Match Report, U11s Alveston 0v3 Stratford Town 3 Apr 2011

Alveston lost their local derby semi-final to Stratford Town 3-0. Stratford set their stall out from the outset, playing with 4 defenders and 5 midfield players, leaving their striker to fight it out on his own upfront. This led to a very congested midfield area, and the home side found it difficult to find any space to get their passing game going. The ball spent far too much time in the air, and despite the result Stratford never actually got into the home team's penalty area! Alveston did try to force the pace and won a number of corners, one of which went to the far post where Alan Mackinnon's shot was blocked on the line. Matty Rickett then hit a free-kick which came back off the bar with the keeper beaten.

Stratford started the second half brightly as Ben Couki drove at the home defence and won a free kick, which Dillon Parker drove wide. The game changed when after a spell of good pressure from Alveston, the ball was cleared to Henry Grisenthwaite whose first time shot flew into the top corner. The home side responded well as Josh Humphriss' shot was deflected wide, but the wind was taken out of their sales when Dillon Parker struck a 20 yard free kick over the head of Isaac Downes and into the net. Parker added a third just before the end when he struck another free kick past the helpless keeper.            

Alveston v Coventrians Sunday 6 March - Cup Match Directions

Alveston will travel to Foleshill, Coventry on Sunday to play Coventrians at
Coventrians RFC, The Black Pad, Yelverton Rd, Coventry, West Midlands, CV6 4AG


Kick off is at 11.00, pitch at 10.15 (HGC at 9.45)



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The Knock Out Cup - Quarter and Semi Final Games

The Semi Final draw for The Knock Cup took place last night. 

As we already know, Alveston will play their Quarter Final match against Coventrians who are currently 7th place in Division D (played 10 games, 5 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses). This match will be played on 6 March 2011 which is away in Coventry near the Ricoh Arena. If all goes well, Alveston will play Pinley or Stratford in the Semi Finals on 3 April 2011.

Alveston 1v1 Santos Youth (3v1 Penalties) 6 Feb 2011

Alveston U11's progressed into the quarter finals of the knockout cup, winning a penalty shootout 3-1 against a spirited Santos Youth team.

In a scrappy game Alveston struggled to get to grips with the blustery conditions, and never really got their passing game going, which benefited the team from a division below. Santos competed for every ball and deservedly took the lead when a mix up in the home defence between Isaac Downes & Dan Malone allowed Josh Dixon to steal in and prod the ball into an empty net. 

Alveston responded immediately, and Julian Thomas held the ball up well to release Alan Mackinnon down the left hand side, his cross found Josh Humphriss who's shot was parried by the keeper and Joe Vose lobbed wide. Alveston were soon level when the industrious Matty Rickett won the ball in the middle of the park before threading a delightful ball for Josh Humphriss, who made no mistake with his finish, smashing the ball into the roof of the net.

Celebrations after the penatlies

The second half continued to be scrappy, with neither team able to create any real openings. Alex Connor was superb at the heart of the home defence, marshalling his players well and snuffing out any danger, whilst at the other end Roshen Foley & Jamie Stevens both went close. 

Alveston were unlucky not to wrap the game up in extra time, when Josh Humphriss hit an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area, which cannoned back off the crossbar, and did the same again only minutes later.

With the score level after extra time it was down to penalties. All the players from both sides who stepped forward and volunteered to take a penalty deserve an enormous amount of credit, and on this occasion it was Alveston who came out on top 3-1, with successful penalties from Roshen Foley, Alex Connor & Harry Coleman.     

Alveston v Santos Youth - Sunday 6 Feb at 11.00 Kick Off

Alveston v Santos Youth is a HOME match meeting at the Home Guard Club 10.15 for 11.00 Kick Off (not away)

About the opponents: Santos Youth, who defeated Whitley Juniors 2-1 in Round 2 of the Knock Out Cup, play their home football in Divsion B where they are currently in third place with 27 points (13 games, 9 wins, 0 draws and 4 losses). Santos Pitch is at Howes Community Primary School in Chelysemore, Coventry which is near the A46/A45 roundabout. So, it's down the A46 for them on Sunday.

Alveston 3v1 Coventry Sphinx U11s Sunday 14 November 10

Alveston returned to Coventry Sphinx and avenged last month’s league defeat with a well deserved 3-1 victory in the 2nd round of the Knock-out League Cup. A determined gritty attitude was evident right from the very beginning as Alveston grabbed an early initiative when Josh Humphries was able to send a fiery cross into the Sphinx box that was turned onto the post by the keeper and then poked over the line by an alert Jamie Stephens. 

Whilst every Alveston player displayed a desire to chase and close down their opponents, the key accolades would surely go to the back line of Dan Malone Jake Greaves and Jordan Pace who worked tirelessly to protect GK Isaac Downes from being tested. With the score at 1-0 Greaves and Pace could both lay claim to some important covering and interceptions and with the bold unflinching tackling of Malone the script was set for Alveston to push forward and look for a 2nd.

This duly came when Humphries again found room on the right flank and fired a screaming shot high and across the keeper into the far corner and at this point Sphinx looked beaten and disconsolate. Alex Connor began to find room on the left wing was able to stretch the defence with a some penetrating weaving runs but this endeavour went un rewarded first when Humphries screwed the pull back just wide and when Connor himself just failed to connect after some neat interplay in the penalty area.

As expected Sphinx brought more determination to the 2nd half and the game sunk into a muddy competitive mire in the middle of the park. This meant the midfield trio of Mattie Rickett, Roshen Foley and Billy Dingley had to labour hard but to their credit they sustained themselves against some crunching tackles and held the resurgent Sphinx to a stalemate. Up front Harry Spencer and Alan Mackinnon chased down every ball over the top and Sphinx found they could not settle. 

It came as somewhat surprising that with the last quarter of the game to go Sphinx were able to capitalise on a speculative ball over the defence and make the score 2-1. However Alveston’s heads never dropped. Joe Vose pushed further up the right flank to assist Humphries and Mackinnon pushed on higher up the left and it looked like Spencer would surely profit from one of these sources but the ball just never broke kindly. 

However, as the tension began to grow Mattie Rickett was to secure the game when he seized upon a poor clearance to send his hot souring over the keeper and into the net. Sphinx then came again but Alveston's tenacious defending  was underlined when Pace headed off the line. Alveston then pushed forward for a 4th goal and this looked likely when first Spencer went close after Vose drove hard into the penalty area and again when Mackinnon just failed to get his cross through to an unmarked Harry Coleman . For all this though Alveston’s tenacity and concentration was summed up when the mainly untested GK Isaac Downes was able to crown a thoroughly satisfying team performance to produce a fabulous diving save in the dying minutes to thwart the Sphinx centre forward. 

Alveston 2v0 Firefighters Match Report and Photos

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Alveston beat Firefighters 2-0 at home to move through the 2nd round of the KO Cup. In a progressively competitive but scruffy affair the visitors set their stall out with a deep defensive but resolute line that Alveston found difficult to penetrate.

In the 1st half goal keeper Isaac Downes was never troubled and shielded by the effective defensive partnership of Jake Greaves and Jordan Pace Alveston were afforded the luxury of being able to concentrate on going forward. However the midfield the trio of Billy Dingley, Mattie Ricketts and Roshen Foley were more often crowded out and struggled to find Alex Connor and Joe Vose waiting out on the wings. As the game began to get bogged down Alveston were beginning to reflect on just one long range shot from Mattie Ricketts and a toe over the bar from Jamie Stephens , but two goals in the space of 5 mins looked set to change the complexion of the game.

First from the right hand wing Alveston looked to have been frustrated once more as the tireless work of Ricketts, Stephens and Alan Mackinnon as once again stifled by sheer defensive numbers. However when the ball fell conveniently to Vose he was able to shoot hard and low from 12 yards across the keeper to see his shot nestle in the bottom corner of the net. Within 4 mins Alveston doubled their lead when Harry Spencer was able to chase down a ball over the top from Dingley then cut into the penalty area and curl his shot beyond the keeper’s outstretched hand into the corner. It was hoped by the home supporters that this would light the touch paper for more goals but to Firefighters’ credit they maintained their focus and saw the half out.

The flavour of the 2nd half was much the same as the first. Dan Malone was introduced into defence and his competitive tackling approach underlined Alveston's tight defensive line . Once more the home team pressed hard trying to create a clear cut chance in front of goal but the weight of numbers and last ditched clearances kept the home team at bay. Against all this Harry Coleman was still able to make some room for himself on the edge of the penalty area but then shot just wide. Minutes later Josh Humphries was able to seize upon a pass by Connor but the keeper was alert enough to palm his shot on to the post . Inevitably the game moved towards a competitive stalemate and Alveston's frustration in search of an elusive 3rd goal was summed up in the closing minutes when Humphries was just unable to connect when given a clear site of goal.. This was of no matter though as Alveston through hard endeavour and two early goals had made it through to the next round.