CREDITON YOUTH FOOTBALL

Our photograph shows Lion Dennis Morgan, President of Seaton Lions Club, presenting James Harris with his Man of the Match trophy. President Morgan was the Lions South West Football Organiser.

Members of the Crediton Youth Under 14s side who played against Highworth.

 

Under 16’s
Saturday, April 5
Crediton 3
Brixington United 2
FOLLOWING on from their emphatic 4-0 win over Okehampton Argyle the previous week (goals from Louis Kinch (2), Rowan Locke and an own goal, Crediton contrived to scramble a late win from a game that they should have had “sewn up” before half-time.
Despite Brixington’s impressive run of recent results, Crediton dominated for long periods and put together some lovely moves, often with the ball, but an inability to convert the resulting chances combined with Brixington’s gritty determination nearly cost them dear.
A couple of cracking early goals from Ollie Collins and Alex Bowden gave Crediton a solid foundation but they failed to capitalise and when Zac Pearce headed in almost unopposed from a corner mid-way through the second half.
Brixington sensed that something could be salvaged from the game and spurred on by the goal and seizing their chances, they drew level seven minutes later, when a speculative shot from Rob Titley swerved in to bring rapture to the Brixington camp and an air of disbelief to Crediton.
With Brixington now sensing victory in a game that should have been beyond them it took a big effort from Crediton to stem the turning tide and come back again but come back they did and a move straight from the training ground (a long “Hail Mary” cross, harass the ‘keeper and hope) resulted in some quick-fire aerial pinball and, to be fair, an unfortunate own goal.
Still, Crediton applied the pressure and reaped the reward and as we are often reminded at this stage of the season, “It’s the result that counts”.
C. Hoy
Wednesday, April 9
Crediton 1
Brixington Blues 1
In a “cracker” of a match against the runaway league leaders, Crediton raised their game to show what they are capable of when they really put their hearts, minds and bodies on the line.
Brixington Blues had won the season’s two previous meetings; 5-1 in the league and 4-0 in the cup and when an Adam Wakeley strike put them a goal up inside the first minute, many of the Crediton faithful had that “here-we-go-again” feeling.
But Broomie’s boys steeled themselves and although the Blues demonstrated the greater control throughout the first half, they could not again find their way past the terrier-like back four of Collins, Rager, Skinner and Steer. Gradually Crediton clawed their way back into the game.
The second half saw the turnround continue, Bowden, Broome, Copp and Lee in the midfield were magnificent and Guppy and Kinch ran themselves into the ground up front and Crediton’s belief in themselves just grew and grew.
As a result, the majority of play in the second half was at the Blue’s end and Crediton went close to scoring two or three times but merciless defending, good goalkeeping and the luck of the bounce combined to keep them out.
Just as a smidgin of a thought was formulating that all of Crediton’s efforts might go unrewarded, a superb in-swinging corner from Dave Lee was bundled in by Pete Steer for the equaliser and the crowd went wild.
The Blues tried to come back but Searle in the Crediton goal was by now impassable and sheer dogged determination saw Crediton heap even more pressure on the league’s top team.
The game was so evenly poised that Crediton Manager Julian Broome dared not make any substitutions but it was still a comfort to know that Jackman, Locke and Simpson were there, if required.
Not content with the draw, Crediton went all out for the win and the normally unflappable Blues were reduced to booting the ball aimlessly out of defence, off of the pitch, out of the ground, anywhere in fact to get it away from the relentless Crediton onslaught.
The scenario illustrated perfectly that the will to win is just as important as the skill to win, and at the final whistle, administered by the excellent James Uren, the draw was celebrated like a victory by Crediton but hit the thoroughly demoralised Blues like an abject defeat.
Such is sport, such is life.
Jean-Paul Sartre
Saturday, April 12
Crediton 2
Honiton 1
Crediton went from one end of the footballing spectrum to the other as they followed up their heroic midweek effort with a disjointed showing against a Honiton side lying third from bottom of the league.
Patrick Bawn shot the visitors into an early lead and despite Rowan Locke evened the scoreline with a well-judged effort in the first half. However, Crediton played as though they had not only just got out of bed, but also still had their pyjamas on.
Indeed, the gripping intensity of the game was such that the assembled mothers’ touchline forum was reduced to discussing the physical habits of teenage sons.
Honiton were encouraged by the home team’s lack of cohesion and raised their game accordingly, which added to Crediton’s self-inflicted pressure.
Manager Julian Broome’s frustration was plain for all to see, and hear and his succinct tactical summary at the half time team talk left the boys in no doubt of what was required of them.
As a consequence, Crediton started the second half a little more upbeat but still Honiton seemed quicker off the mark as passes were misplaced and balls were allowed to bounce...which takes us back to the mothers’ touchline discussions.
With a further candid appraisal of play Crediton’s exasperated manager reshuffled the line-up once more and with 12 minutes to go the relief was almost palpable as Crediton eventually took the lead, but even then the nature of the winning goal epitomised the game as a whole.
From a corner, a number of players challenged for the ball, the Honiton ‘keeper was bundled out of the way by two of his own defenders and the ball went into the net off of the back of a leaping Dave Lee. It’s football, Jim, but not as we know it.
L. McCoy (Dr)

Crediton Youth
Under 14’s

CREDITON UNITED YOUTH Under 14s, winners of the Lions’ Club (Southwest) Championship, travelled to Swindon to play Highworth Youth in the next round, the quarter finals of the national cup championship.
The home side put out a team which contained no less than half the current Swindon Town Under 14s side who play in the local Under 15s league.
Consequently, Crediton found themselves under constant pressure and with their first choice goalie away, Ben Tucker was drafted in and played a brilliant game.
Part way through the half the referee gave the home side a penalty, a decision which not only puzzled the Crediton boys but the home players as well! Three more goals followed, which meant that at half-time the score stood at 4-0 in favour of Highworth.
After the break Crediton began to play a better game which resulted in Stuart Parminter scoring. He was followed by James Harris, who scored the goal of the match from long distance.
However, Highworth were able to net a further three times, which brought the final score to 7-2 in their favour.
All players in the Crediton side had a run out but they were battling against a very good team. They could console themselves that they had acquitted themselves well by winning the Lions’ SW Championship.
Mark Hookway, joint manager for Crediton, said the boys could hold their heads high.
Mark expressed the team’s thanks to the Lions’ Club of Crediton for their support. Afterwards he said: “Age Cartlidge (joint manager) and I will look at a video of this afternoon’s match and go through everything, step by step.”
Players who took part in the South West match were: Cei Frampton, Ryan Piper, Ryan Keyte, Ben Tucker, Dan Uren, Dan Boddy, Josh Pike, Will Martin, Ryan Cartlidge, Neil Hookway, Lewis Pinn, James Harris, Stuart Parminter and Rob Davie.
AC

Newton St Cyres Youth Football
Under 11’s
Central Yellows 1
Newton Knights 3
TWO goals from Jordan Gillham and one from Josh Bowen ensured victory over Yellows but this masks the chances not taken and the final score should have been well into double figures but for some excellent keeping from the home goalie.
Ben Sherrett was the Knights’ Man of the Match with a superb performance in both setting up goals and making last ditch tackles to encourage his teammates to win a well contested game.
KG

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