Hithercroft U15s - Friendly (20/10/2002)
2002 - 2003 Season, Hithercroft Under 16s



This was a friendly match between the two age groups as neither team had a match over the holiday period. The under 16s had 10 players available and the under 15s had 11. The weather was chilly and drizzle fell throughout the game. Pam volunteered (?) to be referee and did a good job.

The first goal came after 12 minutes of play during which both teams had missed scoring chances. A free kick was awarded when Phil Lines came outside the area to drop kick the ball and the U15’s Tyrone Francis hit the ball over the wall and it dropped down behind Phil and into the net. Four minutes later, another free kick was awarded for a poor tackle from the U16s and Tyrone repeated his previous shot, putting the ball over the defensive wall and dropping it behind Phil into the net to put the U15s 2-0 ahead. A corner to the U15s had No.16 trying an overhead kick but it went high over the crossbar. Duane White’s shot for the U16s then went straight at the keeper and a corner for the U15s saw a resulting shot hit over the woodwork. Following a lot of activity in the U16’s goalmouth No.3 (Peter Morgan) side-footed the ball into the U16’s net to add another goal to the U15’s tally 24 minutes into the game. Two more attacks came from the U15s, the second of which ended with Luke Tadgell hitting the ball from out on the left into the U16’s net, 3 minutes after the previous goal. A short corner, just three minutes later, saw Tyrone Francis pass the ball to Chris Timberlake. He then centred the ball to No 14 (Paul Morgan) who ran onto it and struck it into the net to put the U15s 5-0 ahead. From a corner, awarded to the U16s, which was taken by Riccardo Falconi, the ball went across the goal and Christie White got his head to it but put the ball wide. At the end of the half the senior team found themselves 5-0 down and were not stringing their passes together, tending to hit the ball up-field and losing possession.

Two minutes into the second half, and in spite of the linesman flagging for offside, the U16s pulled a goal back. Seven minutes into the half the U15s attacked again and a shot hit the post, rebounded out for Chris Timberlake to side-foot the ball into the net and so put his side 7-0 ahead. Three minutes later No. 3 (Peter Morgan) added another for the U15s and then, following a goalmouth scramble after a corner, Luke Tadgell further increased their lead. Robin Graham for the U16s had an adventurous run, taking the ball down the left wing, turning inside, passing three players and had a shot, which was saved by the goalkeeper. The U16s then began to pick up their game with more attacks and Duane White, 20 minutes into the half, scored the U16’s second goal. Five minutes later No 14 (Paul Morgan) scored the tenth goal for the U15s. Christie White scored for the U16s with a header 10 minutes from the end. Then Tyrone Francis took the ball down the left wing, Phil rushed out and kicked the ball which rebounded from Tyrone, who then ran on and tapped it into the open goal to make the score 11-3. Then, just before the final whistle, the U15’s No. 15 hammered home another goal to complete the 12-3 win for the junior team.