CONTACT LIST 2007

Chairman – Mark Hayter

markfire2828@aol.com

Tel: 01403 865404

Club Secretary – James Woodlock jwoodlock@btinternet.com

Tel: 01293 852166

Communications – Sam Norgate

sam.norgate@virgin.net

Tel: 01403 864298

Registrations – Gill Woodlock

jwoodlock@btinternet.com

Tel: 01293 852166

Treasurer – Andrew Blair-Rains

andrew@oaktreefarm.org.uk

Tel: 01403 732904

Events – Andy Eggleden

bigeggy@onetel.net

Tel: 01403 864171

Child Protection –Helen Ordever

philip.helen@btinternet.com

Tel: 01403 756702

Lower Beeding Lions Junior Football Club

U10's Mini Soccer Tournament Report

Saturday 1st September 2007

To "kick off" the football season, ten teams assembled in Lower Beeding for the annual under-10s tournament on the 1st September.

A great chance for all the coaches to assess their squads and, in the case of the Lions, a number of new signings.

The Lions A team arrived with high hopes, but without their top two scorers from last season.  Unfortunately, both unavailable.

The first game was a hard fought 0-0 draw with Henfield A.

In the next game, against Horsham Crusaders B, the Lions pushed hard for a victory, knowing that points against the weaker teams were crucial if they were to top the group.

Despite dominating the game and having any number of chances on goal, the match was scoreless until the last minute when Noah, bursting from midfield, launched an unstoppable strike into the far corner of the Crusaders net.

The match against Storrington B was much harder.

The result, 0-0, would have been far worse for the Lions position in the group, had not Henfield A and St Pauls West drawn the next game.

Going into their final group game, against St Pauls West, the Lions needed a good win if they were to top group A, with a draw being enough to gain second place.

St Pauls however were desperate for a win, to give them second place instead.

Another hard fought game, with little penetration into either defence, resulted in a 0-0 draw and a semi-final for the Lions against the winners of group B, St Pauls East.

U10's Mini Soccer Tournament Report

Saturday 1st September 2007 ctd...

Meanwhile, the Lions B team had been battling bravely in a tough group B.

In their first game they suffered wave upon wave of attack from Horsham Crusaders A. 

The whole team worked very hard, underpinned by a series of acrobatic saves from goalie George, to achieve a fantastic 0-0 result!

In the second game St Pauls East proved too strong for the plucky Lions, who lost 2-0. 

The next game, against Storrington A, was a similar story and would have had a much worse scoreline but for another outstanding performance from George.

The final game, against Henfield B, was a battling 0-0 draw, and so the B team ended the tournament with honour intact and heads held high.

The A team's semi-final against St Pauls East was a fairly even game until lack of concentration in the Lions defence resulted in a goal late in the first half.

The Lions therefore needed goals in the second half if they were to get to the final.

Despite attacking St Pauls hard all through the half, the Lions never really looked like scoring.

Inevitably, with players pushing forward, St Pauls found more opportunities to score, which they duly did, twice.

St Pauls East went on to win the final, against Storrington A.

So the only game the Lions A team lost in the tournament was to the eventual winners.

Indeed, St Pauls East were the only team to score against them.

While this is a highly creditable performance, the lack of goals is a worry, particularly as last season's top scorer is returning to the under-9s this season, where he will be captain.

We wish Nathan well, but we will miss his goals!

Match Report –

Lower Beeding Lions U12's (Div C)

The U12's played their opening game of the season at home to local rivals Handcross Tigers.

Having been promoted last season, and with two players missing, including our captain Adam Wicking, this was always going to be a tough start to the campaign, especially given the lack of pre-season training and friendlies.

This was evident in the first half when our boys were slow to get going and went

4-0 down.

Despite this, they started to get their passing game together and played much better in the second half, having long periods of possession and looking dangerous going forward. We were rewarded, courtesy of a friendly offside decision in our favour, allowing Max Newall to race through and coolly slot home a consolation goal.

The game finished 6-1 to Handcross Tigers, but based on the second half performance, and with players to come back there is much to take heart from and we showed that we can compete with teams in this division.

Man of the Match went to Adam Bellchambers for a confident and accomplished performance at right back - a position he has made his own.

Phil Keen

Match Report –

Lower Beeding Lions U11's (Div B)

Lower Beeding Lions U11's got their season off to the perfect start with an 8 – 0 victory at home to Lingfield.

Lions started slowly and despite Lingfield applying pressure to the Lower Beeding side. We were 2 – 0 up at half time with goals from Andrew Roberts and Callum Nash. In the second half Lions took control bagging a further six goals thanks to Adam Ruz, Declan Norgate, Liam Ruz and a further three from Callum Nash.

Lions Man of the Match was Jack Taylor.

Clive Pyzer

Match Report – U9's

SOUTHWATER V LOWER BEEDING LIONS

SATURDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER AT SOUTHWATER

FIRST MATCH SCORE 1-0

Although small in number this first outing for our new Under 9's team produced an outstanding game. From the start, despite the length of the grass, the team were running with and passing the ball to good effect. I lost count of the number of times the ball came from midfield to the feet of our striker Lachlan . In midfield Nathan, Craig and Tommy tirelessly covered the pitch one moment in defence the next in attack. At the back Rupert and Harry both worked hard keeping the score sheet clean for the Lions. A special mention for Robert, keeping goal, not his usual position on the field but the score says it all.

The winning goal was scored by Tommy, the result of several passes in attack and a powerful finishing kick and the goalie never saw it!

Man of the match - Tommy .

SECOND MATCH SCORE 3-1

The Lion's squad, just eight in number, did not have the luxury of resting its players. With just Kwame as a reserve, practically the whole team were back on the pitch for the second game. Kwame came into midfield supporting Tommy and Nathan, the team keeping the same formation as the first game.

What a game, the passing and possession play were as good as, if not better than, the first game. Again and again the strength of our mid-field produced chances at the goal and it was not long before goals started to happen. For much of the first half Robert stood a lonely figure in the Lions goalmouth.

With 2 goals from Tommy and one from Robert (playing striker in the second half) it all seemed over as the game come to a close. However, in the dying seconds of the game, an exhausted Lions squad let their guard down. Southwater in a last minute scramble found our goal.

Man of the match - Robert .

James Woodlock

Match Report – U8's

East Grinstead Town (U8s) 1 - 0 Lower Beeding Lions Figaro (A)

The U8s first league match was a hard fought encounter where the score in no way reflected the balance of play.

Hamish Waller had 8 shots on goal and hit the post twice.

Robert Deane, his strike partner, had four clear chances, two of which were cleared off the line.

We dominated play for large periods of the game. Jadon Morrone was very strong and uncompromising in midfield.

Sadly we will look back on this, as one we should have won.

East Grinstead Town (B) 2- 3 Lower Beeding Lions Haven (B) This was a great performance, particularly after going behind twice.

Finn Aldrich, a striker, who we will be hearing a lot about in the future, with tons of talent, scoring twice, and Adam Sowton making his debut for the Lions, also on target, receiving the man of the match award. Ben Caiden played three very decisive passes from midfield which turned the game in our favour. Dan Francis, the Haven Goalkeeper, was strong and brave throughout.

Craig Robinson