Tigers caught our
defence napping soon after, their speedy No.8 bursting through
but failing to hit the target. We were lucky not to be 1-0 down.
Fifteen minutes elapsed before the deadlock was broken. A great
shot from George was parried by their 'keeper, the rebound picked
up by Thomas who scooped the ball high over the 'keepers head.
1-0 to Bottisham. The next chance fell to Burwell - Rhys was having
a great game and tracked back well when their No 9 put his head
down and went for goal.
Bottisham's game was picking up at this point, the players beginning
to put together measured passes and linking well, rather than
getting rid of the ball as soon as it arrived at their feet. This
soon paid off, Tom's quick throw-in was hooked towards goal by
George and Mike met the cross with a super header than gave Bottisham
their second goal on 22 minutes. The half finished as it began,
with Bottisham sitting deep and Burwell repeatedly unable to get
a toe on the ball at the critical moment. Bottisham showed that
they could defend well and every player was alert to possible
danger, blocking shots and not giving the Tigers the time on the
ball that they've afforded teams in the past.
The second half began well for the home team, George scoring his
first goal of the afternoon to bring the score to 3-0. A beautiful
pass through the defensive gap from Mike sent George on his way
for his second, and Bottisham's fourth goal, the ball clinically
driven under the diving 'keeper. Bottisham probably relaxed too
much, allowing Burwell into their half and getting into all sorts
of trouble. An open goal presented itself to their No 8 and he
brought the score to 4-1.
Despite this defensive howler, the traffic was still mostly one
way, the lads growing in confidence with every move. Wes sent
George a fine pass down the line and he latched onto it hungrily,
getting his hat-trick with a similar goal to his previous one.
5-1 to Bottisham. Alex Morley was unlucky not to be rewarded for
his good work, seeing his shot hit the post, then George was denied
with a great tackle from their No7 just as he thought he was clear.
Moments later, Wes was through on goal, their No4 unbalancing
him just as he was pulling the trigger. The 'keeper didn't hold
the shot and George tucked the rebound away. Tom hit a tremendous
shot but this time their goalie held onto the ball. Tom got the
goal he deserved for his excellent performance with a great header
from Mike's corner-kick to bring the score to 7-1.
A clumsy challenge in the dying moments of the game gave Burwell
a free-kick which set up their second goal. Every player should
feel proud of themselves for their performance in this game, they
competed for every ball and once ahead they looked like a team
that could hold that lead. Well done lads!
Report
by D.Smith
20th
February 2005 Fulbourn
Institute 3-4 Bottisham
Bottisham
were quick off the mark on a bitterly cold morning. Wes pounced
on the slow ball laid back from Fulbourn's kick off and pushed
the ball on for George, who knocked it forward for Wes, then received
the ball back and slotted the ball past the 'keeper who must have
thought he was dreaming. The Bottisham coaches were certainly
stunned into silence, if only momentarily - they see this stuff
in training but rarely does it come together so sweetly in a match.
It was a dream start for Bottisham, who maintained persistent
pressure on the home team for the next quarter of an hour with
no further reward until Wes pushed the ball through to set up
George for his second goal to bring the score to 2-0.
Fulbourn Institute are no pushover though and replied almost immediately,
catching out our defence with a swift counter-attack. Five minutes
later George had collected his third hat-trick in successive games,
the 'keeper coming out to challenge him and becoming stranded
on the corner of the penalty box. The whole goal beckoned and
George made no mistake. 3-1 to Bottisham. Again, the home team
came back, their No7 and No12 cleverly passing the ball past our
defence before bringing the score to 3-2.
The half ended with the home team looking stronger but playing
into the wind for the second half. Sam put in a strong first half
performance in the sweeper role and Rhys was maintaining his consistency
in midfield, reading the game well and delivering the ball forward
countless times.
Despite the conditions, Fulbourn came out stronger and within
a few minutes levelled the score with a powerful shot that found
its way through a packed penalty box. The home team continued
their attacks, keeping our defenders busy, but after soaking up
a fair amount of pressure Bottisham began to keep the ball in
the home team's half for longer spells - using the wind at their
backs to great advantage. A fierce shot from Joe McCluskey - who
was having one of his best games this season - rattled off the
crossbar and Mike pounced on the rebound, lashing the ball into
the net to regain the lead.
Their goalie was having a great second half, stopping a series
of shots that the away supporters thought were certain goals and
Fulbourn always looked dangerous on the break. The game ended
4-3. Special mention to Mike, whose work rate was tremendous all
game and deserved his goal.
A great game to watch for both sets of supporters at a very hospitable
venue
Report
by D.Smith
13th
March 2005 Bottisham
2-6 Histon Hornets
A
cold, windy morning for the game - a game that the team were very
much looking forward to as they have grown stronger as a unit
and were keen to measure their progress against one of the top
teams. However, Bottisham's failure to clear their lines after
a corner resulted in the Hornets going one up after just two minutes.
A lot of activity in midfield with neither side dominating followed,
until Bottisham got their first chance, Jamie's shot testing their
'keeper. The next minute George was on his way with only the goalie
to beat when the visitor's No9 put in a fantastic tackle as he
raced back.
To have levelled the score on 10 minutes would have changed the
game completely so it really was a pivotal moment in the contest.
Three minutes later their No11 received an inch-perfect pass and
was heading for our goal, Sam's presence at his heels reducing
the effectiveness of the shot. Just on the quarter hour their
No11 latched on to our goal kick and sent it back to our goal
to claim the Hornet's second goal. Not a great way to go 2-0 down.
The game settled into more midfield 'bagatelle', the bumpy pitch
deceiving players on both sides. George's runs down the left wing
were troubling their defence but the crosses were too often wasted,
with not enough support arriving in time. In the last five minutes
the flow of the game was broken up by a series of stoppages. In
the past this has caused us to drop our guard and put ourselves
in unnecessary difficulties but today we kept it together to keep
the score at 2-0 down at half-time.
With the wind in our favour for the second half we were confident
that we could put Histon under some pressure. George whipped an
excellent cross in to the penalty area after four minutes but
Joe M couldn't latch on to it. The visitors moved the ball out
of defence so swiftly that for the next few minutes it was end-to-end
stuff. A corner to Histon resulted in their third goal - their
strikers more alert than our defenders and getting to the ball
first every time. A minute later Rhys produced a speculative shot
that would have made Goal Of The Month had their 'keeper been
a couple of inches shorter.
The Hornets were moving up a gear now and, despite the headwind,
kept us penned in our own half with a series of corners. The fourth
goal seemed inevitable and so it proved. The scoreline at this
point didn't give credit to the efforts of the players - Sam and
Paul showing great awareness in defence and Rhys tracking back
well. Mike and Tom were busy in midfield and Jamie's distribution
was excellent all game. His hooked pass on 45 minutes found George
who cleverly flicked the ball over his marker and ran on to a
one versus one with the 'keeper. There is usually only one outcome
in these situations and George calmly gave Bottisham a ray of
hope. The Hornets were increasingly getting to the ball first
- only committed defending prevented them from making the most
of their possession. With ten minutes to go, their skilful No
11 looked through on goal when he was sandwiched by two of our
bigger players. In truth, it looked like a penalty to the majority
of the home support but the appeals were waved away and to their
credit Histon just got on with the game. A minute later, the ray
of hope became a possibility when a 'route one' attack gave George
his second goal. So the score was Histon 4-2 Bottisham with just
under ten minutes on the clock. The team pushed on, looking to
narrow the gap further, Wesley's shot going wide with five minutes
remaining. A corner to the Hornets was blocked and the ball spun
wildly in the air. Everyone looked aloft as the ball came down
into our goal almost vertically - a freak goal that made the victory
certain for the Hornets. With two minutes left Histon made it
6-2.
If you subtracted the goals caused by not clearing corner kicks
effectively and the freak goal then the margin would have been
much closer. Histon were constantly frustrated by the number of
bodies we kept getting behind the ball - a credit to the team's
fitness levels. Well done boys.
Report
by D.Smith
3rd
April 2005 Bottisham
1-7 Haverhill Utd
For
the first ten minutes of this game Bottisham were penned into
their own half relentlessly. The team were shying away from making
challenges and seemed in awe of their opposition, failing to clear
their lines on several occasions when a simple strong kick would
do. Haverhill found the net on ten minutes, their central defender
slotting the ball through our defence who, overrun by forwards,
where unable to prevent the tap-in at the left post. Haverhill
were continually pumping long balls through and over our defence
to great effect, with three strikers eager to latch on to each
and every opportunity.
After fifteen minutes Bottisham won a corner, the first time they'd
been so far up the field. The visitors were showing plenty of
commitment in winning the ball and soon the ball was back down
our end. Sam and Joe in defence were seeing plenty of action and
defused many attacks. With about six minutes of the first half
to go Wes ran the ball out of defence and drew his marker in before
releasing George on the left wing who put his head down and outpaced
the defender only to see the ball run too far. This move put some
attitude back into our boys' game and Bottisham enjoyed a brief
spell in the visitors half, trying to pin them in. Mike put in
a powerful shot from distance but the 'keeper was alert and held
on to it. The half finished with a good chance for Haverhill squandered
and the score at 1-0 to the visitors.
The second half started badly, within two minutes we had conceded
a soft goal after a mis-kick from our usually solid goalie. Jamie
showed his mettle by making a great save a minute later - indeed
he was probably the busiest player on the pitch and his efforts
had kept the game within reach in the first half. Haverhill were
controlling the game in midfield though, winning almost every
loose ball. Another soft goal followed, our goal kick being pounced
on by an alert striker, the returned ball's bounce beating the
'keeper and affording another tap-in for a Haverhill striker.
George's strength on the ball earned the team a corner, which
George knocked to Mike, whose low cross was sliced in at the left
post by Wes. Score 3-1 with fifteen minutes left to play.
At the restart Haverhill replied with a goal of their own to make
it 4-1 and effectively put the game out of reach. In the last
ten minutes Haverhill showed why they are in the running for the
league championship with three skilful goals characterised by
good build up play. Our lads shouldn't feel too downhearted -
today they faced a great team on top form.
Report
by D.Smith
17th
April 2005 Chesterton
Eagles 3-4 Bottisham
This
was the last game of the season and a chance for the team to finish
on a high note and the boys seemed well and truly 'up for it'.
On three minutes, Jamie - in a forward role today - sent the ball
narrowly over the bar after hitting the ball with the outside
of his right boot. Bottisham kept the play in their half, a cut
back from George after a clever push pass from Hughes sending
the ball to Wes whose trusty left foot let him down on this occasion.
Moments later George executed a fine lob which gave their big
'keeper no chance and gave Bottisham the lead that their early
pressure deserved. The Eagles had their own chance on ten minutes.
Wes chased back to clear the danger. Most of the play was in the
home team's half in this period, the Eagles relying on swift counter-attacks.
The defence was solid though, Alex, Sam and Joe dealing with each
attack well. Having said that, dribbling the ball out of defence
rather than playing the safe option led to the Eagles equaliser
on seventeen minutes. On the restart Hughes - who was clearly
enjoying being part of a three-pronged attack force - had a good
chance. On 21 minutes a Bottisham defender turned his back on
the ball as it was crossed, leaving their striker ample time to
tee up a great shot that went over Thomas's head to give the visitors'
the lead. 2-1 to Chesterton Eagles. With two minutes of the first
half left to play Mike sent a great ball over the defence which
Jamie picked up. His cross found George in the six yard area who
popped it in to bring the scores level again. The half finished
2-2.
A big miss for the Eagles on the restart let Bottisham off the
hook and three minutes later fortune favoured us. Adrian's header
hit the crossbar, came off the 'keeper and crossed the goal-line
for our third goal. Their No10 was a big influence on the Eagles
game though, breaking down our moves and engineering chances for
the home team. On ten minutes he was brought down by our No9 just
outside the penalty area. The resulting free kick was taken by
their No10 and was brilliant, finding the top right corner and
bringing this see-saw match level again. The lads seemed determined
to get the lead back and rather than fading in the second half,
got stronger and stronger. Paul made a great sliding clearance
in defence when the Eagles looked like breaking us down, a shot
from Jamie went just wide and George was giving their defence
a torrid time with his strength and skill on the ball. A free-kick
was awarded to Bottisham in a good position after twenty minutes
of play. George lifted the ball over the wall and a defender unsighted
their 'keeper to give us a 4-3 lead. Moments later their nippy
No15 squandered a chance with an open goal.
The pressure mounted and a free-kick was awarded to the home team
in another good position. Their No15 went down in the box after
a Bottisham player had missed the ball and got the player. The
resulting penalty was saved magnificently by Thomas. With just
a couple of minutes left on the clock Bottisham could have been
forgiven for playing it safe but they continued to play for a
fifth goal until the final whistle, making for an anxious finale
for the spectators. Man of the Match: Thomas Burns
Report
by D.Smith
