Report

Sunday 13^th May.

U13 Tournament Oadby Town, Leicester.

In place of our annual tour to the South Coast to visit Steve Claridge it was decided we would do something different this year. Hence dear reader, that is how we ended up in sunny, windy, cloudy, warm, cold, breezy Leicester early on a Sunday morning.

The format was 5, 20 minute games. We were in a league of 6 teams. There were two leagues. The top four from each league would then go into the quarter finals and so on.

Those of you who are regulars to my reports and who have attended previous tournaments will have stopped reading just before the bit about the top four going through to the quarter finals. Ha! Not this time! Read on!

So we arrived with 16 players and we welcomed Darren & Kai to the ranks for their first run out with the Colts. A word of warning to their parents! Turn back before it is too late! After this afternoon it probably is already!

Now, please remember this is all done from memory so if there are any inaccuracies I apologise but here we go.

First Game v Hunscote Sports (Green & Black Stripes).

We went with our normal starting line up. We should have won this one. They never really threatened us and we had numerous chances. However, the signs were good. Adam was on fire. Dan was getting in on goal and the defence looked solid. I suppose in hindsight a draw was better than a loss.

Final Score 0-0. 1 point in the bank.

Second Game v Weekly Rovers (Purple/Lilac and white).

Now this lot looked good. Played some nice football and had some quick players. Darren & Kai were introduced into the fray. However, the Colts started brightly and a great Joe Hawkins pass put in Jack Rawson on goal. Now, I thought he scored but apparently not! So I am guessing the keeper got a hand to his cross shot and Adam followed up.

1-0   Colts.

Now, two rarities to acknowledge here! Firstly, a tour goal! Secondly, The Colts actually leading a tour game! A fine tribute to Her Majesty the Queen in her jubilee year! However, fear not. Normal service was about to be resumed. Weekly started to boss the game and it came as no surprise when they broke and equalised. There was a distinct lack of tracking back but there you go.

1-1 Weekly Rovers.

It has to be said that there only looked like one winner now as Weekly poured forward. From another break a deep cross reached the far post and their forward buried his header. However, the line-o spotted a narrow offside and the goal was ruled out.

Full Time Colts 1 Weekly 1. All is currently going well and we will take that one. Currently 2 points from 2 games which left us 3^rd out of 6 teams.

Third game. Colts v Alexton.

Alexton boasted not only an undefeated record going into this game but the second, possibly third worst kit! Bright, green, yellow? Not sure.

However, kit aside, they were an excellent football side with pace and physicality. By this time, squad rotation was in full flow. The old chestnut was raised on the sidelines. Do you come to win or give everyone a game? At this moment can I stop? I am currently listening to Absolute Classic Rock on the internet. The opening bars of “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon have just floated in. Therefore I reserve the right to stop this report and dance round the conservatory. If not familiar with this tune please Youtube now! Will be back shortly. (Oooh it’s Rainbow now! Can life get any better?)

Right! I’m back! New defence, wind against, good opposition, lack of communication! Lost 3-0! Ooops!

Colts 0 Alexton 3. Currently 5^th on 2 points.

Fourth Game. Colts v Broughton Villa (Red).

As we came to this game, the opposition were bottom of the league. Really, we had to win. Simple as that!

To be fair the game was pretty even. Defences were on top. Broughton had a nippy left winger who was giving Noah a tough time ( very rare!). From one of these runs he put in a tempting cross. The good news was that there were no Broughton forwards closing in. The bad news was that Fozzy chose this moment to open his account for the Wardens. He buried his shot/clearance/don’t know what it was (delete as appropriate!) past a stunned Jack Tyrer.

Oh dear. Colts 0 Broughton1 (Probably going home if we don’t equalise!)

No pressure there! 10 minutes left. To be fair the Colts took the game by the scruff of the neck! Do people still take things by the scruff of the neck? Sounds like you might get in trouble for doing that! Ok’ so whatever they did, they better get on with it! We could not lose this game. Lot’s of pressure, no threat. 1 minute left. A typical Callum through ball, Dan latched on and buried it (sort of) to make it 1-1.

Colts 1 Broughton 1.

That must be it surely? No! A huge up and under by Broughton. Squeaky bum time! It went a long way up. Jack was under it, or was he? At this moment, we are all happy we are not a Tyrer parent! He shinned it, parried, picked it up and carried it (credit Val Doonican, Paddy McGinty’s goat, Legend) and caught it under immense pressure. The good news is that Martin is due out of intensive care later tonight!

Final Score. Colts 1 Broughton 1. Not as good as we would have liked but destiny in our hands. Currently fourth but with 5^th and 6^th playing 1^st and 2^nd things were looking good.

Fifth Game. Colts v Anstey Swifts.

As we came into this game it looked as though a point would do. A win would guarantee, and might nick us third place. At this point Anstey had won 2 and lost 2. We had drawn 3 and lost 1. It might come down to goal difference, and happily our’s was better.

Should we ever have doubted these fine resolute young men. This was one of their best performances to date. Welcome another first timer to the score sheet, sort of! Having buried an OG in the last game, Fozzy followed up a good save form the Anstey keeper to prod one in at the far post.

Colts 1 Anstey 0. ( That will do)

Dan had a goal disallowed but generally the lads had the game under control. The results on the other pitches were going our way but with us winning there was no doubt we would qualify. The Colts held on with few scares.

Final Score Colts 1 Anstey 0. Colts qualify for Quarter Finals. Finishing third.

I went over to the tournament organisers to find out, 1. Had we qualified and 2. Who are we playing? When I told them the result, they said, Oooh you have nicked third place on Goal Difference. You are playing Glenfield.

Now, a number of us had watched Glenfield earlier on. They played in red. The game we watched, they played a team in Pink (Cerise? One for the ladies there). I was mesmerised. Could only think of Raspberry/Blackberry Fool or Summer Fruits Pavlova! Weird! Went and bought a Cheese/Bacon Burger with onions and felt a lot better.

Anyway. They won 4-2 in a very entertaining game BUT did look a bit vulnerable at the back.

Colts v Glenfield (Quarter Final).

One of their players opened the game with a shout of “come on lads, we can beat this lot easily!” Au Contraire little Glenfield fellow! Against the wind, the Colts took the game to Glenfield. Cometh the time cometh the man! A cross form Dan found Joe Hawkins. He missed his first swing but made no mistake with his second. 1-0 Colts!

It was inevitable that Glenfield would come back and they did. However, our defence that looked so Dodgy against Hawkesmill had recovered and refound it’s old solidity. Also Dan Phillips was playing a blinder to keep them out.

There was nothing he could do to prevent an equaliser from a lovely cross field ball.

Colts 1 Glenfield 1.

The game ebbed and flowed from here. Both teams had chances and Glenfield had a goal chalked off for offside. I am not sure at this time that people were aware but it was going to penalties if it stayed 1-1, and, dear reader, that is what happened.

Heady times! We had never been here before! Don’t know how they chose them but this is what happened.

Twigger first up. Keeper saved, and he didn’t, and he did, and he didn’t and he did and he didn’t!

1-0   Colts

Glenfield send Dan P wrong way. 1-1

Callum. Keeper saved and he didn’t (see above). 2-1 Colts.

Glenfield penalty saved by Dan. 2-1 Colts.

Hawkins, confident penalty, 3-1 Colts.

Glenfield penalty brilliantly saved. 3-1 Colts.

Matt Oller for the victory............................buries it.

Colts win 4-1 on penalties! Cue made celebrations. Nose bleed time.

Semi Final (Yes you are reading correctly)

Colts v Alexton ( who beat us 3-0 earlier).

This was always going to be tough. They were the best team we had seen. To be fair, the lads were tired but, hey what the hell, we have never been here before!

The game went according to plan. Lots of Alexton pressure with Colts dangerous occasionally on the break. Alexton took the lead after a swift break. Jack made a great save and an Alexton attacker just got to the rebound first to make it 1-0.

However, this was different to the first encounter. If Alexton thought they had it won, think again. It was end to end. Alexton had the edge, but with seconds remaining George clipped the bar and sadly the score remained at 1-0.

Full Time Colts 0 Alexton 1.

So they journey came to an end. We started slowly and came on strong. Perhaps, with a little more belief and fitness we could have gone on. That said, what a great day!

One that should be in next year’s calendar. Credit and thanks to the lads and coaches!

I am signing off for the season!

See you all at the presentation on the 31^st May.