Saturday 26th January 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Daniel Sturridge Cup 2019 – Day 2 of 2

 

Daniel Sturridge Cup

Black Team: Danny, Kian S, Daniel, Jeval, Romaeo, Markie, Toby and Kyran

Results:

W 4-1 vs Erdington and Saltley Gold

Markie x 2, Kyran and Daniel

W 1-0 vs Aston

Markie

W 3-0 vs East Birmingham

Markie and Toby x 2

D 0-0 vs Wolverhampton

 

Gold Team: Jude, Rhys, Jack, Elijah, Wiktor, Kian C and Gonzalo

Results:

L 4-1 vs Erdington and Saltley Black

Gonzalo

L 2-0 vs South Birmingham

L2-1 vs Aston

Elijah

D 1-1 vs East Birmingham

Gonzalo

 

Daniel Sturridge Shield

Gold Team: Danny, Sean, Ethan, Joshua, Keon, Lennon, Jason, Kayden and Markie

Goals: Joshua x 3, Markie x 2, Jason x 2, Keon x 2 Ethan,

Results:

D 1-1 vs Aston B

W 3-1 vs Sutton Coldfield

W – 4-2 vs South Birmingham

W 2 -0 vs Aston C

Man of the Match – Ethan

 

Black Team: Corey, Daniel, Jakhadi, Oscar, Cole, Chase, Emron and Hughey

Results:

L 3-0 vs Sutton

L 2-0 vs South Birmingham

L 3-0 vs Aston

 

The 2019 Daniel Sturridge Cup will be remembered as a ‘game of two halves’. A fortnight ago we found goals hard to come by and luck a premium, while the woodwork seemed to be in our way no matter where we shot from!

This week we were clinical in attack, united in defence and tireless in our efforts to stamp our mark on each and every game.

In the Cup side of the competition, the Black team burst out of the blocks and continued where they had left off a week earlier when lifting the ESFA Midlands 9-a-side Cup. They scored a number of scintilating goals and once again worked as a team united by the common goal of fulfilling their wonderful talent. If last week gave us a glimpse of what these boys can do when working as one, this week only confirmed that.

Despite working as equally hard as the Black team, the boys in gold found goals more difficult to come by and a couple of defensive lapses let the opposition in at pivotal moments in games when they were on top. Nonetheless, their effort could not be questioned and on another day the boys would have yielded a few more points for their troubles.

The same could be said for the Black team who played in the shield half of the Daniel Sturridge. After playing some excellent football during week one, the boys once again showed their promise in attack, but will need to be a little more robust in defence if their attacking potential is to truly come to the forefront.

That left the younger Gold team to take the limelight on a morning when they hit top form! The defensive lapses that characterised week one were confined to memory and replaced with free-flowing attacking football orchestrated by Lennon in the centre of the park and Ethan in the heart of the defence, the latter of whom started countless attacks with his lung-busting runs from deep. With the spine of the team as solid as we could have asked for, the attacking trio of Keon, Jason and Joshua were free to wow the crowd with their intricate play and swashbuckling intent.

As the rain clouds began to form over Vale Stadium, the sight of the boys in such high spirits was enough to brighten anyone’s day!

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 19th January 2019 @ Sporting Khalsa FC, Willenhall

English Schools’ FA Midlands 9-a-side 2018/19

 

Team: Danny, Kian S, Jeval, Elijah, Ethan, Jack, Rhys, Markie, Callam, Toby, Tavani, Gonzalo and Romaeo

Goals: Callam x 2, Markie x 4, Toby, Romaeo x 2 and Jeval

Man of the Match: Toby – A performance befitting of a captain. Disciplined and selfless.

Group Results

W 1-0 vs Dudley

W 1-0 vs Telford

W 2-1 vs Solihull

W 3-0 vs Wyre Forest

 

Semi-Final

W 2-0 vs Wolverhampton

 

Final

W 1-0 vs Solihull

 

What an amazing day! From start to finish, the boys did us proud. This was the best performance the boys have ever given the district. This was the most positive team performance the boys have ever given the district. Everything fell into place on a day when hard work and commitment were only matched by some ridiculously sublime finishing!

It’s pointless providing a breakdown of each game as each game was the same. We worked our socks off, played with unity and scored some amazing goals from great distances!

The defence were superbly marshalled by Kian S and Danny between the sticks. The two of them provided a rock like foundation for the rest of the team to attack in numbers. While the attackers rightly drew some of the loudest cheers and gasps on the day, it was a goal line clearance from Kian and top corner save from Danny that made all the difference in a tense final.

The fullbacks of Jack, Elijah, Ethan, Rhys and Jeval, none of whom play fullback on a Sunday, were exquisite as they worked tirelessly up and down the flanks.

In attack, Romaeo and Gonzalo pressed the opposition defence and worked hard to win back possession at every opportunity.

That allowed the midfield to work their magic and my word did they pull some tricks out of their bag! With shots fired in from every possible angle and tackles and blocks thrown in whenever required, the midfield four of Tavani, Toby, Callam and Markie were amazing! Toby showed immense discipline to Marshall the midfield and allow his three midfield peers to flood forward as a united force.

The goals of Callam, Jeval, Markie and Toby could all make valid claims for goal of the season, such was the audacity of them.

Once the ecstasy of the medal presentation faded into the Willenhall night sky, the boys sat and reflected on a remarkable day. Their relentless efforts throughout the afternoon had been rewarded with their third title of the season and a place in the national finals.

What a team!

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 12th January 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Daniel Sturridge Cup – Day One

 

Cup Competition

Black Team A – Danny, Daniel, Kian S, Toby, Tavani, Callam, Markie and Cian L

Goals: Toby x 2

L 1-0 vs South Birmingham

D 0-0 vs Sutton Coldfield

W 2-0 vs Erdington and Saltley Gold

 

Gold Team A – Jude, Rhys, Jack, Jeval, Gonzalo, Kyran, Alfie and Elijah

Goals: Jack, Alfie and Kyran

L 1-0 vs Sutton Coldfield

W 3-1 vs Wolverhampton

L 2-0 vs Erdington Black

 

Shield Competition

Black Team B – Corey, Oscar, Emron, Daniel, Jason, Jahkadi and Cole

Goals: Daniel and Jason

L 2-0 Aston

L 5-0 Sutton Coldfield

W 2-1 South Birmingham

 

Gold Team B – Danny, Ethan, Sean, Hughey, Joshua, Wiktor, Kian and Kayden

L 3-0 South Birmingham

L 3-2 South Birmingham

D 0-0 Aston

 

Played in honour of the Liverpool and England striker, the Daniel Sturridge Cup is competed for annually and represents the midpoint of the BPSFA district season. As we stand with the first half of the season behind us, both teams have won silverware and both points have shown their exciting potential throughout the opening four months.

Unfortunately results did not go our way yesterday, although our performances were pleasing and we ended the morning proud of each team.

The Gold Team B played some sublime passing football and showed time and again their willingness to work as a team. This was perfectly illustrated in their final match, when coming off the back of a heavy defeat, they rolled their sleeves up to tackle the much-fancied South Birmingham. After taking an early two goal lead, they dug in deep and put their bodies on the line to defend the three points they had worked so hard for. The final seconds of the game saw an almighty goal mouth scramble with Corey throwing his body on the line, immediately followed by his WHOLE team! This passage of play was not pretty but it was a thing of beauty!

The Black Team B swarmed forward in huge numbers, pinged the ball around for fun and played some sumptuous football, only to leave the backdoor open one too many times. Nevertheless, there were more than enough positive signs from the morning to walk away happy with our day’s work. In particular, the attacking cohesion and the boys’ willingness to play as a team were two reasons to be cheerful.

Earlier in the morning, the Gold Team A started the day with an excellent, if fruitless, performance against a strong Sutton Coldfield Side. They followed this up with another cohesive display against a Wolverhampton side which resulted in the victory they deserved. While their final game ended in defeat, it was once again a good day at the office in terms of effort and application.

The same can be said for the Black Team A, who bossed all three of their games, only to walk away with five less points on the board than their performances merited. After controlling their opening two games, they were more than unfortunate to walk away with a solitary point. A victory in the Erdington derby did much to improve their spirit but it was undoubtedly a morning of near misses. However, it was a morning of team unity and much improved team play.

So whilst results didn’t turn out to be what we wanted, the performances were excellent and fill us with confidence as we embark on the second half of the season.

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 5th January 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Representative Match

 

Erdington and Saltlely Black 3-3 Wolverhampton

Team: Danny, Rhys, Daniel, Romaeo, Jeval, Kyran, Markie, Toby, Callam, Alfie and Cian L

Goals: Alfie, Callam and Toby

Man of the Match: Rhys – best game of the season for the centre back

 

Erdington and Saltley Gold 3-4 Wolverhampton

Team: Jude, Sean, Ethan, Oscar, Cole, Kian, Jason, Lennon, Keon, Joshua, Kyran, Gonzalo, Kaydan and Kian

Goals: Keon, Kian and Gonzalo

Man of the Match: Jason and Keon – the tricky under 9s wing wizards created havoc down the wing all game

 

2018 was an amazing year for The Ton. The inter-schools league has more schools than ever playing regular competitive football. We have more district teams than ever. Both the girls and boys made history throughout the year.

If 2019 is half as good as 2018, it will be a great year!

After a long mid-season break, the black team pulled on their Erdington and Saltley jersey for the first time in six weeks and the first time since being crowned 7-a-side champions of the West Midlands. Although they hadn’t been as inactive as their black team peers, the gold team were dusting off their boots for the first time in two weeks and the first time since lifting the BPSFA Winter Shield.

Both games were packed full of excitement and goals. Both games were packed full of moments of quality but also a few moments of rustiness, although they were hugely outnumbered by the moments of class!

The gold team started their game by playing some excellent passing football, something that didn’t go unnoticed by the opposition manager. As they have all season, the boys played as a united team, passing as one and working their socks off for the team.

While the opening brought no goals, it wasn’t for the lack of opportunities created. We simply couldn’t finish them. Unfortunately we were then hit with a sucker punch after going behind to a superb Wolves strike. Fortunately the boys were only behind for a short while and soon equalised via Keon.

Then shortly after the half-way point in the game, Wolves capitalised on their pressure and raced into a 3-1 lead.

Never one to let their heads drop, the boys battled back and levelled the game through the boots of Kian and Gonzalo. At 3-3 the game was ebbing and flowing from end to end. It was a a great game to watch for all!

Alas, the brilliant effort of the lads was to no avail when Wolves scored a decisive fourth goal at the death. Nonetheless, it was a brilliant game to be involved in and another example of the super team spirit amongst this group and amazing young men.

 

On the adjacent pitch, the black team found Wolves difficult to break down in the opening 15 minutes despite dominating the early exchanges. A number of chances were created but the back of the net proved elusive.

The second quarter saw a marked improvement in the teamwork and play of the boys. This in turn coincided with the black team taking the lead thanks to a sublime run and finish from Callam. At the half-way mark, the boys could argue that they deserved more than their one goal lead, although as they would come to regret later, they simply didn’t take them.

After conceding soon after the restart, the boys somehow found themselves level with 30 minutes to play. Fortunately they rallied and quickly retook the lead, this time from the penalty spot after Markie was brought down. Despite watching the resulting penalty cannon off the right-hand post, Toby was alert enough to charge in and tuck away the rebound. A third goal quickly followed, this time courtesy of a sweet strike from Alfie.

At 3-1 up with ten minutes to play, the boys lost their discipline and with it, their lead. As with everything we do, the emphasis was put on the learning to come out of the experience. The final ten minutes of the game will not overshadow the 50 minutes that preceded it. Wolves did brilliantly to level the game late on and were rightly proud of their efforts. However, our boys played some excellent football and controlled the game for large periods. They too were proud of their efforts and know exactly what they have to do as we strive to push forward in 2019.

 

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 8th December @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Representative Match

 

Aston B 2 – 7 Erdington and Saltley Gold

Team: Danny, Ethan, Elijah, Wiktor, Kayden, Lennon, Gonzalo, Keon, Joshua, Kyran, Kian M and Hughey

Goals: Lennon x 2, Kyran x 2, Joshua, Gonzalo and Keon

Man of the Match – Elijah: The stand-in defender put in a superb performance, using his midfield experience to enable the team to build from the back, as well as defending like a seasoned pro.

 

After suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Aston A two weeks ago, the Gold team bounced back in terrific style, playing some superb football against Aston B. The teamwork and unity of the boys was amazing and they once again demonstrated why they’re one of the best teams we have ever had!

Each one of the 12 lads put the good of the team ahead of any individual glory. They backed each other up throughout the game and constantly passed the ball to a teammate who was in a better position. Sometimes young players become distracted by their ambition to score but these boys are only interested in the team.

Despite starting the game brightly, the boys fell behind to Aston after a communication error let them through on goal. This blow failed to knock the boys of track and they continued to attack Aston at every opportunity.

The boys in claret and blue were also determined to claim victory and they too attacked in numbers, thus making for an exciting game!

The second twenty saw the boys finish with greater accuracy than in the first period. Sneaking in at the back post, Joshua tucked away to level the scores. Soon after, captain Lennon ghosted into the Aston area before slotting home to give the boys a deserved lead. This goal saw the balls click into a higher gear and they could have had a few more goals in the middle period had it now been for some smart keeping from the Aston shot stopper.

Football can be cruel and the boys were dealt a blow as the final third commenced with Aston levelling the match at 2-2.

Once again the boys stuck to their game plan and threw caution to the wind in search of victory. Their bravery was rewarded with five further goals! Kyan and Lennon both scored a brace, as Gonzalo and Keon added to the goals scored in the opening 40 minutes.

The saying goes that it takes two to tango and Aston certainly played their part in this enthralling tie! Both sets of players were a credit to their district!

It was a brilliant performance from our boys and a joy to watch. Every single one of the lads contributed to the win. The team spirit amongst these boys is brilliant and if they continue to play like this, the future is bright!

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!