Boys' U16B v Kimbolton, W2-3

Date:
Saturday 12th September

Venue:
Away, depart 11.40pm

Team:
J.Edwards (O), H.Eldred (P), J.Noakes (L), C. Hyde-Barker (O), O.Teal (N), J.Porter (P), B.Chapman (P), D.Gillbanks (L), A.Jopson (P), J.Lacey (N), T.J. Cole (P), J.Wilson (L), J.Leese (P), S.Martin (P), Z.Hussey (N)

Result:
Kimbolton 2-3 Repton

Match Report:
The hot afternoon sun was as relentless as the waves of attack that poured down upon the under-pressure Kimbolton defenders. It was definitely one way traffic as the Repton’s under 16 Bs took on Kimbolton’s 4th XI. Kimbolton’s hapless custodian tried vainly to keep his team in the game, by pulling off save after save; many times diving at the feet of the under 16 Bs forwards as they rampaged into the penalty box. The managerial decision, to play downhill in the first half looked as if it was definitely going to pay dividends.

However it was midway through the first half before the cracks in the Kimbolton defence began to widened and Repton finally took the lead. The goal was a triumph of teamwork, effort and endeavour and will go down in the annals of sport as the first competitive goal scored under the new management of Graeme ‘Tiger’ Galloway.

The goal was the opening chapter in the new history of Repton Under 16 Bs. If they could hold onto this lead, then there was a chance that they could stretch their unbeaten run to one game. However fate was about to deal the Under 16 Bs a cruel hand. A lucky deflection, a stumble, a miss-hit scuffed shot by Kimbolton and with the goalkeeper unsighted the ball ended up in the back of the Repton net.

However these under 16 B’s were made of sterner stuff than in times of yore, and they rushed back into battle,with the forces of evil (Kimbolton 4th XI) with a determined look and the glint of steel in their approach play. The hours of planning, with the racehorse kick-off and the adoption of the sweeper system meant it was only a matter of time until ‘Galloway’s Army’ yet again took the lead.

Another cracking goal burst through the back of the net with the Kimbolton keeper frozen to the spot. There was a right way, a wrong way and a Galloway, and the road to victory had been mapped out in the training fields of Repton. Minutes later Repton yet again re-wrote the history books of Sport (specifically the volumes dealing with the under 16 Bs) with their third goal.

It was at this point that many of Kimbolton’s 4th XI looked on the verge of tears. Their coach was thinking of throwing in the towel. But instead, he threw on two of his subs. As the game progressed, tiredness began to tell, and Kimbolton managed to grab a second goal. However the spirit of the Under 16 Bs was undaunted and as the clock ran down the last 10 minutes of time they seamlessly changed formation leaving just one striker and played a 5-4-1 formation which firmly negated any last minute challenge from Kimbolton’s 4th’s. This was another stroke of managerial genius which nailed shut any chance of redemption for the 4th’s. It was all over bar the final whistle, whose shrill tones brought the curtain down on a great victory for Repton under 16 Bs.

A triumph for teamwork, training and top-notch defending, the team were tireless, tenacious and technically adept, the management was as always, awesome, attack-focused and alliterational.