Saturday 21st January 2017 @ Heartlands Academy
Daniel Sturridge Cup, Day Three
B Team: Tyrese, Gerard, James, Jaiy, Danny, William, Jeval, Kian ON, Kian B, Liam and Che
A Team: Tyrese, Gerard, Liam, Aidan, Reece, Danny, Tiarno, Taylor, William, Kian B and Che
B Team:
Won 5-0 vs. Sutton Coldfield
Won 2-1 vs. South Birmingham
A Team:
Won 4-1 vs. Harborrne
Lost 3-1 vs. South Birmingham
Won 2-1 vs. Aston
Goals: Taylor x 2, Reece x 2, Jeval, Jaiy, Danny x 2, William x 3, Kian B, Che x 2 and Liam x 2
Over the past three weeks the B Team side of the Daniel Sturridge Cup has been used as an opportunity to develop the under 9s and 10s in preparation for next season’s under 11s commitments. Whilst a number of the u11s have been used in the B Team as a means of developing their leadership skills. Overall it has been a fantastic success, with Aaron, Aidan, Bobby, Jaiy, James, Jeval, Klechai, Liam, Navaro, Patrick, Reece, Resharne, Telpher, and Tyrese all pulling on the jersey to represent the older age group.
Over three weeks and six games, the lads remained unbeaten with four wins and a pair of draws, as well as ending with the best defensive record. The commitment and effort shown throughout has filled us with great hope ahead of next season!
Game week three saw the boys start with a bang when they put five past Sutton Coldfield, after weathering a lot of pressure during the first half of the game. Classy finishes from Jaiy, William and Jeval secured the three points for The Ton.
Next up was South Birmingham and following a couple of classy Tyrese saves, the boys scored two super counter attacking goals to once again take full points and with them the B Team title.
The A Team were determined to make it a double celebration and began the day brightly, putting four past Harborne to start the day in the perfect way.
Our second game was the big one. If the lads were to have any chance of winning the title that they last lifted in 2015, they were going to have to take three points off South Birmingham. The game started well with the lads matching South in all departments. However shortly before the half-way stage of the game, South capitalised on a Ton error to take a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately for the lads, this simply wasn’t their day as a ruthless South Birmingham dispatched every chance that came their way to deservedly win the game and with it, almost certainly the title for the first time.
Pleasingly the boys picked themselves up following such a blow and played some excellent football against Aston. With Aidan marauding down the right like Erdington’s answer to Cafu and Reece pulling the strings up front, the boys played some exciting attacking football and took a two goal lead, before conceding a goal with the last kick of the game. Despite this minor set back they ended the day on a high and demonstrated their ability to bounce back, which is something that they should all be proud of!
With one week left to play, it’s been a tournament of many highs and a few lows but one that will leave us in a better position than when we started and primed to push on during the second half of the season.
Men of the Match: Gerard/Tyrese and James; the two goalkeepers have come as a pair throughout this competition and the added competition has certainly pushed their performances on to new levels. Both boys have pulled off sensational save after sensational save to give their team a chance to win each game. Young James has been a rock for the u10s and his no-nonsense defending meant the u10s/B Team have conceded the fewest goals in their competition.
Well done boys!
Up The Ton!
Erdington and Saltley Primary Schools' FA 