The first blog of 2017...
!Hello and welcome back, I trust you all had a good christmas and new year with your families and friends.
Match day is back and well done to all who managed to separate themselves from the fridge and sofa to blow off the cobwebs, pull on the boots and go out and give all you got for the club.
The management derserve a special maention as well, as whilst you were all feasting, they were busy plotting, checking the league table, the next round of fixtures and setting up indoor football and training for you guys.
Apat on the back for them all.
The transfer window is open again and from all accounts supporters should not be surprised if the SEDS dont do any business this window with the promise of many good young players finding there way in to senior football with the 3rds under the careful guidance of Matt Davey.
Looking at weekend results it would appear that his guidance and trust was not misplaced with the 3rd team hammering Robertsbridge 4 - 0.
A mixture of pass and move football, from a blend of experience and youthful exuberance the result was well deserved and never in doubt.
The 2nd team sadly suffered a 2 - 1 deafeat away at Bexhill Utd.
I am sure that as the score line suggests the game could have gone either way and was a close affair.
I feel for you guys in the 2nds as your results are always tight affairs, losing games by the odd goal here or there is difficult to take.
However with Phil and Gary running things I am positive you will soon get the rub of the green and results will turn round.
As I have said before work hard for each other and the boss and it can very quickly turn around.
Good luck for next week.
TRAINING - I am told by all that attended training on Wednesday how much you enjoyed having a structure and making it more disciplined.
Its great that Gary and Phil gave up there time to help us as a club - so do the right thing, dont take the piss and get along on Wednesday evening the more bodies there are the better the training.Be prepared to give your time to those guys !!!So thats WEDNESDAY BEXHILL HIGH SCHOOL 7PM !!!!!The first team report:SEDLESCOMBE 3 St Leonards Social 1Its always with trepedation that I approach the first game back after Christmas and new year.
You never know if the players have taken care of there fitness or if they just decided to blaze a trail through the tin of quality street.
Fitness is always in doubt !If there is one thing that seperates the different tiers of football its fitness.
Its not that players who play at a lower level have no ability its just the fact that the higher you go in standard the fitness levels improve, enabling players to use there skills.
The Prem is a league which is seeing more influx of players dropping out of the county league and in to local football, making it more competitive than perhaps it has been for a while.
A fitter stronger league, certainly that has been seen in the games against the top sides.
So the game against Social, a team which has good connections with county league talent was a very dangerous opponent in the making.
Coupled with the fact that we had beaten them comfortably in the cup, a poor attitude and fitness would see us struggle.
However both were in reasonable measure to get a positive result.
The Social side were almost completely different to that they had fielded previously.
So it was bound to be game on !!!SEDS started the game brightly and for the first 15mins we looked quite fresh and glad to be playing again.
It was during this period that saw us score our first goal of 2017 from none other than Pip Hatch the goal machine !The interplay that led up to the goal was impressive with clever short passing involving Luke Davies, Pip, Mikey and Jack Booth.
The passing was quick and slick and saw Pip convert the cross in to the box from the edge of the six yard box.
Although we troubled the Social keeper again, in particular Luke Davies striking the foot of the post when clean through, it was Social who enjoyed the greater possesion.
In the main they were restricted to shots from the edge of the box or further as the defence stood firm and never gave them the opportunity of a real clear cut chance.
Adam Corten in particular pulling off a couple of really fine saves to deny and frustrate Social and so the half ended with SEDS 1- 0 to the good.
The second half started in a similar vein to how the first had ended, early pressure from Social, with them pushing players on in an attempt to get back in the game, but again we stood firm.
Then after ten minutes followed a five minute spell that put the game to bed.
Step up Mr Lex Russell, I know he needs no introduction, but credit where credit is due...
As I remember it and I am sure there will be many variations of this over the coming weeks...
, Lex winning a tackle around 35 yards out the ball spun up in the air, Lex raced on to it taking it on the chest, to knee and as he bore down on the goal from around the edge of the box he unleashed a controlled but rip snorting volley.( Pete Matthews might need a box of tissues about now !!!)Great goal, great strike Lex, well done.
So 2 - 0 up playing okay, we defend a corner ball drops on the edge of our own box, Mikey goal assist Booth collects spins, runs forwards 15 yards looks up and see's Pip is on halfway with two defenders and curls a peach of a pass around the centre half and in to space for Pip to run on to without breaking his stride.
Pip sits the keeper on his backside before going round him and notching his second and the teams third.
Effectively game over.
Social did rally late on and again forced a save or two from Adz, but in the main Social were kept at arms length.
Typically a volley of petulant fouls and comments proceeded as Social eventually unwound to take there frustration out on each other before trashing the dressing room after the game.
In summary I though it was a good performance.
Solid enough and good to start the year with a win and 3 points and puts us in 4th place with games in hand on most.
I think our league objective has to be not to finish below 3rd place.
Realistically we could still win it but we know that is a tall order with a minor miracle of results going our way - but destiny is in our hands its up to us what this season could be !Sometimes we are too eager to turn the ball forward or around the corner.
We need to stick our arse out be strong, be prepared to get clattered and hold the ball up, so as to relieve the pressure on the back four and the team defensively.
Too often we invite needless pressure on ourselves with poor decsion making.
The first goal is a prime example of good hold up play and interchanging of quick passing, more of the same please lads ?We could have scored more ...
Also I lost count of the amount of time we broke when we only need to play the ball past the last defender and too often we allowed the defender to get a toe on it or block it.
Again it is easy from the sidelines but this is another criminal offence as far as I am concerned.
It is right up there with lobbing the keeper which I mentioned last year.
Miss the defender at all costs, we have pace up front so back your team mate to get there, or if its not on and the defender is slick, hold it up, look to cut it back or shoot yourself but dont let the defender win that battle !I thought at times we looked a little low on energy and with Hollington coming to Oaklands park this Saturday that is a concern, so training is a must and good preperation is a must rest and plenty of the non acholic fluids please...
!In closing Man of the match this week.
I have had to think long and hard about it this week.
There are many deserving candidates, again I thought the entire defence is worthy of a shout, Ross was himself week in week out, Corey did well playing there for the first time this season, Matt was solid and Kayner again was good.
Linkie and Lex ran hard, even Linkie sneaking in a few late challenges on the talented Andy Garman when tracking back.
Jack tried hard but it didnt quite happen for him on the day but that is fine he worked hard and its a team game.
Luke Davies was good in the central role and worked hard.
Mikey Booth who again works really hard for the side and continues to create opportunites would also be a worthy shout as would Pip doing what Pip does best.
All the lads on the bench who came on gave a good account of themselves as well.
However my man of the match this week goes to Adam Corten.
Its simple really, he didnt have loads to do during the game but when he was called upon he got down to a couple of stops which had he not got too may have changed the course of the game.
He encouraged, he kept talking and was unlucky not to have a kept a clean sheet.
Well done Adam well deserved.
Finally Matt will be texting out soon to find out about availability for this weekend, get your replies back pronto and get to training if you can.
Have a good week chaps and see you all on Saturday, lets make sure we are up for it ?
