Boys Hockey U11 A v Oakham 22nd February
The Copthill A team (less one) travelled to Oakham, looking forward to a match to build on the progress they made at the ISA Tournament. Met by a sizeable squad of skillful Oakham players, it was clear from the outset that this encounter would be a considerable challenge to our teamwork and fitness.
The opening exchanges were evenly matched, all our boys getting stuck in to fierce defending and fast counter attacking. Whilst our first short corner didn't yield a result, Oakham showed us how to do it...a hard shot putting them one up after five minutes. Not deterred, Copthill continued to pour forward; Reuben, Charlie and Tom combining well in attack, supported by Sam playing a composed holding midfield role. One such attack gave Charlie a sniff of goal, and from an acute angle to the left of goal he expertly played a reverse shot past the Oakham goalie to level the game.
Continued pressure, with great movement and passing from Oakham eventually opened up our defence, and as the first half wore on Oakham notched up two more goals.
The boys showed character and resilience throughout the long second half, as the fresh legs of Oakham's larger squad started to make a difference. Despite great shot stopping from Will in goal, and disciplined defending by Will, Gilbert and Henry, Oakham kept up a relentless pace and the goals continued to go in.
With great credit to the Copthill boys; their heads didn't drop, they stuck to their roles, created a number of good attacking chances which just wouldn't convert, and they all ran, and ran, and ran (esp Charlie and Reuben!) Fitness clearly isn't an issue for us...
The 8-1 result was tough, and didn't reflect our effort and application, but credit to Oakham for demonstrating the benefits of movement into space, and inter-passing at pace. A lesson we will take with us to Kimbolton next week. Congratulations to the boys for their teamwork, skill and great character. Thanks to Sam Harriss for captaining, and to Charlie Plant for his man of the Match performance - a midfield dynamo and a reverse shot goal...Well Done!!
Nick T
The opening exchanges were evenly matched, all our boys getting stuck in to fierce defending and fast counter attacking. Whilst our first short corner didn't yield a result, Oakham showed us how to do it...a hard shot putting them one up after five minutes. Not deterred, Copthill continued to pour forward; Reuben, Charlie and Tom combining well in attack, supported by Sam playing a composed holding midfield role. One such attack gave Charlie a sniff of goal, and from an acute angle to the left of goal he expertly played a reverse shot past the Oakham goalie to level the game.
Continued pressure, with great movement and passing from Oakham eventually opened up our defence, and as the first half wore on Oakham notched up two more goals.
The boys showed character and resilience throughout the long second half, as the fresh legs of Oakham's larger squad started to make a difference. Despite great shot stopping from Will in goal, and disciplined defending by Will, Gilbert and Henry, Oakham kept up a relentless pace and the goals continued to go in.
With great credit to the Copthill boys; their heads didn't drop, they stuck to their roles, created a number of good attacking chances which just wouldn't convert, and they all ran, and ran, and ran (esp Charlie and Reuben!) Fitness clearly isn't an issue for us...
The 8-1 result was tough, and didn't reflect our effort and application, but credit to Oakham for demonstrating the benefits of movement into space, and inter-passing at pace. A lesson we will take with us to Kimbolton next week. Congratulations to the boys for their teamwork, skill and great character. Thanks to Sam Harriss for captaining, and to Charlie Plant for his man of the Match performance - a midfield dynamo and a reverse shot goal...Well Done!!
Nick T
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