Our heaviest defeat of the season to last year’s Division I side Coniston but we weren’t as bad as the final score would suggest. To put it into perspective the win for Coniston moves them up to second in the table and we only had the bear 11 players, two of whom are registered as Division IV, plus our first choice keeper Ethan Johnson is still out injured.

There were some good individual performances from the twins, Bailey & Christian Baade Mortimer but unfortunately some basic team errors early in the game cost us the match. We found it difficult to cope with the speed of Coniston’s forwards and their route one football caused us all sorts of problems so by HT Russell Vale were 2-0 down. However it could have been worse both Ethan Lanarch and Harrison Benn managed to clear shots off the line.

Although our level of football improved in the second half, the speed of Coniston on the counter attack continued to catch us out despite the acrobatics of Brody Armour in goal. We almost added a bit of respectability to the final score line albeit from a Harrison Benn corner and free kick but unfortunately the decisive touch in front of goal was missing both times. After the game the Coniston coaching staff once again praised Russell Vale for their pass & move style of football and added we were by far the most enjoyable footballing side to watch in Division II.

As Coach I take full responsibility for the poor results this season. Due to coaching courses, hospital etc…. I have had to cancel about half the training sessions and this had had a detrimental effect on the players causing the inconsistencies that we see on game day. The U12A side are all good players and I think the experience of the past few seasons will help them to understand the passion, joy and heartache that only football can generate.

The kids that watched TV and those that were lucky enough to be present at the MCG last week when 96,500 Liverpool fans sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone” will hopefully understand the underlying message that you never give up and as long as you stay together and try your best things will get better.

YNWA

Coach

The result was irrelevant, the performance was poor but it was a sad game for more than those reasons. It was to be Hayley Waller’s last match in a Cobras shirt before she departs for Vietnam with her family. Miss Messi has been a great ambassador for both the club and her family and behalf of everyone I wish her well.

As with the previous Figtree game Russell Vale sat back in the opening minutes and allowed Oak Flats territorial advantage before taking an early lead against the run of play. Despite all the pressure Oak Flats failed to capitalise in those early moments and from our first attack of the evening we won a corner. Harrison Benn’s cross was met superbly on the volley by Ryan Hanlon and flew into the net 1-0.

Oak Flats response was instant and several times Brody Armour was called into action.  As the half wore on the rain came and made the conditions slippery. Although we created little in the way of chances Russell Vale still led 1-0 at the interval.

The style of football of the two teams couldn’t be any more different but surprisingly the only time either side looked dangerous was from corners. Oak Flats thought they had scored when a deflected shot from a corner landed on the roof of the net. It should have been a huge wakeup call for Russell Vale because from their next corner we froze again allowing their defender another free header but this time it went in off the off underside of the bar 1-1.

Russell Vale nearly regained the lead twice, both times ironically from a corner. Another Harrison Benn kick caused havoc in the 6 yard box and in the resulting medley Blair Dunn pulled his shot wide of the left hand post. Soon after from another corner Oak Flats thought they had cleared the danger but the ball dropped invitingly for Jack Donnelly on the edge of the box and his first time effort whistled past the right hand post.

Just like the first game away to Oak Flats, Russell Vale faded badly towards the end of the match and both times it cost them a goal. The visitors finished the strongest and scored a deserved winner when an uncharacteristic mistake in defence gifted them the opportunity. There was no coming back for the Cobras and the Oak Flats celebrations at the end were reminiscent of a Grand Final scene.

As I said at the start of this write up the result didn’t matter it was all about our honourary captain for the evening No.7 “Hayley Waller”.  She led us to League & Grand Final wins last season and the following is a little song based on Liverpool’s “Fields of Anfield Rd” that the players dedicated to her in the changing room after the game.

All round the fields of Cawley Park,

Where once we watched Miss Messi play,

“AND COULD SHE PLAY”

From midfield and the wing she game us dreams and songs to sing,

Of the glory round the fields of Cawley Park.  

YNWA

Coach

Two games in two days but after the Albion Park confidence booster I’m not complaining. Figtree have to be by far the tallest team we have ever played, couple the height advantage with their extra speed it was always going to be a very tough game and that’s exactly how it turned out. The visitors are serious contenders for the Division II title but I can’t say I’m in awe of their style of football. It’s very direct, hoof over the top and let the fast kids chase after it. As such it was going to take a very disciplined performance from the Cobras to get anything out of this game and that’s exactly what we got.

As expected Figtree made all the early running but despite the pressure the defence held firm. Six minutes prior to HT Russell Vale produced their first dangerous attack which resulted in a corner. From a Baxter Bowler Prentice kick, Bailey Baade Mortimer rose majestically at the near post to head the ball into the net, 1-0.  Desperate to get back on level terms their tall players continued to cause us all sorts of problems especially the No.9 and Brody Armour had to be at his best to stop two difficult shots. At HT the Cobras still led 1-0……..but only just.

Whether it was due to the break and trying to find somewhere to have a half time chat we lost our concentration. In the first minute after the restart another hoof up to the halfway line left two Vale defenders ball watching as the ball bisected them and the Figtree striker ran on to fire the equaliser.

Earlier in the season we might have let our heads drop but not today. Russell Vale continued to work hard to stay in the game as Figtree became more frustrated and more physical in an attempt to win and keep up their title challenge. To their credit Russell Vale refused to be intimidated despite being on  the end of some very late tackles that really deserved a booking. The couple of times Figtree did manage to get a shot in the safe hands of Brody Armour came to the rescue.  As the game wore on it became a little bit ragged as Figtree run out of ideas and the Cobras passing game was reduced to a  “get the ball the hell out of here” approach. Then for the second game running Russell Vale had a chance to steal all three points at the death, when Hayley Waller broke free with the ball. However with half the pitch still to cover the long legged defenders managed to catch her up on the edge of the box before she could get a shot in. Full time 1-1.

Figtree will probably feel robbed that they didn’t win today. Yes, they created far more pressure than we could muster but a solid team performance from Russell Vale won us a deserved point. Our number of goal scoring chances were few and far between but Blair Dunn and Jordan Errington ran their socks off up front.  Moving Baxter Bowler Prentice into centre midfield alongside Harrison Benn also paid dividends in breaking up Figtree’s attacks. Defensively Jack Donnelly, Tom Curran, Clayton Walker and Ethan Larnach did really well to restrict the number of Figtree chances.

At times our lead up football was good but we failed to make any real impact in the final third. A little more work needs to be done on ball control and holding the ball up long enough to bring other players into the game.  This weekend we had to play two different types of game but still produced two good performances and if the players continue to concentrate, emulate this form over the remaining matches.

TRAINING: Please note Monday 5:00pm – 6:30pm, still not sure about Wednesday because I have to go back into hospital.

YNWA

Coach

No training and no games for the past couple of weeks and away to the top team in Rnd 12, could it get any harder? Yep we had a less than half fit coach as well.

Albion Park started brightly and even hit the bar in the first couple of minutes then squandered a couple of good chances with wayward shooting. Slowly but gradually Russell Vale clawed their way back into the game and it all began with a brave run from Tom Curran who despite being kicked, pushed and pulled kept going but fell short with only the keeper to beat. Soon after Riley Hanlon almost opened the scoring after good work from Hayley Waller and Ethan Larnach set him up with a chance that seemed harder to miss than score. With the match still goalless Harrison Benn almost scored from a free kick when the lively Ethan Larnach was felled on the edge of the box but unfortunately the resulting kick sailed over the bar.

In the second half Jack Donnelly broke out of defence with the ball, kept going and was only stopped when fouled 20 yards out. Up stepped Harrison Benn in an almost identical position to the previous free kick but unfortunately this one skimmed the outside of the post. Ten minutes into the half Albion Park took the lead when their huge striker forced his way into the box to hammer the ball into the back of the net. To their credit the Cobras didn’t let it phase them, first Blair Dunn forced their keeper into action and then Harrison Benn won the ball just outside the box and drilled the ball into the corner of the net, 1-1.  With less than 5mins to go Russell Vale took a deserved lead from a Harrison Benn corner that sailed into the top corner, 1-2.

Albion Park then pushed everyone forward in search of an equaliser and as a result of that pressure an errant Cobras pass across goal was picked off and dispatched into the net, 2-2. Sensing a winner Albion Park kept up their assault on the Russell Vale goal and a frantic scramble inside the six yard box looked as if they were certain to find a winner but out of the ruck of players walked Brody Armour with the ball safely in his hands. Russell Vale broke quickly and while the ref looked at his watch and prepared to blow for full-time Jordan Errington unselfishly set up Christian Baade Mortimer who side stepped one player before tucking the ball into the corner of the net, 2-3 and game over!

Overall the passing was good and the players are finally becoming more competitive, as shown by some of the bone crunching tackles from Hayley Waller, Bailey Baade Mortimer, Calyton Walker and Baxter Bowler Prentice. This was by far our best result of the season and proves that Russell Vale can compete with the top teams at this level.

YNWA

Coach