::: Tattenhall Junior Football Club :::

17th April 2004 Tattenhall U10’s 4 Chester Nomads Colts 0
Plucky Colts Worn Down
Tattenhall gave the full squad a run out in this friendly against a small but plucky Chester Nomads Colts side. The first 20 minutes remained at 0-0 as both sides struggled to get their passing going. The first sign that it wasn’t going to be the Colts day came on the 25th minute when a fine attacking run up the right wing forced a penalty which was excellently saved by Matthew Jones in the Tattenhall goal. Shortly afterwards the Colts were made to rue their miss even more when Stuart Saddler stabbed home the ball in a goalmouth melee to put Tattenhall ahead. This settled the home side down and early in the final 15 minutes they went 2 up when Lewis Reeves delivered a clinical finish from 5 yards following a 5 man passing move which split the Nomads defence. Soon after Stuart Saddler got his second and Tattenhall’s third following a poor Colts clearance, and in the final minute of the game the Colt’s bad day at the Office was completed when Finlay Pilkington’s in-swinging corner went straight into the net. In the end Tattenhall wore the Colts down with their superior size and skill and also demonstrated some good passing later on in the game. However, this week’s opposition was not as testing as the Waverton side they will meet in the cup semi final next week and the boys are under no illusions that they will have to move up a gear to progress in the cup.

3rd April 2004 Tattenhall U10’s 2 Christleton New Scene 0
Tattenhall Inflict Shock Defeat on League Leaders
Tattenhall produced a sparkling performance to inflict the first defeat of the season on league leaders New Scene. Tattenhall fielded their ‘cup squad’ in the first two quarters and the team showed a greater urgency than their opponents, Lewis Reeves, Finlay Pilkington and John Boughey all going close with headers from well struck corners by Lewis Jones. Robbie Kerr and George Payne-Gill produced disciplined defensive performances to keep the pacy New Scene attack in check. Tattenhall got their noses in front at the end of the second quarter when Tattenhall’s tight man-to-man marking forced New Scene into a loose defensive pass which Lewis Reeves intercepted and fired home from 5 yards. Tattenhall made wholesale substitutions at the start of the third quarter to give those not eligible for the cup some experience against a quality side. Well marshalled by Finlay Pilkington and Kevin Tanswell at the back, Will Mapstone, Sam Green, Dominic Matthews, James Helmers and Dominic Sirignano held an invigorated New Scene at bay with a stoic defensive performance where they made up for any lack of organization with sheer enthusiasm. When New Scene did get past the defence Matthew Jones was on hand in goal to make a series of reflex saves. The fourth quarter saw the reintroduction of the cup players, who went back onto the attack and delivered the coup-de-grace with 8 minutes to go when a defence splitting pass by Lewis Jones found Stuart Saddler who outpaced a defender and slotted the ball past the keeper. Tattenhall were flying now and only a superb save from the New Scene keeper denied Lewis Jones their third in the dying seconds. Tattenhall showed in this game that with the right mental approach, hard work and concentration they are capable of beating anyone in the league – they will now be looking to carry this positive attitude forward into the cup semi final on April 22nd.

27th March 2004 Vicar’s Cross 3 Tattenhall U10’s 7
Tattenhall Triumph in a ‘Game of Two Halves’
To avoid the disruption of repeated substitutions which plagued them last week, Tattenhall limited substitutions to the half time interval. The first half team contained many of the more recently recruited players. After 20 minutes they were coasting at three-nil following goals from Lewis Jones, George Payne-Gill (fed by an excellent defence splitting pass from Sam Green) and Kevin Tanswell (‘leapt like a salmon’ to nod in a Lewis Reeves corner) until a severe case of sleeping sickness allowed Vicar’s Cross to score three in three minutes to bring the home supporters to life. At half time Tattenhall brought on some more of the ‘older heads’. Following a shaky patch where they were twice saved by the woodwork and then by two fine reflex saves from Matthew Jones, they got back into the driving seat with a scorcher scored from twenty yards by John Boughey, a well taken goal by Lewis Jones following an excellent through ball from Lewis Reeves and a second from John Boughey , this time an excellent header from a Lewis Jones corner. Lewis Jones completed his hat-trick with another good finish from close range and was denied a fourth in the dying seconds by a top class save by the Vicar’s Cross keeper. This week all the players settled down and gave good performances, albeit against slightly weaker opposition than they have faced in recent weeks. This match was a good confidence booster for the team before next weeks league game against top of the league Christleton New Scene and the upcoming cup semi final against Waverton.

20th March 2004 Tattenhall U10’s 0 Ellesmere Port 5
Tattenhall Blown Away!
Tattenhall kicked of with the gale behind them but despite several close shaves at the Ellesmere Port end they failed to capitalize. They conceded just before the end of the quarter when a through ball caught the defence flat footed and an Ellesmere Port forward ran in to score. A creditable defensive performance, coupled with ‘Port’s over reliance on the chip over the top, kept the score at 0-1 against the wind in the second quarter. In the third quarter Tattenhall played with the wind with Finlay Pilkington and Lewis Jones shooting narrowly wide and Stuart Sadler bringing two fine saves from the ‘Port goalkeeper. They conceded a second goal at the end of this quarter when a defensive mix-up led to a muffed goal line clearance allowing ‘Port to score from close range. In the final period Tattenhall forced several corners and brought three more excellent saves from the ‘Port keeper. However their preoccupation with attack left them exposed in defence and allowed Ellesmere Port several opportunities to break, three of which were converted. The good news from this match was that everyone from Tattenhall’s large squad got a game and worked hard. Unfortunately the large number of substitutions broke up the rhythm of the team - the major casualty being Tattenhall’s passing and defensive cohesion.

13th March 2004 Tattenhall U10’s 1 Chester Nomads 2
Tattenhall Pay for Lapses of Concentration
With shirts newly sponsored by the Letters Inn , Tattenhall started this game with a spring in their step against an opposition who had drawn with league leaders Christleton New Scene the previous week. The first quarter of the match was closely contested with both teams playing attractive passing football. Nomads had the slight competitive edge and were first to the ball a little more often and were rewarded when Tattenhall’s only defensive lapse of the quarter allowed two Nomads players to get behind the back line unmarked. They were duly fed by a well placed through ball and worked a good passing move to score. The next two quarters were similarly closely contested with Nomads having slightly the better of the play but being thwarted by three fine saves by Matthew Jones. Early in the fourth quarter Nomads went two up when the Tattenhall defence pushed too far forward for a goal kick which fell slightly short and was gleefully finished by the Nomads attack. Tattenhall kept their momentum going and were rewarded two minutes from time when Stuart Saddler rattled the cross-bar with a pile driver and George Payne-Gill fired in the rebound from close range. This triggered a frantic last two minutes with Tattenhall laying siege to the Nomads goal , most notably when Lewis Jones grazed the crossbar with a 20 yarder. However Nomads held out for a win which on balance they had earned by their slightly superior organization and competitiveness. This was a highly entertaining game with both sides showing a high level of skill, teamwork and commitment – it is a tribute to the level both teams reached in this match that it turned on just a couple of lapses of concentration.

28th February 2004 - Tattenhall U10’s 8 Chester Nomads Colts 2
Back With a Bang!
After a fortnight’s enforced absence due to half term Tattenhall came back to the Chester mini league program with an emphatic win over Chester Nomads Colts. The first 10 minutes ended ‘even Steven’ at nil-nil after a quarter where both teams struggled to break down one another’s defences. To give everyone a game and also stake his claim for the England manager’s job, Tattenhall manager Richard Payne-Gill then substituted virtually everyone, an action which led to Tattenhall producing some superb passing football in the second quarter to accelerate to a 4-1 lead courtesy of goals from Kevin Tanswell, Oliver Loveday (on his league debut), George Payne-Gill and Stuart Sadler. The Nomads reply was a superbly taken free kick, which curled over the wall and into the top right hand corner – look out David Beckham! Further substitutions followed for the third quarter and Tattenhall extended their lead to 6-1 with goals from Stuart Sadler and Lewis Reeves. Nomads never gave up and played the better football in the fourth quarter , pulling a goal back early on. However Tattenhall had the last word with a second goal poached by George Payne-Gill and, with the last kick of the match, a perfectly placed 20 yarder from Lewis Jones which dipped over the Nomads keeper into the top right hand corner.Notable Tattenhall performances in this match from Stuart Sadler, who covered every inch of the pitch and scored two coolly taken goals, and Lewis Reeves, whose passing game moved up a level today. Also worthy of note was the Nomads keeper, who put in a superb performance to keep Tattenhall out of double figures.

7th February 2004 - 11-a-side friendly - Upton 5 Tattenhall 1
A Whole New Ball Game
Tattenhall came off beaten but not disheartened after their first experience of the 11-a-side game. There were lots of new challenges to overcome including a bigger pitch, longer playing periods, the wonders of the offside rule and perhaps most daunting of all the overwhelming torrent of well-intentioned advice from the sidelines! Suffice it to say that neither the players nor the coaches got it quite right on the day but in the end a good time was had by all. Highlights of the day – a well taken goal by Stuart Sadler, a well struck goal by Finlay Pilkington unfortunately disallowed because of a hairline offside decision, another exhibition of good positional play by Robbie Kerr in defence, and encouraging performances by Will Mapstone, Lewis Reeves and Kevin Tanswell who all ‘got stuck in ‘. In fact all of Tattenhall’s squad of 14 were involved in this game at some stage and no-one could be accused of lack of effort. Learning points – most of Tattenhall’s woes were caused by being caught out of position too often, sending too many passes astray through trying to pass without controlling the ball and losing out on too many 50:50 tackles. However the most important learning point to come out in the after match debriefing was that the team prefer Twix to Mars Bars – we have to get this right for the next match!

31st January 2004 - Waverton 5 Tattenhall U-10’s 1
Tattenhall Get Stuck in the Mud!
This started off as a closely matched contest with a tight first 15 minutes finishing 0-0 , during which Lewis Reeves in particular excelled for Tattenhall with a fine display of tackling and passing. Shortly after the first re-start Waverton got their noses in front when a midfielder made a great dribbling run to beat 4 Tattenhall players and square the ball for a tap-in at the far post. As often happens at this level, this spurred the Waverton team on and they began to edge more of the tackles to win a greater share of the possession and score 4 more goals.Tattenhall kept on plugging away on a pitch which became extremely sticky as the game progressed and gained a consolation goal three minutes from time when George Payne-Gill bundled in a Lewis Jones cross. Tattenhall never gave up, however the confidence boost from the first goal gave Waverton a competitive edge that they fully capitalized on to leave Tattenhall stuck in the mud. The league match was followed by a friendly in which Tattenhall gave their unregistered players a run out. Final score in this match was 2-1 to Waverton with George Payne-Gill scoring his second of the day for Tattenhall. The biggest winners today were the soap powder companies as the washing machines of Tattenhall and Waverton will have had their work cut out after this one!

24th January 2004 - Chester Mini-League Festival-Christleton
U10’s Build For The Future
The growth of interest in the club means that Tattenhall were, for the first time, able to field two under-10 teams at the Christleton festival, both containing a mixture of experienced and less experienced players. Tattenhall ‘A’ started slowly with a 0-0 draw against Vicars Cross ‘B’ and a 0-1 defeat to West Kirkby Wasps. Lewis Jones then scored their first goal of the tournament to secure a 1-1 draw against Upton. With increased confidence they produced a great passing display in the last group game to demolish Chester Nomads Colts 4-0 and progress to the quarter finals with goals from Lewis Jones, Sam Green and Dominic Matthews (2). Unfortunately the ‘A’s ran out of steam in the quarters, being well beaten (0-3) by West Kirkby ‘A’. Performances of note for the A’s were good goalkeeping from Matthew Jones and the continuing improvement of Dominic Matthews and Sam Green. Tattenhall ’B’ contained 3 new signings , but guided by the ‘old heads’ of James Hellmers, John Boughey and Stuart Sadler developed a fine team spirit. They had four close matches in the group stages, securing a 0-0 draw against Christleton New Scene, coming back from a goal down to earn another draw against West Kirkby Wasps ‘A’ with a Stuart Sadler strike, and losing narrowly 1-2 to Phoenix Falcons and 0-1 to Ellesmere Port Blues. Of special note for the ‘B’s’ were superb goalkeeping and marshalling of the back line by James Hellmers, encouraging debuts from Oliver Loveday, Will Mapstone and Chris Pollard and also a guest appearance by Tattenhall U-9 Jamie Preston, who capped a series of accomplished performances with a superb individual goal against Phoenix Falcons.This was another great day out with plenty of football for the boys and experience for the whole squad which will stand them in good stead for the move up from 8–a side to 11-a side next season.

17th January 2004 - Tattenhall U10’s 0 Christleton New Scene 5
Tattenhall Fail to Make The Scene
The score line was a fair reflection of the play against the team which, on this showing, are the best side in the league. Tattenhall started strongly and gave as good as they got for the first 10 minutes with Stuart Sadler bringing a fine save from the New Scene keeper and Dominic Matthews shooting narrowly wide from a break. New Scene scored after 10 minutes when an awkward long shot from midfield deceived James Helmers in the Tattenhall goal. This settled New Scene down and their superior skill, organization and fitness started to tell as they spent increasingly long periods in the Tattenhall half. The second goal came from another bobbling shot but the third and fourth were more emphatic, both scored from close range after good passing moves. The fifth was a top class header when a New Scene striker ‘leapt like a salmon’ to nod in a perfectly struck corner – an area of skill Tattenhall have yet to fully master. Much to their credit Tattenhall continued to work hard throughout the game and good defensive performances from Kevin Tanswell, Lewis Reeves and in particular Robbie Kerr helped to keep the score down. Every member of the squad played at some stage in the game and every one gave 110%. The management could not have asked for more, but enthusiasm and hard work was simply not enough on a day when New Scene gave a lesson in passing and movement off the ball, a lesson which the Tattenhall boys say they are going to practice themselves in the next match!

10th January 2004 - Tattenhall U10’s 5 Vicar’s Cross 4
Tattenhall Hang On In Nine Goal Thriller
The match started scrappily as both sides struggled to find some form after the Christmas break but eventually Tattenhall were the first team to string a series of passes together resulting in a well taken goal by John Boughey. Early in the second half Dominic Matthews made it 2-0, stabbing the ball home from 3 yards after a goalmouth skirmish. Vicars Cross upped their game played two good passing moves around the Tattenhall defence to bring the game back level. It was then Tattenhall’s turn to up the tempo with John Boughey working a good individual goal for 3-2. Early in the final 15 minutes Tattenhall scored the goal of the match as a flowing 5 man passing move left Lewis Jones feeding George Payne-Gill for a simple tap in. Jones himself got the fifth following a good pass from Dominic Mathews. At 5-2 Vicars Cross should have been dead and buried but they kept their resolve and staged a fine recovery to pull two goals back and setup a Grandstand finish in which good goalkeeping by Matthew Jones and some good last ditch defending by Lewis Reeves, James Hellmers and Dominic Sirignano saw Tattenhall home. Yet another thrilling, roller coaster game for the U-10’s – any more like this and we’ll be selling tickets!

13th December 2003 - Tattenhall U10’s 2 Ellesmere Port 3
Late Surge Not Enough For Tattenhall
This week Tattenhall made substitutions in order to give more players match experience and they did not disappoint. Committed performances by Sam Green and Dominic Matthews helped to hold the score at nil-nil for 20 minutes in an ‘end-to-end’ game. Ellesmere Port claimed first blood after 25 minutes when their midfielder was first onto a throw from Tattenhall goalkeeper Finlay Pilkington and chipped it back into the net. They went two up after 30 minutes when some good movement freed up a striker who converted from close range. With Pilkington moved into midfield and Lewis Jones and Stuart Sadler switching wings Tattenhall became much more dangerous and got back into it on 35 minutes when Lewis Jones cut in from the left and finished from a Saddler pass. ‘Port delivered what looked like the ‘coup-de-grace’ when, with 5 minutes left, they exploited a defensive error to strike the ball past James Helmers in goal. However Tattenhall replied immediately when Pilkington finished a Lewis Jones pass with a power drive which the keeper could only parry into the net. This set up a thrilling finale as Tattenhall surged forward for the equalizer but ‘Port were disciplined enough to hold on for the win in another sporting and highly entertaining match. All the players from both sides performed creditably and Tattenhall’s improvement since the early season was favorably commented on by the Ellesmere Port coach.

6th December 2003 - Tattenhall U10’s 2 Ellesmere Port 1
Another Good Performance Secures Semi Final Spot
A 110% performance from every player earned qualification to the semi final of the Chester Mini League’s Soccer Funweeks cup with Tattenhall’s first ever victory over Ellesmere Port. Unlike the previous meeting between these sides, Tattenhall started fast and Ellesmere Port were put on the back foot after 5 minutes when Lewis Jones capped a powerful run up the right wing with a crisp finish into the bottom left hand corner. Ellesmere Port are a patient and well drilled side and leveled the game midway through the first half when they exploited some poor marking to get a 3 against 1 situation which they duly converted. Tattenhall however continued to win more of the midfield battle and regained the lead just before half time. Following an Ellesmere Port corner clearance Lewis Reeves rattled the cross bar with a blistering 15 yarder and Stuart Sadler forced the ball over the line in the ensuing goalmouth scramble. The second half was end to end stuff but with improved defensive covering from the whole team and every player fully focused Tattenhall held firm. This was a fine performance against an Ellesmere Port team who worked hard throughout the whole game and showed a high level of skill. The last two week’s performances have underlined the improvement in competitiveness, application and teamwork the team has made over the past few weeks.

29th November 2003 - Chester Nomads 1 Tattenhall U10’s 2
Tattenhall Triumph Over Nomads and The Elements
With rain and a gale blowing directly down the Filkins Lane slope this was always going to be ‘a game of two halves’ and Tattenhall kicked off downhill hoping to benefit from the slope and the elements before half time. They worked hard and took the play to Nomads but it looked like it was going to be ‘one of those days’ as strong Nomads defending prevented the ball being forced over the line in several goalmouth skirmishes and Nomads themselves made several dangerous attacks. Tattenhall’s persistence eventually paid off just before half time when Finlay Pilkington and Lewis Jones worked neat short corner which allowed Jones to skip past a defender and unleash a thunderbolt into the top right hand corner of the net. The change of ends brought Tattenhall under much more pressure. But with the defence well marshaled by Robbie Kerr, good running and tackling from Stuart Sadler, Lewis Reeves and Pilkington in midfield and the pace and skill of Lewis Jones on the wing Tattenhall were always a danger on the counter attack. Their second goal came as the Nomads defence pressed forward , when substitute Sam Green won the ball in midfield and played an excellent through ball to Stuart Sadler who coolly slotted it past the keeper. Undaunted, Nomads then won a series of corners which eventually resulted in a Tattenhall own goal. However this only strengthened Tattenhall’s resolve and a solid defensive performance in the last 10 minutes secured a well earned victory. This was a focused performance by the whole team against good quality opposition. It is a credit to both sides that they produced such a close and entertaining game in awkward conditions.

22nd November 2003 - Chester Nomads Colts 1 Tattenhall U10’s 4
League Season Underway With A Win
Tattenhall got their league season off to a winning start in a match which at some stage saw every member of the squad in action on the Filkins Lane turf. The colts side is depleted of the most skillful players, who play in Chester Nomads first team, but they always work hard for the full 40 minutes and never give up. Nomads held the match at 0-0 for the first 15 minutes until Finlay Pilkington settled Tattenhall down with the first goal , sliding in at the near post to convert a Stuart Sadler cross. Lewis Jones got the second shortly after half time but Nomads fought back to 2-1 with an excellent chip over Tattenhall keeper Matthew Jones. This spurred both teams on but it was Tattenhall who managed to up the tempo the most, replying through Stuart Sadler and then shortly before full time, capping the win with a goal from an excellent passing move which was coolly finished by George Payne-Gill. Once again this performance was notable for some excellent contributions from the less experienced players.

15th November 2003 - Chester Mini League Football Festival
‘A Grand Day Out’!
Tattenhall made the trip to Filkins lane for the second time in as many weeks to take part in the Chester Mini League November Football Festival. Manager Richard Payne-Gill took the decision to treat the competition as a low pressure ‘run out’ before the rigors of the league start next week and this proved to be a good strategy which brought excellent performances from every member of the squad. The first match saw the more experienced players in action against Chester Nomads. With a hard working performance they earned a well deserved 0-0 draw in an end-to end match that Tattenhall had many chances to win . This against a team who had beaten them 10-0 only a few weeks ago. The next match saw a greatly changed side with some of the less experienced ‘rising stars’ in action against the might of Christleton New Scene. The management took to their bunkers and waited for the deluge but a superb committed performance from every member of the Tattenhall team limited New Scene to a 3-0 win in a match where Tattenhall had may chances to score themselves. A performance which emphasised the strength in depth in the squad. The final match saw Tattenhall pitted against Chester Nomads Colts for the second time in two weeks (they also play them next week in the league) and, despite a hard working and plucky performance by the Colts , Tattenhall cantered to 3-0 win with goals from Stuart Sadler (2) and John Boughey. With good weather, high levels of commitment from all the squad members and Mars Bars for all this really was a ‘Grand Day Out’!

8th November 2003 - Tattenhall U8s 1 Chester Nomads 1
Perhaps it was the half-term break that meant the 7 a side squad were slow to wake up, but after the first 10-minute spell they found themselves 1- 0 down! Kieran Lee who began in goal had no chance after Nomads broke through our defence and finished well. The second and third spell saw our squad fight back strongly as they began to look organised, with Ryan Waring defending solidly and Sam Wooldridge looking stronger up-front. A strong team talk followed before the final spell and they came out fighting! After a deflected clearance by the Nomads, Jonah Birkett picked up the loose ball and curled in a left footer to get a well deserved equaliser. Overall this was a very strong performance showing depth and great teamwork! Could this be the champagne moment for the season? Due to increased squad sizes we were able, for the first time, to put out a 5 a side team as well as our regular 7 a side. This gave some of the newcomers a well-earned chance to play 40 minutes of competitive football. Although the team came in 5 – 2 down, our star female player Adele Smith scored both of our goals. After consulting with other coaches it appears that Adele is the first ever female to score 2 goals in any one Tattenhall Junior Football Club match – well done Adele!

8th November 2003 - Chester Nomads Colts 0 Tattenhall U10’s 4
Tattenhall Off to a Good Start in The Cup
Tattenhall won a confidence boosting victory in their first group match in the Soccer Funweeks Cup. Having won the toss and opting to play the first half down hill on the sloping Filkins Lane pitch, Tattenhall out-competed Nomads in midfield and spent the first half in the Nomads half. The first goal came from the boot of Kevin Tanswell after a shooting gallery in the Nomads area during which their keeper made half a dozen excellent saves. Finlay Pilkington scored the second with a well-struck volley from the edge of the area after the Nomads defence failed to clear a corner. Stuart Sadler then curled a 15 yarder in off a post and Pilkington notched his second and Tattenhall’s fourth just before half time with a cheeky back heel from a Lewis Jones cross. Continued Tattenhall pressure the second half saw Lewis Reeves and Robbie Kerr going close with headers. However they failed to extend their lead due to a string of fine saves from the Nomads keeper and also because too many opportunities were squandered by players ‘going for glory’ in front of goal instead of passing to better placed teammates. Good defensive performances came from Robbie Kerr and second half substitute James Helmers, both of whom remained alert to Nomads breaks and were rarely caught out of position. The good news from this performance was the increased competitiveness and work rate shown by every member of the squad. Main area for improvement; passing and team work , especially in front of goal. The next group match in the cup is against Ellesmere Port who will be a sterner test.

1st November 2003 - Tattenhall U10’s 0 Boughton 5
Bonfire Night Friendly is a Damp Squib For Tattenhall
Tattenhall started like they were still on half term holiday in this friendly and soon found themselves three goals down against an opposition who simply had more organisation and commitment. They worked harder in the second half but never looked threatening in a match where they depended far too much on lobbing the ball forward to lone striker Lewis Jones - who without support was handled well by a strong defence. Stuart Sadler , Finlay Pilkington and James Hellmers worked hard and Matthew Jones kept the scoreline reasonable with several good saves - but far more running, passing and support play will be required from the whole team if they are to avoid coming unstuck in the cup next week.

18th October 2003 - Tattenhall U10s 3 Waverton ‘A’ 3
Tattenhall Share the Honours After Best Performance So Far
A committed team performance and a faultless goalkeeping display from Matthew Jones gave Tattenhall a share of the spoils in the most entertaining match of the season so far. This match looked a tall order based on past results. However it was Tattenhall who got the confidence boosting first goal after 20 minutes of end-to-end play when Kevin Tanswell looped the ball over the keeper from close range after a goalmouth scramble Waverton came back strongly forcing a string of diving saves from Matthew Jones but Lewis Jones scored Tattenhall’s second on the break with a well struck 15 yard shot. Waverton pulled one back with a good passing move before George Payne-Gill scored the goal of the match for Tattenhall, seizing on a loose ball, jinking past a defender and calmly slotting the ball past the advancing keeper. Waverton then upped their work-rate and played the better passing game to pull back to 3-3 but Tattenhall refused to give in and some good last ditch defending backed by great goalkeeping by Matthew Jones, earned them a well deserved share of the honours. Both sides produced excellent team performances in a match that was ‘an advert for football’. Particularly noteworthy for Tattenhall were Matthew Jones (goalkeeping), Robbie Kerr (defence) and Lewis Jones and Kevin Tanswell for their high work rate getting forward and tracking back.

11th October 2003 - Chester Nomads B 3 Tattenhall U8s 4
From the outset it was clear that the younger Nomads B squad were a force to be reckoned with – this proved to be a very competitive match, yet one which showed the resolve of our squad and their increased ability to play as a true team! Sam Wooldridge was able to make his well-deserved scoring debut after linking well with Jonah Birkett up-front. Adele Smith and Ben Loughran were also worthy of mention as they battled hard against the Nomads waves of attack. After settling during the 2nd spell we began to show our strength and with a true team effort and after Felix Morris netted his first, Jonah Birkett added another goal. Nomads replied quickly however, and we entered the last spell 3 –3. However, it was Sam Wooldridge who sealed the victory in the last 10,netting his second for the day.

11th October 2003 - Christleton New Scene 7 Tattenhall U10’s 0
Only Chocolate Bars for Consolation After a Promising Start
Tattenhall had a good start, stopping a strong home side in their tracks and having more of the play in the first 15 minutes which ended nil-nil. However a goal conceded early in the second 15 shook Tattenhall's confidence and boosted New Scene's. After this the home side became the more committed and organised team. New Scene's crossing practice paid off for them, leading to three headed goals, not often seen at this level, whilst the next high spot for Tattenhall was the post match chocolate bars. For Tattenhall Robbie Kerr and Finlay Pilkington were notable for their commitment and work rate throughout the game whilst Lewis Jones brought several saves from the New Scene keeper. Matthew Jones ‘had a full in-tray’ in the Tattenhall goal but kept on battling and claimed the ball well on the ground in several goalmouth scrambles. New Scene and our next opponents Waverton are a cut above the other opposition in the mini league and the challenge for the Tattenhall side next week is to play like they did in the first 15 minutes this week throughout the entire game.

4th October 2003 - Tattenhall U8s 3 Vicars Cross 2
After a slow start, and some defensive mistakes during the first and second periods, the visitors held a 2-0 lead. However, during the third spell we began to soak up and deal with the pressure, subsequently conceding no goals during that spell and entering the last period 2 down. After some inspiration was sought, the team rallied round and came back to produce the most stunning 10 minutes of football yet seen! With some strong defensive work spearheaded by Adele Smith, and clever midfield play from Ryan Waring and Ben Loughran, Sam Wooldridge and Jonah Birkett were able to trouble the Vicars Cross defence so much that Jonah Birkett netted a hat trick in the last 10! The squad enjoyed celebrations after their first (well deserved) league win.

4th October 2003 - Vicars Cross 1 Tattenhall U10’s 3
‘Singing in the Rain’ as Away Win Boosts Team Morale
Tattenhall were on top for large portions of the game. Several opportunities went begging before Lewis Reeves netted after 10 minutes with a firmly hit strike from 5 yards. Tattenhall continued to press with Reeves a dominating influence in midfield well supported by the running Lewis Jones , Stuart Sadler, and John Boughey and this eventually resulted in a second goal, scored by George Payne-Gill who tapped in from close range in a crowded area. Substitutions for the last 15 minutes temporarily disorganised the side and allowed an undaunted Vicars Cross their best period of the game. Matthew Jones in goal made several good blocks during this period but had no chance with Vicars Cross's goal which was a well struck penalty following a handball. Tattenhall re-grouped and came back quickly to score the third, a calm finish by Payne-Gill after a good run and cross from Lewis Jones. Solid contributions by all the players after the setbacks of recent weeks, some fine defending and goalkeeping by Vicars Cross kept the margin of victory respectable. Performances of particular note were that of Lewis Reeves and the rapidly improving George Payne-Gill and Sam Green. Special mentions also for Dominic Matthews, James Helmers and Sam Green, who kept smiling whilst sitting out their 15 minutes ‘on the bench’ in a driving rainstorm.

27th September 2003 - Tattenhall U8s 0 Christleton New Scene 12
From the outset of our first home match, it was clear to see that New Scene were a very organised squad. The opening period saw them go ahead and set the scene for the following 30 minutes of football! During the second period Jack Payne Gill came closest as he attempted to convert a beautifully weighted through ball, which the keeper handled well. Jonah Birkett came close in the third 10, with the second of our 2 shots on Goal during the whole game being pushed past for our only corner of the match. Substitutions were made for the last period to no avail. Although we were soundly beaten we had fought hard.

27th September 2003 - Ellesmere Port 4 Tattenhall U10’s 1
Ellesmere Port Keeper Thwarts Tattenhall Comeback
Tattenhall came back from last weeks drubbing with a spirited performance away against a well drilled and competitive team. They got off to a slow start allowing themselves to be put under pressure by an Ellesmere Port team who marked tightly and were generally more competitive in the first 15 minutes during which Port scored two scrambled goals which were a just reward for their pressure. Tattenhall bucked up their ideas after the restart and for the rest of the match they gave at least as good as they got, forcing a series of corners and only being kept at bay by some excellent goalkeeping from the Ellesmere Port keeper. Despite this pressure, Port struck on the counter attack and conjured up two excellent long range strikes to enter the last 15 minutes at 4-0. Undaunted , Tattenhall continued to press and Lewis Jones got the consolation with 5 minutes to go, tapping home a fine cross from the tireless John Boughey. Ellesmere Port were deserved winners, however, but for Tattenhall's slow start and an excellent performance by the Ellesmere Port keeper, the score line would have been much closer. Man of the match for Tattenhall was John Boughie whose running, passing and ball skills were a class act. Encouraging performances also by Lewis Reeves and new signings Sam Green and Kevin Tanswell, who are starting to gel into the team. Areas for improvement, competing from the first whistle and passing and finishing in the final third of the pitch.

20th September 2003 - Chester Nomads 6 Tattenhall U8s 1
A beautiful morning greeted us for the first ever Mini Soccer League game that the newly formed under 8’s squad played. The team fought well during the first of the 4 ten minute spells, and although going 1 –0 down, their enthusiasm and resolve never waned. The second 10 saw Nomads score again after a defensive error, however we began to settle, and after some good link-up play from midfield, Jonah Birkett scored his first league goal pulling us back to 2-1. The 3rd period saw us soak up the pressure well, and we entered the last 10 minutes 2-1 down. During the final spell Felix Morris, Kyle Parker, Ruth Siddorn & George Percival all played their debut, and although the team fought well, Nomads were very strong in the closing 10 minutes, finding the back of the net on 4 occasions.

20th September 2003 - Tattenhall U10’s 0 Chester Nomads 10
Tattenhall Outgunned as Nomads Get Their Revenge
Tattenhall were brought back to earth with a bang as Nomads extracted full revenge for the defeat of their colts team the week before. With two regulars absent and three trialists in a large squad Tattenhall rang the changes but none of the combinations proved to be a match for a Nomads team that man for man was more skillful, better organised and more competitive on the day. Good goalkeeping performances from Mathew Jones and Kevin Tanswell prevented the scoreline becoming even more embarrassing. The cause of Tattenhall's woes was their failure to control the ball and play a passing game when tightly marked by a well organised team. Possession was lost too cheaply and, when it was lost the team failed to defend effectively. To their credit though, all the team worked hard and showed a good spirit, encouraging one another even when well behind. However this result shows the amount of work that needs to be done if the team are to compete with the better teams when the league phase starts on 22nd November.

13th September 2003 - Tattenhall U10’s 6 Chester Nomads Colts 3
Fun in the Sun as U10’s Get Off to a Flying Start
Tattenhall U10’s got their season off to a good start with a comfortable win. Good passing caught a rather shell shocked Nomads Colts side cold and brought 4 goals in the first ten minutes from George Payne-Gill, Robbie Kerr, Stuart Sadler and new signing Sam Green. To their credit, Nomads pulled themselves together and gave as good as they got in the middle portion of the game to enter the final quarter at 5:1, Dominic Matthews scoring the fifth goal, his first for Tattenhall. Tattenhall played better football in the fourth quarter, making several good chances which went begging. The sixth goal eventually came from Payne-Gill, but sloppy defending late in the game allowed Nomads two more goals which were a just reward for their persistence. Everyone did well, in particular Lewis Jones, who provided some excellent crosses from the wing, and George Payne-Gill who worked hard in midfield and made several good runs forward, to be rewarded with two goals. The Nomads Colts side can be proud of the way they kept battling.