U16 BOYS BEGIN WITH A COMFORTABLE WIN

The U16 BOE boys made their way down to Old Wills for a Sunday fixture at the prestigious Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical school. As always by Old Wills we were treated to the warmest hospitality and good nature, outstanding facilities and immaculate surface to play on. The u16's went direct from the off and within 2 minutes were 1-0 up through a Joe Allen tap in, a rebound goal from Tom Jagger made it 2-0 and soon after a 3rd by Jake Lamplough who scored from the spot.

The 4th was another stroke, this time taken by Manraj Gill after he had had a shot blocked on the line by a OW's defenders chest. The 5th was straight forward and placed away by Jake Lamplough to go in 5 to the good at half time.

The coach asked for a more patient and structured approach to the game and see if we could make goals from patterns of play and break down OW's that way. The overall play was better but the lack of desire to run and work for the ball after Jake Owen had put BOE 6-0 up was evident as the late summer heat took over. The game then descended into a bit of a scrappy affair and there were some unnecessary cat calls and ‘chat’ from the OW's side line about the apparent 'ferocity' of the BOE tackling. The Umpires were watching the same game and didn’t seem to have any problems. Maybe deciding to play inexperienced U12's in an U16 level is match is naïve and some would say irresponsible. The BOE coach did politely suggest that his young side had watched the OW's Men’s 1st XI tussle at College Meadow the week before and perhaps thought that “That's how it is done in Chatham”. Hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Nevertheless a good opening game from the Boys with much to work on and improve. Let’s hope next time it’s all action and no mouth.

MOTM: Jake Lamplough