Woodbridge Town Under 11s (Sunday) v Barons Youth

Sunday 13th January 2008

Half-time: 7-0 Full-Time: 13-0 Scorers: Portaluri (4); Taylor (4); Christie (2); Dimuccio; Stephenson; Thurlow Team: Elsom: Archer; Abdel-Aziz; Hopkins; Kekwick; Hayward; Thurlow; Tripp; Portaluri; Stephenson; Christie. Subs: Dimuccio; Read; Taylor. It was always going to happen one day and today the boys put in a very impressive display at home, starting well and apart from a spell just before half-time dominated all aspects of the match against a team that despite their lowly position in the league have scored goals and made life difficult for some other teams, including second-placed Thurston. In blustery conditions the boys played the ball around well and got off to a flier when Jack Christie continued his goal scoring streak by calmly placing the ball low to the keeper’s left to register his thirtieth goal of the season in all competitions. A momentum was building and Robbie Stephenson was harshly adjudged offside when he followed up a cross shot by Jack at the far post. However it wasn’t long before the goals started to flow and Laurence Portaluri scored a quick fire hat-trick, which saw him also reach thirty goals for the season. In between Ben Hopkins had a goal from outside the penalty area ruled out when the assistant called that three players in offside positions had blocked the keeper. During this period a tactical change was made and the team went to three at the back and Marcus Taylor came on to support Jack and add to the threat on the opposition goal and he soon scored the team’s fifth, which was also the team’s one hundredth league goal in thirteen matches. Robbie, who was providing good width on the left of midfield, scored number six with a fierce drive from the top left of the opposition penalty area. However this goal signalled a lull in proceedings and Barons Youth had a passage of play that nearly brought them a goal. Khaled Abdel-Aziz and Ben were called upon to use their pace to cover a number of breaks. However Ben did mistime a challenge in the area and Barons were awarded a penalty, which goalie Joe Elsom with only his second touch of the game, blocked and then saved the rebound at the feet of the onrushing forward. This save was to prove Joe’s last involvement in the match and for the remainder of the contest he was an interested spectator, but his save ensured another clean sheet. This shock to the system galvanised the troops and Marcus headed home his second and the team’s seventh from Laurence’s precise corner and was unlucky to see a cheeky back heel go just wide. The second half saw Miles Kekwick return to the defence in place of Ashley Archer and Giorgio Dimuccio and Matt Read come on for Harry Hayward and Sam Tripp. Giorgio made an immediate impression and throughout the half showed some wonderful control and great vision to set up a number of opportunities for others. The goals continued to flow and Marcus scored his third when he intercepted a goal kick and Laurence added his fourth with a powerful drive after good work by Robbie and Marcus. Giorgio then struck the post and in the melee that followed Marcus scored his twenty-fifth for the team. More goals followed and Jack scored his second, while Aaron Thurlow and Giorgio Dimuccio also got on the score sheet. In this passage of play Ben Hopkins was also denied by the frame of the goal and the Barons’ goalkeeper made several top drawer saves. The only minor criticism, as the half, progressed was the tendency for a number of boys to shoot from long range rather than continue to build the play as they had done earlier in the game. This was Woodbridge at its dominant best and there was one particular moment in the first half that saw the team move the ball confidently from right to left and then back again to create an opening that very nearly added another goal to the tally. This type of play is a delight to see, and it is encouraging that more and more of the boys want the ball and feel able to look for team mates to stretch the opposition rather than play hopeful balls that can result in a loss of possession and impetus. Next week the boys travel to play Whitton Sports in Ipswich.