UNDER 12 Young Elizabethan League Manager - Shaun Gartlan

COTGRAVE COLTS					TOTON FC
				26 APRIL 2008
	4		:			2

MATCH REPORTS 2007/08

26 April 2008 - Away to Cotgrave Colts

A very tired 11 Toton players were never at the races today and never looked like winning. But this game does not reflect the other 25 games of the season where they have gave their all in getting third place in Division One. You should all be proud of what you have accomplised this season boys. WELL DONE you have proved you are the best footballing side in the division.

19 April 2008 - Home to Long Eaton Utd Blue

Toton's last home match of the season they played local rivals Long Eaton. Toton ran out easy winners without ever getting out of first gear and dominated the whole game, but full credit to Long Eaton who battled for the whole game and never gave up. Wiith only one game left of a long hard but rewarding season left, the boys will travel to Cotgrave next week and enjoy the game and not worry what the score is, and have a go in a position they have never played in because they deserve it for all the hard work they have put in this season.

16 April 2008 - Home to Wilford Mavericks

Tonight Toton entertained Wilford looking for revenge for the penalty shoot out agony in the cup, and they certainly got that. With Toton putting in their most powerful display of the season they dominated the whole game with fast passing football and creating wave after wave of attacks with Dippy bagging five and Gnomes three Toton were on fire and when Gibbins and Henshaw also scored Toton hit double figures. With this the referee spoke to the Toton manager to take off the strikers for the remainder of the game. Toton's only worry was that keeper Rigley suffered hypothermia after not touching the ball for the whole game.

12 April 2008 - Home to Ruddington Village Colts

Today Toton played Ruddington in windy conditions which made it difficult for us to play our passing game. When the wind dropped giving perfect playing conditions Toton still did not play their passing football, but what they did do was give 110% in pure effort and determination and eventually won 3-0. At the end of a long season to see my boys still giving their all in a match that did not have a lot resting on it made me very proud to be their manager and who knows what will happen when they get some self belief, but I will probably be in a funny farm when they do show their true potential.

5 April 2008 - Away to Wollaton Hall Yellow

I will use today's referee's words to describe today's game against top of the league Wollaton " A GAME OF TWO HALVES " The first half was all Wollaton who dominated the midfield battle and and won all 50-50 challenges and were full value for their 3-0 half time lead. The second half belonged to Toton who started to play the football we practice week in week out, wave after wave of Toton attacks not letting Wollaton out of their own half, but just as in our previous game Toton ran out of time pressing for the equalising goal. But todays defeat did not harm our league position with 3rd place almost assured. I just wish my lads would play the football they are all capable of every week, as again today they proved that their best is better than anyone elses best in our league.

29 March 2008 - Home to Carlton Town Blue

Today Toton entertained Carlton in blustery and wet conditions. This was a very one sided game with Toton picking passes to the forwards at will. Every Toton player did themselves proud and should have scored 20 with the chances they created and only when Toton made a chance for them did Carlton threaten, but Carton did not embarrass themselves and their non-stop comittment will stand them in good stead for next year, not like their manager and parents who argued every desision in the entire game, but this was a very dominant Toton performance with the pick of the goals being a Josef Marzano 25 yard screamer into the top corner. Well done boys

15 March 2008 - Home to Hucknall Tigers

After last week's improved performance I was looking for my boys to get back to their best against hucknall who we lost to only three weeks ago in what was one of my lowest points as manager of this team. With the same starting line up I was looking to dominate from the start and get 3 points, and after 10 minutes of the worst football this team has ever played we were 2-0 down and looking like we were going to get hammered, but a change in formation with Watson dropping into a back four we managed to stem the flow of Hucknall attacks and get a foot hold in the game. With Sainsbury now on the left and the Woodward boys working together well with Cheetham Toton managed to create a couple of chances but at half time score 0-2. More changes at half time, (the manager has got to earn his corn now) he brings on play maker Marzano and reverts to his favourite 3-5-2 and Toton blast out of the blocks going for broke but they still look nervry at the back and Rigley has to make a couple of vital saves, but Toton are now looking like the Toton of old and 2 goals in 5 mins levels the score. More Toton attacks see them go close and with 8 mins left "dippy" scores to make it 3-2. Hucknall were now a broken team and with Holmes making it 4-2 and the lineman's flag making 3 crucial interceptions we would have routed them. Well done boys we are now back in business.

8 March 2008 - Away to West Bridgford AC

Today Toton bossed the entire game from start to finish and only some woeful finishing and a strong wind stopped them racking up more goals. We got better and better as the game went on and by the end we were starting to look like the team we really are. Well done boys.

1 March 2008 - Home to West Bridgford AC

Today we played second bottom Bridgford, and much was the same as last week whith nobody tyring to play passing football, but we did have enough chances to score 10, but while we play this kick and rush football every Saturday we simply will not win many games and as long as the players are intent in playing this way, as a coach my hands are tied

23 February 2008 - Away to Hucknall Tigers

Today Toton drew their first blank of the season and deservedly lost to Hucknall Tigers. Toton played with no shape, no drive, no commitment and most of all no self respect. They did not battle for the ball, they did not try to pass the ball and I think if we would have played till midnight we would not have scored. But full credit to Hucknall who battled for the whole game, tried to win every header and got a deserved 3 points. After the match all I could think about was how sorry I felt for the player's parents who gave up their time, petrol and god knows what else to bring their own and also other people's boys only to have to stand and watch what they saw today and on behalf of my team I would like to appologise for what they witnessed today and I can only pray that we all never see a performance like that again.

16 February 2008 - Away to Hyson Green Youth Blue

Today we travelled to unbeaten Hyson Green. Missing a number of players due to illness, late kickoffs, three no shows and with three players out of the 11 carrying knocks I thought we were in for a good hiding "how wrong was I?". In a very tight opening 10 minutes neither team gained control of the game until a sweeping 5 man moved ended with dippy Dale Dickerson scoring a superb goal to give Toton the lead. Hyson responded with a long spell of pressure with the Toton back four remaining solid. Toton could have doubled their lead just before half time but the keeper did well to deny Holmes, leaving the score 1-0. The second half was a hard fought event with Webb and Whitham keeping the normaly deadly Hyson striker in their pockets, in which he remained for the whole game, but with 5 minutes to go disaster struck when a miss hit cross ended up in the top corner to level the scores, but Toton were not going to be beaten and nearly snatched a winner when Woodward blasted down the wing to deliver a cross which Watson nearly converted at full stretch, but the match ended 1-1 and Toton did not get the 3 points they deserved to put them back in the title race. I have nothing but praise for my boys today for the performance they put in and proving yet again with the right application they are good enough to win this league.

9 February 2008 - Home to Cotgrave Colts

Toton played 4th placed Cotgrave in what looked on paper a hard game, and it did turn out to be hard game but only due to the fact that we managed to miss not one, not two but FOUR open goals. Toton dominated the opening half and raced to a 3-0 half time lead. We should have added to our lead but did not convert our chances and full credit to Cotgrave they rallied well in the second half and scored two quality goals to make a tense finish, but Toton came away with the 3 points they deserve and showed real grit today with a back four starting to look solid and endless running by the front men and midfield

2 February 2008 - Home to West Bridgford Wolves

Today we played 5th placed Wolves. Having already beaten them 6-0 our players thought it would be an easy game, but it was far from easy. The game on the whole was pleasing on the eye with both teams playing neat football, but Toton lacked thier cutting edge and drive, and at times they lacked desire to get something out of the game, and although Bridgford had to wait till the last minute to be handed an equalising goal on a platter by Toton, in my opinion Bridgford were the more hungry team and showed the most heart and deserved three points and not the one point they came away with.

12 January 2008 - Away to Bulwell Rangers

Today Toton ran out easy winners against bottom side Bulwell. With a number of changes to the starting line up to give run out to a number of boys coming back to the team from illness Toton never got out of 1st gear, but we still created enough chances to score 15.

5 January 2008 - Away to Hyson Green Youth Blue

This top of the table clash was a game of excellent attacking football and very little defending. Toton dominated the game for long periods but the difference was Hyson Green's 6 foot 10, 15 stone striker who was just too strong and put all his chances away. The league looks a distant reallity now with third place looking favorite, but I cannot praise my boys enough because they proved once again that they are the best footballing team in our league, but football alone does not win you trophies and we must get to grips with this.

15 December 2007 - Away to Keyworth Utd

When I turned up today at Keyworth rec with only 12 players out of a squad of 17 and 3 of those with really bad coughs added to the freezing conditions I feared the worst, even a really hard warm up did not stop the boys shaking with cold but once the whistle blew Toton produced their most dominant performance of the season playing fast passing football they scored goals from headers, volleys, long range shots, and one touch passing movements. Toton were in total control for the whole game and only conceded when the goalkeeper and defenders were too cold to move. The goals came today from a Ryan Gnomes double hat-trick, a Snail Dickerson brace with the pick of the goals a delightful chip from Jamie Woodworm. Well done boys.

24 November 2007 - Home to Bulwell Rangers

Today's performance from Toton was lack lustre to say the least, the boys expected to win at a canter and that showed in their sub standard warm up and performance, but what Toton did do in the absence of their passing game was battle and battle hard they did to grind out a result and three points, but the boys are really going to have to focus if they don't want their chance to win the league to pass them by. Today rather than a team worthy of the title they looked like a bunch of same heads.

17 November 2007 - Away to Wilford Mavericks - YEL Cup

Todays loss on penalties is a very disapointing result, but I can honestly say that even though we should have won at a canter with the chances we made, we did not deserve to win and a very well done to Wilford for never giving up and trying till the end. I can't fault any of my players because they gave everything they had and battled as hard as they could, what did cost us today was team disipline and composure at key stages of the game and the boys must learn these basic things quickly or the league title will soon be out of their reach. Llooking at the boy's faces after the match I think this lesson has been learnt and I'm sure their next opponents Bulwell Rangers will feel the full backlash from a wounded Toton team and manager. On reflection of today we still did not lose but we did not win a match that we should have.

10 November 2007 - Away to West Bridgford Wolves

Toton ran out easy winners today without ever getting out of first gear. After taking the lead after 10 seconds Toton strolled to victory scoring 5 more and missing many more chances. Next weeks cup match will be much tougher and we must raise our game.

6 October 2007 - Away to Wilford Mavericks

Today Toton travelled to Wilford to play on a pitch only half the size of Toton Manor and were made to work hard by Mavericks, closing down what little space there was and denying Toton any of the space that they like. Ttoton never looked like losing but were made to wait till the last minute to get the deserved winner and get the three points after a hard afternoons work, but the lads have now developed a "never say die" attitude that will stand them in good stead in what is going to be their best season to date

29 September 2007 - Away to Ruddington Village Colts

On a very small pitch Toton put in a very professional display, dominating for the whole match. Creating chance after chance, with the central midfield pairing of Cheetham and Woodward first to everything and Watson running past players like they were not there, and with the front three of Holmes Sainsbury and Dickerson giving Ruddington a match they will not forget. A very convincing Toton performance leading up to a very important October for the boys .

22 September 2007 - Home to Keyworth Utd

This was a very close match despite what the score reads. Toton dominated the first half but to be fair to Keyworth in the second half think they played the better football and deserved a bit more then a 6-2 score line.

19 September 2007 - Away to Long Eaton Utd Blue

Tonight Toton ran out comfortable winners against local rivals Long Eaton, in very windy conditions Toton never got out of first gear until the last 20 mins when they played some excellent football well done boys

15 September 2007 - Home to Wollaton Hall Yellow

As I'm writing this I don't know whether to laugh or cry! Today I saw my team play the best football ever, and still lose to the league and cup double winners for the last two seasons. But this was the best game I have ever watched with both teams playing quality football beyond their years. Wollaton showed their pedigree and pounced on Toton's only three mistakes in the whole game to lead 3-0 but Toton would not lie down and got back into the game with goals from Holmes and Dickerson and the champions were rocking and Toton pressed and pressed but just ran out of time. All the boys showed how far they have come and will definately be in the hunt for silverware at the end of the season. Both myself and the Wollaton manager thought a draw would have been a fair result but when has football been fair?

8 September 2007 - Away to Carlton Town Blue

Toton travelled to Carlton Town in their first game of the season and came away with all three points after a very convincing display. Toton dominated for long periods of the match and hardly let Carlton out of their half in the second half, with five quality goals and two ruled out by the linesman's flag this was a good start to the season but there is still more to come and Toton will have to step it up a gear when we play league and cup double winners Wollaton next week. But a good result today well done boys.