Season 2008 - 2009
Gildersome Spurs 1 Churwell Lions 0
Sunday 14th September 2008
Harry had a brilliant game despite the loss. Spurs scored with two minutes to go, largely due to an error from the keeper staying rooted to his line instead of rushing out to clear the ball.
Harry man-marked Spurs' tall striker out of the game, so good was his defending, the striker was frustrated by Harry's shadowing of him and was taken off later in the second half.
Harry's positioning and tackling was superb, even bravely heading out a long and high goal kick with aplomb.
Spurs replaced the tall striker with a player wearing the No:2 shirt who was also followed everywhere by Harry, touching his shirt to let his opponent know that he was with him continously which riled him thus letting Harry win the battle.
Overall, fantastic defending and a great performance. 9/10
Hunslet boys 0 Churwell Lions 0
Sunday 5th October 2008
Harry played in the first game and it was the Lions' first clean sheet of the season.
In the first half Harry's tackling was rubbish, he hardly won the ball as Hunslet ran past him nearly every time. Because of this lackluster tackling he was substituted five minutes before the break. (I have seen stronger fog!!!!)
The second half began similar to the first for Harry with more poor tackling, Harry just stood not marking his man as he knows he should do but with his left arm up his back????
Midway through the second half he burst into life to play like we know he can with some excellant and important tackles, one such tackle saving a possible goal bound effort.
Harry ended the game much better than the first! 6/10 Just!!!
Churwell Lions 3 Kippax Athletic 1
Sunday 12th October 2008
A better performance by all the team with Reece scoring a great team play goal.
Harry had a much improved game compaired to last weeks showing at Hunslet boys. He was commanding from the start, with some great tackles and headers won. What impressed me most was Harry knew his roll and positioning from the off. He did not need prompting when to push up or drop back and always looked to mark his man.
Also pleasing to see was Harry talking to his other defender to mark their player whilst Harry stayed with his opponent.
"Good tackle Harry!!!!" was shouted out by several fathers watching from the touchline. He stopped doing his left arm up the back.
A much improved performance. 8/10
"After a period of adjustment, Churwell put in a performance to remind everyone of their unprecedented exploits last season. Solid defenders Hession and Snell were ably assisted by Sweeney in a defensive midfield role. Sutton and Dawson made effective use of the wings and Spivey, in an unfamiliar attacking role was a menace to the Kippax defence. Goals from Sweeney, Spivey and Dawson. MOM was Johnson".
Morley Advertiser/Observer.
Ossett Town 7 Churwell Lions 0 (League) (5-1 Friendly)
Sunday 9th November 2008
This is a tough one to describe, firstly because Harry was not feeling very well and only just decided to play in the games. Secondly, only 11 players made the trip to Ossett so we played the first game as a league meeting and then had to forfeit the second match which was decided to play as a friendly.
I felt thet Harry was not himself in the first game. He came off upset at half time but a talk with Martin soon brought him around.
Ossett were a very good and organised team and Harry got turned several times. He tried his best but it was a very poor all round team performance.
In the second game Harry played up front, playing much better than what i thought he would. One good move had Harry assisting in the move that lead to Jamie Snell scoring the Lions' only goal.
Harry got in some great crunching "David Batty" style tackles.
Not his best but a terrific never say die attitude. 8/10
Harry in action .v. Gildersome 18/1/09.
Churwell Lions 0 Gildersome Spurs 2 (Friendly)
Sunday 18th January 2009
It was a freezing cold day at Bruntcliffe however this cold snap did not stop the Churwell squad turning out in force to play a friendly game against local rivals Gildersome Spurs who looked and played some good neat football.
As usual Harry was slow out of the traps playing a game of two halves. In the first minute he got a foot in on the first Spurs attack but on 5 minutes the visitors went ahead when a through ball caught Harry on the back-foot, he was slow to turn as the Spurs striker got a yard past him, running on to plant a firm shot past Kyle in goal.
The second goal was soon in coming. A Gildersome corner from the right was hit into the Lions box and somehow the ball came to Harry, who unable to clear chested the ball straight into the path of a spurs striker who had the easy opportunity to stroke the ball home.
I was crying out on the touchline for Harry to wake up and play like we know he can. He slowly came into the game getting in some good tackles, some making up for his two earlier errors.
Harry played much better in the second half getting in some good tackles as the Lions upped their game and kept a clean sheet for the second twenty.
Harry has to grow in confidance and remember to try and play or run with the ball whenever possible instead of conceding corners/throwins. When Harry did have the rare chance to play the ball he did do very well and on a couple of times he played it forward intelligently.
Some of the basic defending taught to him was lacking and once he cuts out some of the basic errors (Standing behind his marker so he can watch his whereabouts) Harry will improve his game.
A game of two halves. 7/10
.v. Gildersome.
* At the next training session Harry was given the MOM award *
s Churwell Lions 0 Hunslet boys 9 (Friendly)
Sunday 1st February 2009
On another freezing day at Bruntcliffe the Lions succombed to a more organized Hunslet side who were at the Lions from the off.
Harry played better than the last game and got in some well timed tackles in a game that proved to be a practice match for the defenders. Harry was called into action in the first minute heading away a high ball into the box. Harry is still prone to the odd error here and there and it was his mistake that led to Hunslets first goal. A goal kick from Joe found Harry on the left but his control let him down, loosing the ball to an opposing striker who ran on and scored.
On the second time Harry was given the ball on the left he went on a mazy run twisting and turning the Hunslet attackers inside and out before playing the ball in to the heart of the field. This fine show-boating was Harry's finest part of the game and was unable to get into any further attacking roles.
It was not always one-way traffic and Churwell had a few chances but they came to nothing, the Hunslet keeper was more of a spectator than a player. What was frustrating in this game was that the Churwell defense was allways on the back foot, largely due to the midfield and attack constantly loosing the ball. Churwell would be a much better side if they could play more as a unit and not as individuals. This would ultimately take the pressure off of the back two.
All in all he played a good game and unlike others he continues to give 100% effort and is a great battler, never giving up. Harry still needs to keep to the three basic rules of defending and his ball control to improve but on this game it is others that need to improve to help the team.
Gave 100% but needs to concentrate 100%. 7.5/10
Churwell Lions 0 Farsley Celtic 3 (Friendly)
Sunday 17th May 2009
The lions have played a couple of friendlies since i last wrote however i did not attend these games. The first team played the second game in this friendly at Bruntcliffe. Farsley celtic are always a good side whatever the age group are playing, today was no exception.
The second team were given a real footballing lesson in the first game and were trounced around 8-0, as Harry was to face the first team i for one expected them to be beaten by an equally heavy scoreline. Harry started the game at the back with Cameron Sweeney, he did not see much of the ball but he coped ok as Sweeny's partner.
The scoreline suggests that the Lions were well beaten however it does not reflect the true nature of the game. Farsley were a good passing side and had the majority of the possession but Churwell gave them a good game and heads never dropped.
Harry played well despite taking a knock to the ribs early on, he never gave up and got in some good tackles and headers and when not called upon to tackle was always looking to mark a player and when facing a goal kick stuck to his man and always let them know he was there with his close marking and an arm touching his opponents shoulder.
Harry nearly scored after a corner was swung into the box, his toe poke never made the net. All in all i was happy with his performance, he, like his colleagues never gave up. The only thing lacking was a Churwell goal, despite the loss, the Lions can be proud of their performance against a good footballing side.
Again gave 100% 7.5/10
