|
v Spratton
Maidwell 4 Spratton 3
This was a very exciting game played in a good spirit and a great way to kick off the new season. Maidwell raced into a 3-0 lead with goals from Harry Chubb (2) and captain George Henderson who capped a fine move by stroking Harry Stroud’s lovely pass past a despairing keeper. At the break, we talked about not giving our opponents any confidence of a comeback by keeping things tight at the back. However, Spratton began the second half in storming fashion and it was 3-2 within moments. Harry Chubb charged down a clearance to complete a terrific hat-trick and give us breathing space again at 4-2. The visitors refused to lie down though and scored another well-worked goal, setting up a nail-biting finale. George hit the bar at one end while a dangerous Spratton free-kick was hacked away at the other but Maidwell hung on valiantly for the victory. Well done to all the boys - there was a lot to be pleased with and plenty to work on too.
v Akeley Wood
Maidwell 2 Akeley Wood 0
Two days, two games, two wins. This one was even more satisfying because we defended much better as a unit and I was delighted to come away from a strong school like Akeley Wood with a clean sheet.
In the first half, our hosts enjoyed a lot of possession in our half but the boys maintained their focus and tenacity to repel the danger and see us through to the break level at 0-0. In goal, Fred Peppiatt has begun to command his area while the two Max’s, Pettifer and Wilson have already improved their positional play at the back. Jacob Jefferis offered them excellent protection with a disciplined defensive midfield performance.
After the interval, we pushed up a little as a team and supersub William Duncan smashed in a tremendous shot from the edge of the box before the in-form Harry Chubb sealed it with a late second on the breakaway.
v Wellingborough
Maidwell 4 Wellingborough 3
We started this match slowly and had to withstand a lot of early pressure in our own final third. We were struggling to get out of our half but this Maidwell side possesses the handy knack of converting chances and our first two forays upfield led to goals from Harry Chubb and George Henderson. The visitors replied with a wonder goal from outside the area which their play deserved. However, George thundered in his second of the game off the underside of the bar to give us a 3-1 half-time lead.
The second half began in similar fashion to the first but this time Wellingborough took their chances in front of goal to level the scores at 3-3. It would have been easy to let their heads drop but I was delighted with the manner in which our boys responded to surrendering a two-goal lead. Supersub William Duncan gave us an extra attacking dimension and he it was who stabbed in the winner from Harry Stroud’s vicious inswinging corner.
It was great to secure another terrific result against a good footballing side like Wellingborough but we know we can play better and we will need to if we are to keep our winning run going.
v Stoneygate
Maidwell 0 Stoneygate 4
This team’s 100% record came to rather abrupt halt at the hands of a very talented Stoneygate side, many of whom play for clubs and academies outside school. Despite the difference in quality we were disappointed with our defending and felt we could have done better with three of the goals. We failed to clear our lines properly and were severely punished for it, a lesson from which we must learn.
v Beachborough
Maidwell 3 Beachborough 1
It was very pleasing to return to winning ways after the disappointment of last week. The opening exchanges were fairly scrappy and uneventful but Harry Chubb slotted home his sixth of the season to give us the advantage at the interval. I was much happier with the performance after the break. We passed the ball more quickly and got the ball out wide to wingers George Henderson and William Duncan who in turn provided some quality early crosses which caused problems for the visitors’ rearguard. Jacob Jefferis tapped in the second, after George’s cross came back off the far post before George himself lashed in the third to make the game safe. Beachborough refused to lie down and deserved their late consolation.
v Spratton Hall
Maidwell 3 Spratton Hall 4
We were very disappointed to come home empty-handed after contributing much to a pulsating match. Spratton were a touch more clinical in front of goal and thus gained revenge for their defeat in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season.
The boys made a good start to the game, enjoying a lot of possession inside Spratton territory but without testing their keeper enough. We were then caught cold by two slick counter-attacks each resulting in goals.
Spratton were quicker out of the blocks than us at the start of the second half and it wasn’t long before Freddie Peppiatt was picking the ball out of his net again. It was a soft goal from our point of view after we gave the ball away in our own half.
This team does not throw in the towel, though, and Harry Chubb scrambled in a quickfire brace to reduce the deficit to one goal. Unfortunately, we were punished for more slack defending from a corner giving us a mountain to climb at 4-2. George Henderson’s well-taken strike was too little, too late.
We were drawn in Group 2 along with Bedford Modern and Akeley Wood, the group winners going through to the final to play the winners of Group 1.
Group Game 1: Maidwell 2 Bedford Modern 0
This was pretty much the perfect performance, first up. We looked sharper and hungrier than our opponents, affording them barely a sniff in the match, whilst at the other end the attacking triumvirate of George Henderson, William Duncan and Harry Chubb combined to win us the game. We won comfortably with a goal in each half, from George and Harry.
Group Game 2: Maidwell 3 Akeley Wood 1
We went into the final group game knowing that even a draw would see us top the group. But a draw was not on the agenda as we rocketed into a 3-0 lead, thanks to great strikes from George and Harry (2). We had to withstand some Akeley pressure in the second half but had already done enough to book our place in the final against Ashfold.
Final: Maidwell 1 Ashfold 2
We went into the final feeling that we were in with a real chance of taking home the trophy, but maybe the occasion got to us because we didn’t quite get our forward play going in the first half and trailed 1-0 at the interval to a penalty converted by the star player of the tournament, whose touch and dribbling skills were as dazzling as his luminous orange gloves. It was a shame because we felt the infingement occurred outside the area. In the second period, we upped the tempo and equalised when one of our own stars Harry Chubb powered home his fourth of the competition from the edge of the area. Unfortunately within moments we were behind again thanks to Orange Gloves who headed in a goal worthy of winning any tournament. There was still time for George to put Harry through on goal for one final chance. Agonisingly, the ball had run on a fraction too far for him to make a sufficiently clean contact and the keeper gratefully watched as the shot cannoned off his legs to safety. The full time whistle went seconds later to bring the curtain down on a pulsating final.
I was very proud of the squad who, in turn, were well-chuffed with their runners-up medals which they sported in tea back at Maidwell to great acclaim! Well done, guys.
Fred Peppiatt, Max Wilson, Harry Stroud, Jacob Jefferis, George Henderson (c), William Duncan, Harry Chubb, Max Pettifer, Alfie Farr .
v Swanbourne House
Maidwell 4 Swanbourne 1
Credit to Swanbourne who tried to play the game the way it should be, with some nice two-touch football, but we were too strong for them where it counts - in both boxes. Jacob Jefferis set us on our way with a long-range pile-driver that had too much power for the visiting keeper. George Henderson struck moments later from close range after sustained pressure in the Swanbourne area. The prolific Harry Chubb then poached his 13th of the season and George slammed in his second to give us a comfortable 4-0 lead at the break. This cushion allowed us to tinker around with the personnel in the second half but we never really got going again and Swanbourne deserved their late well-worked consolation, denying the outstanding keeper Alexander Saunders a clean sheet on his A-team debut. We will need to replicate our first half display in order to give ourselves a chance against a strong Bedford Prep on Saturday.
v The Grove
Maidwell 6 The Grove 2
This was a great result with which to bring the curtain down on a hugely successful season but it fails to reflect what was a very even contest, particularly in the first half and we were fortunate to turn around 3-2 to the good. The Grove emerged with great credit from a match in which they passed the ball around nicely and gave our defence plenty to worry about. However, on so many occasions this season it has been our powerful, effective forward play which has won us matches, with the twin wing threat of skipper George Henderson on the left and William Duncan on the right providing countless wicked crosses for the prolific Harry Chubb to gorge himself on. On this occasion, Harry netted twice, his 14th and 15th of a fantastic campaign, while William bagged four to take his own personal tally to six. These three have been brilliant but they could not have done it without the selfless defensive-midfield role played by Jacob Jefferis or the stout defending from Harry Stroud, Max Wilson and Max Pettifer who have all improved during the course of the term. We have also been very fortunate to have two reliable keepers to choose from, in Fred Peppiatt and Alex Saunders. Well done, all of you – it’s been a pleasure. |