Junior football: Back in action at last
THE weather finally relented and allowed the town's junior sides to complete their first matches since mid-December.
Conditions may not have been perfect underfoot at some venues but the stars of the future were soon back into the swing of things.
Warley Blues U-132
Todmorden Borough U-138
Boro started strongly at Savile Park and were virtually camped in the home side's half.
But despite having most of the possession it took some time to make the breakthrough.
Jacob Dobson finally opened their account but Warley quickly levelled when their impressive number 7 was allowed to run into space and finish with ease.
Boro raised their game and goals came in quick succession from Jonathan Fitgerald, two, and Thomas Suthers giving the home side, quite literally, an uphill task in the second half.
Defenders Thomas Suthers, Jonagh Douglas Byrne, Alfie Farrington, George Hodkinson and midfield, Ryan Lewis, Lewis Wild, Thomas Heys, Alex Werth were totally in control.
Cameron Sutcliffe and Tommy Few replaced Lewis and Dobson in the second period and the goals came thick and fast for the visitors.
Fitzgeral completed his hat-trick then Wild bagged a brace, the first one of his trademark long range thunderbolts
Few completed the scoring after good build up play from Werth and Wild.
Warley had a few moments, forcing two good saves from Joe Battersby who was, otherwise, a spectator to the action, and managed to grab a late consolation goal.
This was an outstanding team display from Boro with passing and movement of high quality, particularly from the midfield in particular.
Northowram U-117
Tod Sports Centre U-111
Poor Todmorden ran into the league's 'superteam' in exhilarating form and the scoreline didn't flatter Northowram.
Formed by the amalgamation of Warley Blues and Northowram – who were both strong sides in their own right – Todmorden played what is effectively a Halifax town team, boasting outstanding players in most positions.
That said, Todmorden had an off-day and where they matched and almost beat Northowram earlier in the season, they were well short of the pace on Sunday.
The home side made an aggressive start and were two goals up within minutes. By half-time they had scored four with just a single reply from Henry Antemes whose strong shot slipped through the goalkeeper's fingers.
The fight left Todmorden after the break and Northowram scored three more.
Clearly, the team's dominance of their age group of local junior football is over after several gilded seasons but, long-term, defeats such as these will see them develop more grit, a stronger work ethic and the need to hone their positional play.
Crossley Swifts U-94
Tod Sports Centre U-91
HAVING led at half-time, Todmorden lost out to a very confident and determined Crossley side.
The visitors started brightly enough with intelligent passing moves from Joel Deakin and Ben England, before Ben Cook threaded an excellent ball for the lively Oisin Pritchard to steer home.
Shortly after Lewis Journeaux hit a powerful shot just over, and Dylan Caldwell also went close.
However, relentless pressure began to build on the Todmorden goal.
Jordan Rothwell and Leon Borrill dropped back to help Barney Sheehan and Jude Spensley in what was a gutsy defensive display.
Crossley hit the woodwork twice, and the excellent Lois Diggle produced a string of brave stops to preserve the lead.
Frustratingly Todmorden’s work ethic dropped in the second period.
Yet again they were caught cold for the equaliser and the back-line became gradually more exposed as Crossley grew in confidence and conceded two more goals.
Pritchard nearly gave Todmorden a lifeline when he hit the post but Crossley wrapped up the victory with a fourth.
To be fair, the Todmorden lads hadn’t played together for a while and it showed.
But if they can reproduce the skill and work-rate they showed in the first half for a whole game, then they can anticipate a different result when these two sides meet again in the cup.
Lightcliffe Lightning U-102
Tod Sports Centre U-106
TSC eased into the next round of the Shield with a hard fought victory Lightning.
The home team started strongly and opened the scoring with an easy tap in. Both teams created chances before Joe Clarke scored to make the scores level at half time.
Lightning again took the lead early in the second half with a well placed shot but TSC now had substitute Thomas Kennedy up front and his intervention changed the course of the match.
Within five minutes of coming on he brought the sides level but TSC had taken the lead and gone two goals clear.
His third showed a cool head as the ball was slipped past the advancing keeper.
There was no way back for the home team as TSC played with a new found confidence which created goals for Hosker and Ashton.
Todmorden Borough U-82
Greetland Gold U-81
BOTH came out bursting with energy and enthusiasm but it was Boro took command, forcing three corners in quick succession, which were all well defended by Greetland.
Tristan Pilling and Jordan Glover caused Greetland plenty of problems with their combination of passing, throw-ins and corners.
The first goal of the game came when Nicholas Shaw defended a shot on goal and cleared downfield to find Jordan Duxbury in space on the right wing who took on a defender and neatly netted.
Pilling, Tyler, Shaw and Jack Jacques defended well and helped goalkeeper Noah Hudson keep a clean sheet up to half time.
Half time saw Boro make several changes with Duxbury taking over in goal, Hudson moving into midfield, Lewis Rushworth coming on for William Tyler and Glover returning to replace Shaw.
Early in the second half Hudson and Glover combined to find Rushworth who got his leg to the ball under pressure and steered home Boro’s second of the match.
Greetland hit back with strong attacking football which was eventually rewarded with a goal.
Duxbury then produced a brilliant save to prevent an equaliser.
There were further chances at both ends but Borough held out with Duxbury claiming the man of the match plaudits.
Tod Sports Centre U-811
Warley Blues U-81
SPORTS picked up where they had left off before the enforced layoff with another free-scoring performance.
Their red-hot strikers Law, a hat-trick, and Jones, a brace, led the way assisted by Sorrell and Eatherall who grabbed a goal apiece.
Emery also netted twice and with two own goals they reached double figures with ease.
At the other end Bragg was virtually unbeatable in goal, Warley’s goal coming from a free kick, and in front of him, Kelly and man of the match Brackstone snuffed out virtually everything that Warley could throw at them.
In front of them Thompson was tenacious and tireless in his tackling and harrying.
TSC’s previous game had seen them beat Ryburn Black 16-3 with Jones, 5, Law, 3, Emery, 3, Eatherall, 2, Sorrell and Thompson among the goalscorers.
Clitheroe Wolves U-164 Todmorden Borough U-163
IT has been a tough season for the Todmorden side, winning only one of its seven games.
That win over Centre Vale Rangers is a distant memory but there have been some promising performances to keep them warm in cold times.
On Sunday Borough welcomed back keeper Adam Wilinsky returning to the club after a stint at the now defunct Hebden Bridge Saints under-16 team.
He made a couple of cracking saves during the early exchanges which kept Boro in the game but was finally beaten by a neat chip.
Borough fought back but were finding it hard to get their passing game going and a set piece looked like the only way for Todmorden to get back into the game.
there chance came after a foul outside the box. Todmorden’s new left back Jamie Crampton stepped up and struck the ball high into the top left hand corner of the goal with a superb strike.
The joy was short lived as a challenge between captain Joe Pryce and a Clitheroe forward in the penalty area led to the referee pointing to the spot. The soft penalty made it 2-1 and by half time Boro trailed 4-1.
Dan Emmett pulled a goal back early in the second half to make the game interesting and then Luke Culshaw scored his first goal in Borough colours to reduce the deficit to just one goal.
Although Boro huffed and puffed they could not get the equalising goal that their second half display deserved.
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
