Boys' U15 v RHS

U15 B  Result: Won 5-0
Review: This was the U15Bs best game of the season, with crisp passing, good movement and excellent head-up hockey. Sheehan opened the scoring for us with a well struck hit from a short corner. St Albans defended well in the first half, holding us to a 1-0 lead at half time. However, in the second half out pressure began to tell, and our confidence on the ball grew. Roy began to distribute the ball well from the back, and Williams offered real life in the midfield. The goals were well taken - an assured lifted finish from eight yards by Soomro, Sheehan rounded the keeper before slotting home, and Blyth's two were both from short corners returned to injector (Blyth) which were put away with aplomb. The only disappointment was that a ferocious shot from 16 yards by Dom Sheehan hit the crossbar and went off into orbit. We were 2 inches from Goal of the decade.
Star Player: MOTM goes to Blyth but a special mention goes to Angus Taylor, recently promoted from the C team who had a fantastic game at right midfield.

U15 B Result: Won 2-1
Review:  A sleepy start saw us concede two short corners early on, and the second of these was put away. The first half was a scrappy affair, with most of the play straight up the middle of a heavily congested pitch, although we did create some good chances, including a good finish from Dom Sheehan to bring the scores level. The second half was a bit more open, with Oliver Grayson linking up the play very nicely and with better use of the width, particularly from Ed Reid, Ollie Williams and Roshan Soomro. The winner was a stunning drag flick by Dom Sheehan from a short corner. 

Star Player: Grayson (for his link up work and distribution which opened up the game in the second half)

Boys' U15 v Stamford

Result: Won 4-1

Review: Felsted played host to Stamford and produced some of their best hockey of the season to win comfortably. The game started evenly however Max Malins scored to put the home side one up. Stamford equalised after their forward was given time and space in the D to put the ball past Connor Joyce. However Felsted started to find their feet and both Tom Kingham and Harry Brooke had good chances. Felsted took a 2-1 lead when Freddie Burns hit a hard shot into the goal following a short corner, however we started to play some good attacking hockey with the forward line of Will Scott-Bowden, Harry Brooke, Tom Kingham and Oliver Gardiner proving dangerous, providing pace and skill up front which caused the Stamford defence many a problem in the second half. Brooke in particular was a real threat and did some tireless running. This helped Malins complete his hat-trick to secure a fine victory for the home side.

Star Player: Harry Brooke

Boys' U16 v Stamford

Boys U16B v Stamford

Result: Lost 3-0

Scorers:

Review: Unfortunately, we went down 3-0 to Stamford today.  The score line really doesn't reflect the game at all, and we were very unlucky not to score, and arguably deserved even to win the game. In the first half, the match was pretty cagey with neither side creating chances, despite some good play in the middle of the pitch.  Harry Hitchcock was particularly influential in the first half, but it took an error at the back, giving the ball away, to give Stamford a chance just before the break, which they put away for a 1-0 lead. At half time, the side was still pretty confident, and started the brighter of the two teams in the second half.  A couple of half chances came our way, but we could not capitalise, and after 15 minutes, they got a short corner which was hit powerfully, but Charlie Misell would have been disappointed not to keep it out.  At 2-0, we had to gamble a bit, and pushed forward.  There was some excellent hockey, with Matthew Hepburn really bossing the middle of the field, and Sam Payne getting in behind the defence on the right.  Jacob Misell was a constant threat, and Kieran Norris also played well and with purpose.  Hepburn struck a short corner cleanly, only to see the defender squeeze it past the post on the line.  Another was saved by the keeper when he flicked, and a third chance was also cleared off the line.  The Stamford keeper was having a blinder, and despite our pressing, we could not get the break.  They were relieved when a break away put them in on goal, and an unsighted keeper was not able to make the save, to give them a flattering 3-0 win. It was cruel on the team who had worked hard for each other, and played some good hockey at times.

Star Player:

Boys' 1st XI v Stamford

1st XI v Stamford

Result: Won 4-0

Scorers: Malins S, Hunter-Jordan, Silcock, Lane

Review: A solid performance and a good win after a long lay off. Felsted controlled possession excellently and put together a number of slick attacking moves. A bit rusty in both final thirds, in particular in attack where some more awareness, creativity and care might have yielded more. Having said that, Stamford were very well organised at the back and their goalkeeper pulled off numerous fine saves throughout the match. Ollie Lane was outstanding throughout, Hamish McLaren linked play well as he so often does, and Rorie Burns had yet another assured performance at left half. Highlight of the match was Harry Silcock's excellent strike from the top of the circle.

Star Player: Ollie Lane

Boys' U15 v Greshams

Result: Won 2-1
Review: Tight game from the outset. We went 1-0 up early in the first half through a Sheehan reverse hit. A Flick to Greshams in 2nd half brought it back to 1-1, but a well taken Soomro Winner sealed it in the last five minutes. Excellent contest.

Boys' U18 Essex Tournament

The Felsted U18 Cup side won the Essex County Championship competition by virtue of four outstanding performances in their round robin matches. All matches were tight against strong competition and some testing tournament conditions. Felsted's ability to control possession for long periods of the game and their patience and discipline at critical times saw them turn possession into goals and ultimately victories.

The first match of the tournament saw Felsted deal well with a rushed start to the game and a tough opponent. 3 corner conversions for James Seager marked an excellent start to the tournament for the Felsted centre half. The next match against Chigwell was another close affair with the pressured conditions experienced at such tournaments making it even closer. Coming into the game as a substitute and on 1st team debut, Ben Latham broke the deadlock with his first touch of the ball. Felsted remained calm to hold the one goal lead and eventually scored another 2 times through the excellence of inside forwards Brooks-Ward and Malins.

A tough and spirited Bancroft’s side were the next opponents. Josh Hunter-Jordan was rewarded for his excellent play throughout with an early goal. Felsted continued to mix possession with counter attack and Fillingham, Silcock and George Padfield opened their tournament accounts. The last game was played against a typically strong Coopers Coburn team. Patience was again required to win the game through the goals of Brooks-Ward and Latham.

The quality of play from the boys was quite superb. The team, missing three players, was excellent throughout and showed individual skill and collective discipline to win all games. Seager was controlled in the centre of midfield; Fillingham and James Padfield at the back were outstanding as was Pohle-Vasquez in goal; Edwards and Burns at wing-half were calm and assured throughout. In truth however all deserve credit for the way they played and conducted themselves on the day.

Forest: W 3-1 (Seager 3) MOTM: Seager
Chigwell: W 3-1 (Latham, Malins, W, Brooks-Ward) MOTM: Burns
Bancrofts: W 5-0 (Hunter-Jordan, Fillingham, Seager, Silcock, Padfield) MOTM: Fillingham
Coopers Coburn: W 3-0 (Brooks-Ward 2, Latham) MOTM: Brooks-Ward