10/10/2026
ππ€ AWAY DAY AT KEYWORTH UNITED BLUE
Keyworth Utd Blue vs New Tupton Ivanhoes Gold
We took the trip over to Keyworth for our second competitive fixture of the season!
We met Keyworth during pre-season at Clay Cross Active, with Tupton running out comfortable winners that day. However, they were missing their goalkeeper, and this fixture was always going to be a completely different game, especially away from home.
Keyworth also got off to a brilliant start last week, winning their opening fixture, so their confidence would be high coming into today's game.
Today was my first opportunity to see the boys since returning from holiday. With no training this week, I left Ryan and Andy to focus on the warm-up while I spoke to the boys in small groups, covering the areas we wanted them to focus on.
β½ A Fast Start from Tupton
The game got underway and Tupton started with real intent!
Henry pressed Keyworth straight from kick-off, forcing the keeper into action almost immediately. The pressure didn't stop there, with Henry's pressing forcing a corner. Great energy to start the game!
From the corner, we could see Tupton's quality. A quick short corner from Charlie found Fin, who made a brilliant run. Charlie then overlapped and found Fin again, who got a good effort into the box, but Keyworth just managed to defend it.
Not even two minutes on the clock and Tupton were looking hungry, playing with real energy and desire!
Tupton controlled the opening stages, but Keyworth didn't take long to show the threat they possessed. A long ball down the right channel found their attacker, who delivered a brilliant cross, but there was just too much on it. A little warning for our defenders!
π₯ Creating Chances
A big message for our boys today was to be confident playing out from the back, and the first opportunity to do this saw Kaiden play a brilliant ball down the right. Lochran let it run through to Henry, who got away a good effort that went agonisingly close, hitting the side netting!
Henry was certainly causing their back line real problems with his brilliant pressing.
Tupton were generally in control, and any real threat from Keyworth tended to come when we rushed our decisions. Credit to the boys, though, as we battled well to regain possession.
Harlyn was working very hard in the centre, doing the dirty work of breaking up play. Our work rate to win the second ball was impressive, and we were quick to counter-attack.
One standout moment came when Harlyn released Lochran, who then played a brilliant ball through the defence to find Henry, but the Keyworth keeper managed to keep us out.
Tupton were looking good, especially in possession. Just five minutes into the game, we had already registered five shots to Keyworth's one.
The only problem? The score was still 0-0, and you could sense that our wastefulness in front of goal might come back to bite us later!
𧀠The Chances Keep Coming
The game was settling down, with both teams looking very good in possession. Tupton were creating the better chances, but Keyworth's keeper was having nothing short of an outstanding game!
Just under 10 minutes in, Henry once again won the press and got away a good effort, which the keeper saved. The ball dropped back to Henry, who had another shot, but this time the defender got a block in. Next up, it fell to Harlyn, who got another effort away, only for the keeper to make yet another save!
Somehow, Tupton just couldn't find the back of the net!
Moments later, a lovely move from Tupton saw a great pass from Henry followed by an excellent effort from Lochran. And, you guessed it, the keeper produced another brilliant save!
Some fantastic football from the boys, but we were missing that all-important end product.
To be fair to the lads, we were playing some really nice football and somehow the game was still goalless. We weren't just looking good going forward either. Our defenders were confidently playing the ball back to Jaxon in goal, and it was really pleasing to see them having the confidence to utilise our keeper as part of our build-up play.
Keyworth realised we were playing out from the back and, to their credit, started pressing us more aggressively. Our message to the boys was simple: move the ball quicker!
Tupton continued to press and create more chances, but the keeper stood tall. Every save was now met with cheers from the Keyworth players, and rightly so. The young lad was keeping his team in the game with a brilliant performance.
β½ Against the Run of Play
Fifteen minutes in, Tupton could have been out of sight!
Keyworth won a free kick in the centre of the park. The ball came in and Lochran cleared it. Charlie tried to find Henry, but the Keyworth player read the pass and intercepted. He played the ball down the right, where their attacker beat our defender and whipped in a shot.
Unfortunately, Jaxon couldn't hold it, and their striker was quickest to react.
1-0 Keyworth.
An avoidable goal and a frustrating way to concede, but a footballing lesson for the boys. If you don't take your chances, this is what can happen!
It was Keyworth's second shot on target, and fair play to them, they were clinical.
How would the boys respond?
π Making Changes
We used this opportunity to swap Sajin for Harlyn. It took us a few minutes to settle, but we were impressed that the boys didn't change our way of playing. In previous games, we've sometimes tried to force things when going behind, but this time we continued to trust our football.
The game became a little more open, but the boys were battling well. Kaiden and Sajin were putting in some strong challenges, and gradually we started to regain control.
Charlie was next to test the keeper. From a kick-in, Charlie used his trademark body feint to beat his man before hitting a good shot from distance. The keeper didn't hold it initially, but he reacted quickly to gather the loose ball.
This keeper really was the difference so far!
Our next substitution was a straight defensive swap, with Jack replacing Kaiden on the right. His first touch was a brilliant ball forward, but Keyworth defended well.
We were battling really well, and Henry used his body brilliantly to win a free kick from halfway. Up stepped Jack, who sent another good effort towards goal, but you guessed it, the keeper saved again! π«£
The remainder of the first half continued in a similar fashion. We defended well, used the wide areas effectively and created good opportunities, but we just couldn't find that much-needed goal.
Harry was also introduced, replacing Finley.
β±οΈ Half-Time: Keyworth Utd Blue 1-0 New Tupton Ivanhoes Gold
What a strange half of football!
Tupton had dominated large periods and registered 11 shots on target and 6 off target, compared with Keyworth's 2 on target and 2 off target, yet we went into half-time trailing by a goal.
There really wasn't too much to criticise about our first-half performance because, for the most part, we had done the right things.
We were creating chances, playing confidently from the back, using the wide areas and working hard to win possession back.
At half-time, we asked the boys to try to move the ball quicker and be a little more creative with their shots, because it was going to take something special to beat this keeper!
The chances were there. Now we needed to make them count.
β½ The Second Half
The second half continued in a similar fashion, with Tupton looking to take the game to Keyworth. However, just minutes in, they caught us on the break. Jaxon came out to meet the attacker, but he cleverly flicked the ball past him. Harry nearly managed to clear it, but the ball bobbled over the line.
2-0 Keyworth.
Frustrating for the boys and hard to swallow after such a brilliant first half. However, there was no need to panic, as we still had plenty of time to put things right!
Tupton continued to put pressure on Keyworth. Sajin was moving the ball really quickly and finding plenty of success down the left with Charlie, who was looking to play Henry in behind. However, Keyworth were definitely emboldened by their lead and were throwing bodies in front of everything to protect it.
Harry and Jack defended brilliantly looking like a very solid unit with Lochran dropping deeper to help. This allowed us to get on the front foot time and time again and the chances continued to come, but we just couldn't find a way through!
The second half once again featured some brilliant football and some really impressive individual performances. We were battling brilliantly, and for long periods, Keyworth struggled to create any real opportunities of their own.
π A Moment of Sportsmanship
Something I spotted while watching the game back deserves a mention.
Charlie fairly won the ball back, but unfortunately, the young Keyworth player got hurt in the challenge. Once play had stopped, Charlie went back to the otherside of the pitch to check on him, showing brilliant sportsmanship ππ
It's a real testament to the brilliant kids we have. They are very competitive, but they always show that fantastic humility, week in, week out.
Moments like this are just as important as anything that happens on the pitch. ππ€
π₯
The Search for a Goal Continues
The football we were playing continued to create chances, and unbelievably, we just couldn't find the goal we desperately needed!
Finley eventually replaced Charlie, while Harlyn came on for Kaiden. Our changes didn't stop us from playing really good football, and we continued to look for a way back into the game with some really pleasing football!
Midway through the second half, the game lost its flow a little and became scrappier. We made a few more substitutions to try to find a way back into it.
Charlie came close with a brilliant effort, but once again, the keeper produced another outstanding save, tipping the shot onto the post!
Tupton continued to push, desperate to get that first goal and give ourselves a chance of mounting a comeback.
We eventually went to one at the back, and unfortunately, Keyworth won a free kick. We failed to organise our defence properly, allowing two Keyworth players to remain free in front of goal. A smart little flick from the free kick and Keyworth had their third, from just their fourth shot on target.
3-0 Keyworth.
The boys were a little shell-shocked. After what had been a pretty dominant performance for large periods, we suddenly found ourselves with a mountain to climb.
To their credit, the boys continued to battle and showed real character, but our heads had definitely dropped a little, and our previously fluid football wasn't quite as clear.
Unfortunately, it just wasn't going our way today.
With five minutes left, we continued to create chances, but the boys were tiring both mentally and physically. It was a hard one to swallow.
β±οΈ Full-Time: Keyworth Utd Blue 3-0 New Tupton Ivanhoes Gold
31 shots. Zero goals.
Normally, I wouldn't go into quite so much detail after a game but today's result really doesn't tell the full story.
Tupton were dominant throughout large parts of the game, producing some really good football through all three thirds of the pitch. However, a combination of not taking our chances and some unbelievable goalkeeping resulted in a shock result.
Credit where it's due, Keyworth's number one produced a goalkeeping masterclass and was a huge reason they came away with the result. Their coach acknowledged at the end that the game could have been very different.
We lost the game, but there is plenty to take from the performance. We now have three weeks to build on today before the final three weeks of competitive fixtures, and it's still all to play for!
We will dust ourselves down, learn from today and come back stronger. There is lots for us coaches to be proud of, even if the result wasn't what we wanted. ππ€
π Coaches' Player of the Match
β Charlie, Number 9
This week's Coaches' Player of the Match was selected by Andy G and Ryan, and the award went to our number 9, Charlie!
Andy highlighted a few key points from Charlie's performance.
Today, Charlie showed what we have missed over the last few weeks, particularly with his clever movement off the ball.
His decision-making and unselfish play brought others into the game and gave the team a much-needed boost.
Overall, Charlie's performance showed exactly why he is such an important player for us. He thinks one step ahead, finds brilliant passes and has movement off the ball that is really impressive to watch.
He's a fantastic team player who always puts the team first, and that was clear throughout today's performance.
Well done, mate! A thoroughly deserved award. πππ€
We go again, boys! πͺ
Football was done and it was all smiles at the end as we headed for the traditional π»π»
