Saturday, April 29, 2006
Season Review: Part One - Comedy Moments
As part of the end of season review, here is a reminder (in no particular order) of some of the funniest moments from the season:
"He's holding my hand!!" - Ian vs Preston
Will's impromptu "Superman" impression vs Brooklands
The Crab - an innovative new goal keeping technique
Sam blocking a short corner, falling over and in one continuous movement getting up and back to the goal to defend the next one vs Brooklands
Taz trying to break free of Paddy's grip to start on the biggest opposition player!
Will's oscar winning performance vs Bolton
"Don't you kick me!" - Ian vs Lytham
"If he does that again, Sam, just kill him" - well meaning advice from a senior player vs Prescot.
Xander claiming a "goal" vs Didsbury 7s
The open net miss in the Urmston game - would like to name and shame but as it wasn't one of our players not sure I can!
Will and Andy managing to get hit in the head in the same game (i'm sure you can laugh about it now!)
And finally....
Pitch Hire: £36, Mercian Great White Oxide: £180, The look on Urmston players' faces when Andy scored his last minute winner... priceless!
"He's holding my hand!!" - Ian vs Preston
Will's impromptu "Superman" impression vs Brooklands
The Crab - an innovative new goal keeping technique
Sam blocking a short corner, falling over and in one continuous movement getting up and back to the goal to defend the next one vs Brooklands
Taz trying to break free of Paddy's grip to start on the biggest opposition player!
Will's oscar winning performance vs Bolton
"Don't you kick me!" - Ian vs Lytham
"If he does that again, Sam, just kill him" - well meaning advice from a senior player vs Prescot.
Xander claiming a "goal" vs Didsbury 7s
The open net miss in the Urmston game - would like to name and shame but as it wasn't one of our players not sure I can!
Will and Andy managing to get hit in the head in the same game (i'm sure you can laugh about it now!)
And finally....
Pitch Hire: £36, Mercian Great White Oxide: £180, The look on Urmston players' faces when Andy scored his last minute winner... priceless!
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Old Boys Fight Back Not Enough
Ormskirk 1s 3-1 Bury Grammar School Old Boys Men's 1s
Bury finished their first league season with a defeat at second place Ormskirk, despite mounting a second half fight back which saw the home side clinging on to their two goal cushion.
Ormskirk started the brighter of the two teams, and The Old Boys had to endure twenty minutes of pressure. Chris McManus this time provided the heroics at the defensive end making several important saves, as Ormskirk swarmed forward. When the opening goal did arrive, it was gaffe of Massimo Taibi proportions from captain Sameer Sheikh that helped the home team into the lead. After McManus had produced another fine save, Sheikh was on the line ready to clear the follow up shot. However, in trying to turn the shot round the post, the Bury skipper only succeeded in helping the ball into the net.
This was followed by a quick fire second, which again had a distinct slice of good fortune about it. As three Bury defenders closed down an Ormskirk forward, the ball took a deflection off Tariq Sheikh’s stick and rolled into the path of an unmarked player. McManus saved his first effort, and his second was blocked by Sheikh, however as the ball came across the D, another follow-up shot went in, despite the best efforts of Foster on the line.
In the remaining fifteen minutes of the half Bury began to produce hockey that forced Ormskirk onto the back foot. Twice the ball rolled virtually across the goal-line, with only the final touch missing, and the Ormskirk keeper was tested on several occasions before the half time whistle.
The second half produced more good hockey from both sides, with Bury beginning to get the upper hand, as Aitken was pushed into a more advanced role. However, Ormskirk were still dangerous on the break, and it took a fine save from McManus (later described as one of his best ever) to keep the score at two – nil. Eventually, a snap shot increased Ormskirk’s lead, but this was to be the last of the real pressure from the home side.
Bury quickly got themselves back in the game. Cooke showing his striker’s instinct by deftly deflecting a ball in, with the slightest of touches, to reduce the deficit. What followed was a barrage of Bury pressure, which created some great opportunities, however The Old Boys were unable to convert the chances that would have secured a draw.
Although the second half of the season ended with a defeat, The Old Boys must take heart from the fact that since January they have taken 22 points from a possible 30, only being beaten by the top two teams in the division. An excellent showing from a team playing its first season of league hockey.
Match Day Squad: McManus, S. Sheikh, Foster, Aitken, T. Sheikh, Spencer, Hillary, Berry, Kumar, Ainscow, Cooke, Butler, Robinson, Stoneman.
Bury finished their first league season with a defeat at second place Ormskirk, despite mounting a second half fight back which saw the home side clinging on to their two goal cushion.
Ormskirk started the brighter of the two teams, and The Old Boys had to endure twenty minutes of pressure. Chris McManus this time provided the heroics at the defensive end making several important saves, as Ormskirk swarmed forward. When the opening goal did arrive, it was gaffe of Massimo Taibi proportions from captain Sameer Sheikh that helped the home team into the lead. After McManus had produced another fine save, Sheikh was on the line ready to clear the follow up shot. However, in trying to turn the shot round the post, the Bury skipper only succeeded in helping the ball into the net.
This was followed by a quick fire second, which again had a distinct slice of good fortune about it. As three Bury defenders closed down an Ormskirk forward, the ball took a deflection off Tariq Sheikh’s stick and rolled into the path of an unmarked player. McManus saved his first effort, and his second was blocked by Sheikh, however as the ball came across the D, another follow-up shot went in, despite the best efforts of Foster on the line.
In the remaining fifteen minutes of the half Bury began to produce hockey that forced Ormskirk onto the back foot. Twice the ball rolled virtually across the goal-line, with only the final touch missing, and the Ormskirk keeper was tested on several occasions before the half time whistle.
The second half produced more good hockey from both sides, with Bury beginning to get the upper hand, as Aitken was pushed into a more advanced role. However, Ormskirk were still dangerous on the break, and it took a fine save from McManus (later described as one of his best ever) to keep the score at two – nil. Eventually, a snap shot increased Ormskirk’s lead, but this was to be the last of the real pressure from the home side.
Bury quickly got themselves back in the game. Cooke showing his striker’s instinct by deftly deflecting a ball in, with the slightest of touches, to reduce the deficit. What followed was a barrage of Bury pressure, which created some great opportunities, however The Old Boys were unable to convert the chances that would have secured a draw.
Although the second half of the season ended with a defeat, The Old Boys must take heart from the fact that since January they have taken 22 points from a possible 30, only being beaten by the top two teams in the division. An excellent showing from a team playing its first season of league hockey.
Match Day Squad: McManus, S. Sheikh, Foster, Aitken, T. Sheikh, Spencer, Hillary, Berry, Kumar, Ainscow, Cooke, Butler, Robinson, Stoneman.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Bury Prove Too Strong For Didsbury
Didsbury Northern Men's 6s 2-3 Bury Grammar School Old Boys Men's 1s
This game had it all. Two Didsbury players wearing the same shirt number, an umpire who asked, before push back, if he could only officiate half of the match and be replaced by another player and a stunning display of resilience from Bury.
The game itself was an open contest with both teams showing good attacking intent. Bury, in particular, were able to exert good pressure on the home defence, down the left wing, as several sixteen yard hits were fired beyond their target and out of play. The Old Boys should have taken the lead early on, when a short corner crashed off the angle of post and bar.
After quarter of an hour the Bury pressure was rewarded when Will Aitken fired home a short corner for his sixth of the season. The lead, however, was short lived as Didsbury levelled with a short corner of their own. Rather fortuitously, the ball deflected off goalkeeper and defender, before hitting the bar and landing over the goal line. Bury were then dealt a further blow when Aitken was sin binned, somewhat harshly, following a dispute with the umpire. His arguing with the umpire certainly warranted a green card, but a straight yellow seemed to bemuse both sides.
Didsbury, however, were incapable of making their one-man advantage count. Hasty rearrangements in the Bury line up worked effectively and Didsbury weren’t able to produce a shot to test goalkeeper Smith.
The second half began with both teams continuing to attack, with chances being created at either end, but the final touch always proving evasive. Finally, Didsbury pushed themselves in front with what can only be described as the softest goal Bury have conceded all season, barring the freak goal against Urmston. Neil Smith made a tremendous save at the top of his D, only for the ball to be rather weakly reverse scooped towards the goal. Somehow the four Bury players managed to flail and miss at the marginally airborne ball, which drifted into the net.
However, as has been the case since January, this seemed to have a galvanising effect on The Old Boys. They continued to press forward and were rewarded with an equaliser, when Howard Spencer lashed in his second in as many games, from the top of the D.
The Old Boys sealed the victory from another short corner. Aitken was again involved, playing a square ball to McManus, who fired an unstoppable shot past the exposed keeper.
The Old Boys must be delighted with this display, beating a Didsbury side that showed significant changes from the first match between these two sides.
Match Day Squad: Smith, S. Sheikh, Foster, Aitken, T. Sheikh, McManus, Spencer, Hillary, Hodbod, Ainscow, Robinson, Butler.
This game had it all. Two Didsbury players wearing the same shirt number, an umpire who asked, before push back, if he could only officiate half of the match and be replaced by another player and a stunning display of resilience from Bury.
The game itself was an open contest with both teams showing good attacking intent. Bury, in particular, were able to exert good pressure on the home defence, down the left wing, as several sixteen yard hits were fired beyond their target and out of play. The Old Boys should have taken the lead early on, when a short corner crashed off the angle of post and bar.
After quarter of an hour the Bury pressure was rewarded when Will Aitken fired home a short corner for his sixth of the season. The lead, however, was short lived as Didsbury levelled with a short corner of their own. Rather fortuitously, the ball deflected off goalkeeper and defender, before hitting the bar and landing over the goal line. Bury were then dealt a further blow when Aitken was sin binned, somewhat harshly, following a dispute with the umpire. His arguing with the umpire certainly warranted a green card, but a straight yellow seemed to bemuse both sides.
Didsbury, however, were incapable of making their one-man advantage count. Hasty rearrangements in the Bury line up worked effectively and Didsbury weren’t able to produce a shot to test goalkeeper Smith.
The second half began with both teams continuing to attack, with chances being created at either end, but the final touch always proving evasive. Finally, Didsbury pushed themselves in front with what can only be described as the softest goal Bury have conceded all season, barring the freak goal against Urmston. Neil Smith made a tremendous save at the top of his D, only for the ball to be rather weakly reverse scooped towards the goal. Somehow the four Bury players managed to flail and miss at the marginally airborne ball, which drifted into the net.
However, as has been the case since January, this seemed to have a galvanising effect on The Old Boys. They continued to press forward and were rewarded with an equaliser, when Howard Spencer lashed in his second in as many games, from the top of the D.
The Old Boys sealed the victory from another short corner. Aitken was again involved, playing a square ball to McManus, who fired an unstoppable shot past the exposed keeper.
The Old Boys must be delighted with this display, beating a Didsbury side that showed significant changes from the first match between these two sides.
Match Day Squad: Smith, S. Sheikh, Foster, Aitken, T. Sheikh, McManus, Spencer, Hillary, Hodbod, Ainscow, Robinson, Butler.
