Mulbarton Wanderers
Under 9

Norfolk Youth Combination

Sponsors
Harmony Home Improvements Ltd

Training on Mulbarton Common Saturday's at 9.30am - 10.30am

Wanderers 5 Blofield 0
Wanderers 1 Hethersett 3

It was good to be back in action after a four times postponement on a Sunny day. That said it was a disappointing Sunday morning for the boys. At first they were looking very rusty after the lay off then they were the victims of the worst refereeing display they have ever had to endure.

First up was Blofied which started with a frustrating delay before Wanderers could turn their superiority into goals. At last Harvey converted a Jack pass & then George ran the length of the pitch to make it 2-0 at the break.

Now it was time for a Jack goal scoring show with a second half hat-trick. Firstly, he got Goal one from a corner. Goal two he converted a bailey pass. Goal three he finished a rebound from the post from a Harvey shot. In between Harvey hit the post and Marcus had to make a good stop in a much more even half.

Next up was a decent Hethersett team and the refereeing performance. For a half every single tussle resulted in a Hethersett free kick. For six or seven minutes the boys were bemused before working out that they would be prevented from competing for anything and would need to play non-contact while Hethersett played normally.

By this time Hethersett were two up. Wanderers were now playing some superb football and Josh pulled one back with his second goal of the season from a corner.

However, the Hethersett team are no mugs. Their goal keeper was playing a blinder and they restored their two goal advantage with a cracking free kick off the underside off the bar. They even pushed the ref’s leniency to a point where Wanderers actually started to get a decision or two.

So it was nice to be back, but disappointing in the end.

Wanderers: Marcus; Josh; Henry; George D; George S; Jack; Harvey; Bailey.

Scorers: Jack 3; George; Harvey (v Blofield); Josh (v Hethersett)

Wanderers 3 Lakeford 0
Wanderers 3 Academy under 8s 2
Wanderers 2 Academy under 8s 8

The excitement was palpable as the under 9s accepted an invitation to go to the Colney Dome and play against Norwich City’s Academy under 8s. Much of the team were resplendent in new boots and looked like they would explode with enthusiasm if the matches didn’t kick off quickly.

First up were another team invited to play, Lakeford Rangers. The boys soon showed that they have a passing game for a perfectly flat surface. They were simply too strong for Rangers and could have scored more. As it was Jack, George and Harvey all scored in a comfortable 3-0 win.

Next up were the first Academy team. They were quick, passing and moving well but Wanderers matched them for a half and went in deservedly level at 0-0. Then in the second half it all went a bit mad. Harvey picked up a rebound from a George S shot, one-nil. Then George added another, two-nil. Stunned the Academy struck back with two quick goals. But just when it looked like the boys would miss out on the win they deserved the Academy failed to clear a corner and Josh forced in the winner.

It was straight into the final game against another academy team. It was hard work on the boys considering the effort they had put in so far. This Academy team had already scored a hatful of goals against Lakeford and quickly added two more against the Wanderers. But the boys don’t give up. They steadied the ship and then Logan scored a cracking shot. A goal that his constant running on the right fully deserved.

Half-time it was 2-1 to the Academy. But the boys are unused to playing for this duration at this level of intensity. Now the Academy was well on top and tired legs left gaps in front of Henry & Josh for them to exploit. It was soon four before the Academy made the mistake of backing off George until he found the range to crash one back. It was the last blow from Wanderers as the Academy made hay before the end.

So in summary, did the boys enjoy it – definitely. Did the boys learn anything – I think so. Did they acquit themselves well. Well, well enough that the Academy said they would be welcome back and had given their boys a good game.

Wanderers: Marcus; Josh; Henry; Jack; Logan; George D; George S; Harvey

Scorers: Jack, George, Harvey (v Lakeford) Harvey; George; Josh (v Academy game 1) Logan, George (v Academy game 2)

Wanderers 1 Firside 0

Revenge is a dish best served cold according to The Godfather. So a quagmire on the common was ideal for the boys to rectify an underserved defeat before Christmas against a very physical Firside.

For some time it didn’t look likely as Firside adapted to the conditions better and pinned the boys back for long periods. This gave Marcus an opportunity to demonstrate his greater assurance between the posts. There was even a hint of better times to come as Harvey break led to George hitting the keeper’s ankles with the rebound.

Scoreless at half time, changing ends led to Wanderers getting greater control. George rained in a couple of free kicks before a Henry shot was handled in the area. The penalty was missed but now the boys were not to denied.

Within 90 seconds a surging Logan run and neat pass put Harvey in one on one with the keeper. A step to the side and the ball was slid into the net. Wanderers now looked comfortable and could have added another via a flowing move started by an excellent Josh ball down the right flank.

In the end revenge was gained by hard work and endeavour. Time to get back to Stuart’s triangles and soon the team will be passing their way through such games.

Wanderers: Marcus; Henry; Josh; Logan; George D; George S; Harvey.
Scorer: Harvey

Wanderers 5 Taverham 0
Wanderers 7 Jex Rangers 0

After a continental six week mid-season break the boys pent up enthusiasm was ready to explode. Added to this Stuart’s new diamond master plan there was no telling how it would turn out against two of the nicer teams in the League.

As it turned out the answer was very well. Less than three minutes in and Wanderers slick passing allowed George S to put them ahead. Even though George was now playing deeper the goals kept coming and he added a second before Harvey at last converted one of the many chances his hard work had earned right on the whistle.

Quickly out of the blocks in the second half Harvey added his second within 90 seconds as the team passed the ball nicely which earned them some generous compliments from the Taverham manager for football they produced to earn a 5-0 victory and another goal for George to complete his hat-trick.

During the break Jex gained their first point of the season drawing 1-1. Meanwhile, the boys were distracted by mole hills and beet fields. This prompted a sluggish start against Jex who were no match for the strength of Wanderers. Harvey scored early but then it was some time before Jack scrambled home a corner.

In the second half normal service resumed and the chances came thick and fast. Henry scrambled home a corner for the third & then Logan crashed through three tackles for the fourth. A mazy Henry run opened the defence which allowed George D to pick it off his toes for number 5. Then Jack opened up the Jex defence in the same way to put Logan in for his second. Henry completed the scoring with his second which just left time for Marcus to make his first and only save of the morning.

All in all, it was good to be back

Wanderers: Marcus; Henry; Josh; George S; Logan; Jack, Harvey; George D

Scorers: George S 3; Harvey 2 (v Taverham) & Harvey; Jack; Logan 2; Henry 2; George D (v Jex Rangers)

Wanderers 2 Poringland 0
Wanderers 2 Sprowston 3

For the third time Wanderers came up against their arch nemesis, unbeaten league leaders Sprowston. Would this be third time lucky for the boys?

First though was the small matter of a game against the hosts Poringland. Starting slowly as usual it was a tight first period. Harvey hit the post but Wanderers were unable to exert enough pressure to break down Poringland. At the same time they looked very unlikely to concede.

Second period Logan finally broke the deadlock with his weaker left foot after Poringland failed to clear a corner. A typical mazy Harvey run then carved open the hosts defence to allow George to double the advantage and secure a deserved 2-0 victory.

It was then to the main feature. Sprowston drew first blood with an early goal but after that Wanderers dominated the half with one of their most sustained bursts of controlled pressure they have produced all season.
However Sprowston aren’t undefeated without a reason and they withstood this until the stroke of half time. Then a superb Henry header from a George corner nestled in the bottom corner and the teams went in level.

Wanderers were unable to kick on from this and Sprowston came out from the break the stronger. It was the boys turn to be under the cosh and with Josh pushed forward into midfield the defence was often left exposed 3 on 1. Sprowston were able to build on their time on top scoring twice.
Back came the boys and Josh worked the ball into George who expertly clipped in over the keeper to pull one back. At that point Wanderers were back on top and a few more minutes would have enabled them to get something from the game but time was up.

So a fighting performance but it was third time unlucky. The consolation was seeing the back of Sprowston for the season.

Wanderers: Marcus, Henry, Josh, Jack, Logan, Harvey, George S, George D.
Scorers: Logan, George S (v Poringland) Henry, George S (v Sprowston)

Wanderers 1 Sprowston 3 – League Cup

Logan made a surprise return from swine flu optimism was high. But a league cup tie against Wanderers big League “A” rivals was never going to be easy.

So it turned out as Sprowston took full advantage of playing down hill with the wind on a pitch that was the narrowest possible. Wanderers were limited to lightening breaks from Harvey as Sprowston harried and closed down everything.

The boys fought but were unable to resist this pressure and Sprowston’s three scrappy but admittedly well deserved goals separated the teams at the break.

Changing ends at half time brought relief. Sprowston no longer threatened but on the other hand Mulbarton were unable to exert the same level of pressure. Added to this in both halves their very capable keeper was proving very difficult to beat.

George S pulled one back with a deflected shot and hit the post from a corner. But even a final desperate charge wasn’t enough to keep Wanderers in this year’s cup.

Still when the two teams meet for the third time in December Wanderers will be looking for third time lucky.

Wanderers: Marcus; Henry; Josh; Logan; Jack; George S; Harvey; George D.
Goal scorer: George S.

Wanderers 2 Hillside 3

With Logan ruled out and Jack feeling the effects of illness (though you wouldn’t have known it from his performance) this was always going to be a testing experience. However it did give Marcus a chance for a starring debut in goal.

Much of the first half was spent with two good footballing teams cancelling each other out. For thirteen minutes it was becoming obvious that it would take something out of the run of the mill to break the deadlock and it was George S who provided it. Just before half time he robbed the last Firside defender and slid Wanderers into the lead.

This should have been a platform for the boys to kick on, instead they allowed Firside to get back on terms quickly in the second half. Now Wanderers were struggling to get their passing going and defending deeper and deeper.

Still Harvey worked free to the touchline and his cross left George S with an open goal to restore the lead. Now as with Sprowston on the first day of the season the boys had done the hard work to get in front with time slipping away but were unable to hold out for the win or get the point they deserved.

First Henry put his hand up on a long range Firside effort and the Firside penalty gave Marcus no chance. Then with practically the last attack of the game Firside cut through the right side of Wanderers defence and a deep cross left a Firside attacker with all the time in the world to head unchallenged an excellent winner.

In all a disappointing result from a performance worth a draw but plenty to learn from and carry into next weeks big cup tie on the same pitch against Sprowston.

Wanderers: Marcus; Henry; Josh; George D; George S; Harvey; Jack.

Scorer: George 2

Wanderers 5 Rocklands 0
Wanderers 5 Scole 3

Character building is one way to describe Sunday morning on Rockland Recreation ground. The wind whipped in heavy rain with only occasional relief. The pitch was smaller the boys are used and very heavy; the football was of the old fashioned variety as the wind carried the long balls.

Still in the match report tradition of using old song titles from the eighties, when the going got tough, the tough got going. It was an opportunity for George S to give a colossal performance; upfront, midfield and when an hour’s football had sapped tired Wanderers legs in defence. In this he was ably assisted by Josh with some crunching tackles.

First up was a previously unbeaten Rockland. It was easy to see why in the first half as two teams cancelled each other out with only the goal that George S scored direct from a corner separating the teams.

George D came on for Harvey at the break and produced a lively performance of intelligent running and passing. Second half the boys at last got a grip of the game. A Logan run opened up the defence for George to score. George S then completed his hat-trick before receiving a Josh long ball to grab his fourth. It was obviously a day for George’s as George D completed the scoring from a rebound to make it what was in end a comfortable 5-0 victory.

Then it was straight into the Scole match which was asking a lot of the boys in the conditions but in many ways promised the relief of getting out of the rain earlier. Scole drew first blood when a sweeping run down the right left a striker unmarked at the far post breaking Wanderers run of clean sheets. Scole were immediately undone by their lack of an experienced keeper as a long range George S effort squirmed through the stand in's legs. Harvey added a deserved (for him and the team) second before the break.

At half time a shivering Henry bailed out to give George D another go – this time in midfield. By this time the boys were visibly tiring giving George S his opportunity to shine as the shape of the game fell victim of the conditions. First Stuart’s training pitch endeavours brought their reward as George S drilled in a short corner. Then he added the first of a pair from long range that took full advantage of Scole’s lack of an experienced keeper and a slippery ball. Sandwiched between these two efforts Scole pulled one back as they found an unusual amount of joy from the Wanderers defence.

As Scole pushed to get something from the game Josh & George shored up the defence. There was time for the opposition to get one back but no more. So a far cry from the warm mornings and wide open spaces of the Common but a very different challenge met and overcome. As a team the boys proved that they can both play football and win a battle.

Wanderers: Damien; Henry; Josh; Jack; Logan; Harvey; George S; George D.
Scorers: George S 4; George D (v Rocklands) George S 4; Harvey (v Scole).

Wanderers 5 Taverham 0
Wanderers 4 Jex Rangers 0

The trepidation felt in stepping up to the Combination seems a long time ago. Sunday’s games were almost too easy for the under 9’s which allowed the quantity of communication and passing to fall while the ambition in shooting and dribbling to rise.

But to dwell on that is to carp too much. Yet again Wanderers defended as a unit, extending the time since they last conceded a goal to over two and half hours. The boys even shed their habitual slow start with Harvey opening the scoring against Taverham within 45 seconds after a defensive mix up. Within a minute it was two for Harvey with an exquisite lob. A Taverham defender was unable to keep out a Jack effort on the line and George S hit the post before opening his account before half time.

So 4-0 to Wanderers at half time but anyone expecting a goal fest in the second half was to be disappointed. George D came on for a run out in defence allowing Logan a well earned breather. The defensive solidity remained, though Taverham cracked the cross bar with a free kick awarded for Damien picking up a back pass. Harvey completed the scoring and his hat-trick. The boys are obviously doing something right with the strike partnership vying neck and neck in the scoring charts.

Jex Rangers have a neat and tidy look about them selves and always look to pass the ball. However, Wanderers were too organised and robust for this to have any impact. The training ground came up trumps again as a short corner led to Josh scrambling the ball home for his first of the season.

Harvey converted a Jack cross to enable Wanderers to go into the break at 2-0. Second half George S ran onto a defence splitting pass from Henry to make in three. It was then Harvey’s turn to have a rest with George D having a run out up front. It was all part of the versatility of the group with Logan filling in at the back while Josh demonstrated his passing and tackling from midfield.

There was still time for George to complete the scoring with his second of the game. Yet again the boys showed that any team that wanted to match them for technique, organisation and effort would have to be a very strong team indeed.

Wanderers: Damien; Josh; Henry; Logan; Jack; George S; Harvey; George D.
Scorers: Harvey 3; Jack; George (v Taverham) – George 2; Harvey; Josh (v Jex Rangers).

Wanderers 2 Wymondham Town 0
Wanderers 7 Diss Town 0

“Diss town is coming like a ghost town” is the horrible sung pun that my wife has been torturing Henry & me with all week when told of Sunday’s opponents. As well as showing her age this also described the crowd after Wymondham completed their two games and their fans went home.

Before that a previously unbeaten Wymondham had proved difficult to break down. Having watched them overcome Diss by a single goal we knew what was to come. Competitive, on a small tight pitch they closed down everything.

Wanderers however matched them for effort and defensively were strong enough to repel everything on offer. So when a long range George effort spilled back from the keeper and Harvey raced in to make it one nil at half time there was only going to be one team winning.

Though the boys were increasingly asserting territorial advantage the touchline was well aware that one mistake would undo all the team’s good work. That mistake never came; instead George doubled the advantage allowing Wanderers to see out the game calmly.

I don’t know what it was about the orange segments in the break but they seemed to wipe the boy’s minds of all of Stuart’s instructions and left them hyperactive for a mad five minutes. A Diss side that had matched Wymondham proved capable getting forward but unable to defend. That said it was lucky that the ball came back from the post otherwise Wanderers could have paid for their mad five minutes.

Amnesia faded and the boys swung back into action. Henry squeezed the opener in left footed at the near post and before half time raced through the middle, past the keeper and leaving a defender on the line unable to keep it out. In between the training ground work all paid off as George received the return and drilled in the second at a narrow angle. Half time saw the boys go in 3-0 up.

The second half was very much one way traffic. George was peppering the Diss goal with long range efforts to such a degree that Diss started marking him at their own goal kicks. But not before he made it 4-0 from distance.

A brave Diss keeper was now all that was standing between the boys and a big score and several times he went down injured after stopping shots with all parts of his body. Logan seemed to get past him with sheer strength of will to make in five from close range. Jack got the goal he had promised his mum with a rebound from another long range George effort. This left time for George to complete his hat-trick with Wanderers’ seventh.

It was a very satisfying third consecutive clean sheet. I am sure we are all off now for a tea time check of the other results.
 

Wanderers: Damian; Josh; Henry; Jack; Logan; George S; Harvey
Goal scorers: Harvey, George (v Wymondham); George 3; Henry 2; Logan; Jack.

Wanderers 4 Hethersett 0

When the game did kick off though the team slipped into a
familiar pattern. Resolute, organised and intelligent Wanderers began curbing Hethersett
early exuberance and Poacher Harvey struck early with a typical effort to calm
our (that’s Jason, Stuart and me not the team) nerves.

Increasing control was rewarded with George S lifting the ball
over Hethersett keeper and Henry finishing a goal mouth scramble to leave Wanderers
going in at half team comfortable at 3-0.

Both teams played the second half like they already knew the
final result. George D had a second half run out, Harvey extended Wanderers lead to 4-0,
Hethersett gave Damian the opportunity to demonstrate some assured handling in
a pleasing clean sheet and there was an opportunity for two astounding headers.
First Harvey angled a long aerial ball from Jack across goal past the keeper, an on rushing
George and unfortunately the post. Secondly, Josh crashed a George corner
against the Hethersett cross bar.

Another great performance from Wanderers in a game both
teams played with Great Spirit.

Wanderers: Damian; Josh; Henry; Jack; Logan; George S; Harvey; George D.

Scorers: Harvey 2; George; Henry.

Wanderers 2 Poringland 1

Sunday presented a new wealth of firsts. Stuart’s first match in charge, first competitive double header in the Norfolk combination, first game on Orchard Park & a début for George D.

First up an energetic Poringland proved difficult to break down before a perfect long ball out of defence sent Harvey through to score. Before half time Logan added a second lifting the ball past the keeper after a mazy run in the box.

The second half remained tight and Wanderers were unable to extend their lead which led to a nervy last couple of minutes when Poringland got a late consolation goal.

Wanderers 2 Sprowston 3

During the break the boys watched an impressive Sprowston demolish Poringland 9-0. It was obviously going to be tough.

First half was just the challenge the boys need and expect in the League as two good teams kept it tight. Wanderers struck first through Harvey but were unable to hold the lead so the teams went in level at one a piece.

Second half was a perfect lesson as Wanderers took the game to Sprowston. First Harvey and then George S hit the posts. There was only three minutes to go when a lofted George S free kick proved too much for Sprowston’s keeper – 2-1 Mulbarton. But having done enough to win the game the boys learnt that good teams don’t lie down. Sprowston came straight back and equalised with a scrambled goal. There was worse to come within sixty seconds when a long range effort took a wicked deflection off a defender and up and over Damian in goal – 3-2 Sprowston.

As they say on the telly they will play worse than that and win.

Wanderers: Damian (GK); Henry; Josh; Logan; Jack; Harvey; George S; George D.

Scorers: (v Poringland) Harvey, Logan (v Sprowston) Harvey, George S.

Open invitation for New Players

Mulbarton Wanderers are looking for new players to join our very successful under 9’s youth football team.

Are you interested in Football, Fitness & FUN?

Do you want to develop your individual and team skills?

Are you aged under 9 as of 31st August 2009, (school year 4)?
 

Then come and join us on Saturday August 15th 2009 at 9:30am for an open training session at Mulbarton Common.

For more information call

• Jason 07979 728821

• Brian 07958 082788

• Stuart 07855 852281
   

Our Coaches are trained to the FA 1st for Sport level 1 award which teaches them Emergency Aid, Child protection as well as best practice in football coaching, all giving their time and experience free of charge.