Lapal Colts U11s 25/26

Sunday 22nd February, a game at last having missed two weeks due to pitch conditions today saw us away to face Kewford at Eagle Park.

It's been a unfortunate few weeks for the lads the last few weeks and today summed that up perfectly.

Finley breaking his elbow in training after an accidental coming together left us one out and with our keeper away for holidays it was up to luca to step up between the sticks until a wrist injury in the warmup left him unable to play in goal🤦 , a very 'well done' to Sam who stepped in to a very unfamiliar role with no warm up.

Kewford started brighter in this one and took an early lead, the lads seemed a little hesitant in the first half not closing down quick enough, not enough heart in the challenges and we gave kewford a easy life.

Second half and the lads came out showing they can play and the game evened out alot more,

A well taken penalty by logan getting us back in the game👏

Chances kept coming and a free kick stung the hands of the kewford keeper and a quick fire rebound just went over the bar.

At this point the lads started to apply a bit of pressure and a long throw from Lewis found the feet of Kian to knock the ball home.👏

Not our day today but some positive play in the second half and the lads showing resilience to fight back.

Well done to Callum on M.O.T.M 🏆 a commanding performance in the middle of the park.

Well done Lewis on parents player🏅 great work rate and positional awareness.

Well done to our goalscorers today logan⚽ and kian⚽

See you all next week 🟠 ⚫

Sunday 1st February, away to face bewdley Town was the plan but with recent weather impacting pitches our game was reversed at a later time, so home again.

We knew this was going to be a tough game with bewdley playing a year up and dropping down to our division at Christmas they clearly had some talent within their squad.

The later kick off had reduced us down to 9 players so a good workrate and stamina would play its part, luckily bewdley had the same fate and only had the 9 so both teams would need staying power.

We started this game in control playing some nice football and creating some chances but bewdley held strong early on and looked to counter.

Before too long Kian picked the ball up from the edge of the box and danced around three defenders to slot the ball home showcasing what a talent he is with footwork worthy of any academy kid.👏

Not long after a mis-timed tackle saw our striker take a nasty hit to the shin that put us down to 8 men for the next 10 minutes, a big loss as Logan was doing a incredible job up top holding the ball up.
Despite this we continued to attack and another tackle saw us win a free kick, up stepped Luca and a right footed shot to the far corner gave their keeper little chance.

Second half and bewdley started to show they can play football and had chances, but our keeper, Fletcher, our parents player today was having a great game showing reassured handling.
Not content with some great goalkeeping Fletcher wanted an assist and with a long kick from his hands found Logan who out muscled their defenders to poke the ball past an oncoming keeper.

We have some kids with great feet in this team that make life hard for defenders and once agian Kian with great footwork was fouled this time it would result in him taking no further part in the game so once again down to 8, we didn't want backs against wall defending even with 8 so asked the lads to continue to play the way we know they can, it required a real fight and togetherness but the lads did everyone proud.

Well done to our m.o.t.m🏆 today Lewis working very hard, he had a lot of space to cover and showed great stamina.

Well done to our parents player🏅 Fletcher very assured between the sticks today with some great handling and positional play.

Well done to our goal scorers Kian⚽ Luca⚽ and Logan ⚽👏 (highlights in comments)

We were also blessed with a visit from our sponsor Paul from Metro Plumb Birmingham & Solihull

Paul is working incredibly hard and rarely finds time for himself let alone coming down to watch his sponsored team but made time today as some of the new kids and parents hadn't met him, calling in before hand to ask if the cafe needed supplies, what a bloke! 👏

For some of you we will see you tomorrow night for our friendly futsal match agaisnt Halesowen U12s girls.

To the rest enjoy your week.

🟠⚫

Happy 10th Birthday to our youngest and fastest player Caleb.

Everyone at Lapal colts hopes you have a great day.

🎂🎉

A big Happy birthday to Ellis who is celebrating his 11th birthday today.🎂

Hope you have a great day from all the the lapal family.

Sunday the 25th January, at home to face a new team in the division starz academy.

We started this one strong on the front foot and applying pressure on starz, stopping them from playing and creating plenty of chances.

One of those early chances falling to the feet of logan who slotted the ball home with confidence.👏

The second half saw starz get back into the game and once again we dropped our heads and let starz dominate play in the final third.

The lads didn't look themselves today mistakes that lead to chances for starz happening from alot of the lads and starz have the quality to punish teams.

When we did break we did with quality and another chance fell to Logans feet and he snuck it over the line for no2. 👏

We really need to work on resilience, belief and attitudes with the lads to move the team forward.

Well done to Logan today two goals ⚽⚽

M.O.T.M 🏆 and parents player 🏅👏👏👏

See you all next week.

Sunday the 18th of January due to Christmas and the weather cancelling games the boys hadn't played at all or trained much for over a month, In fact most of them spent more time in a go Kart then kicking a ball with our Christmas outing to Cannon hill raceway proving a hit.🏎️

Well done to Josh on taking first place showing fearless driving ability.👏

Today saw us face Wombourne All stars Raptors a team not faced this season due to different league standings.

We started the game well some strong pressing saw Wombourne struggle to get out of there own half and test our keeper, when they did break our defence had the pace to keep up with there attackers and cut out any counter attack.

We continued to press and we got rewarded when the ball was played to Lewis on the right he found the feet of Logan at the edge of the box who's first time touch took it away from the defender and he swept it home under a diving keeper.

Second half and much of the same for 15 minutes a ball from midfield and Lewis was there in space again this time Lewis rounded there keeper and his shot on goal was tapped home at the far post by Roman.

The last ten minutes of the game saw Wombourne respond with a well taken goal from a cross into the box and with that Wombourne had the edge, there confidence increased and our lads looked nervous and panicked.

Up step Romaldo, some desperate defending on the edge of our box but Luca stole the ball from there attacker and played the ball into open space out wide for Roman to run onto and he did just that, one on one and never in doubt an excellent finish into the bottom corner.👏

Well done to our Parents player🥇 this week Lewis, Excellent all round game and two assists.👏

Well done to our goal scorers Logan⚽️and Roman⚽️⚽️👏

Great start to the new year.

Sunday 14th December at home to face old Wulfrunians.

The lads started strong in this one controlling the game in the first half and limiting old Wulfrunians to very few chances.

Missing a few players today, due to holidays and illness so in stepped Luca and Sam between the sticks to replace Fletcher well done both👏

Some good football in the middle to play the ball out wide to Lewis who's first time shot slipped under there keeper, followed by a powerful free kick from range from Aylan just before the break.

Second half and old Wulfrunians grew in confidence and it was game on.

The lads seemed a little off it in the warm up today maybe late night's or dreaming of what Father Christmas might bring? 🎅.

Well done to Sam today on M.O.T.M 🏆 playing in the middle first half and doing a great job showing an attacking mind set, also offering to go between the sticks second half.

Well done Josh on Parents player 🏅 solid performance at the back today great composure on the ball looking to play out to feet.

That's it for this year the lads will work hard and prepare for the new year.

Well done Lewis and Aylan on your goals⚽⚽

See you in the new year. 🟠⚫

Sunday 7th December at home to face Halesowen Town south.

Always a good friendly game this one, The Halesowen kids coached the right way and a good mutual respect between players.

It wouldn't be right if we didn't go behind, which seems to be the patten this season but we don't mind that as the lads now fully believe that there is always a way back into the game.

A fantastic strike from Halesowens striker leaving our keeper with no chance.

Second half and the lads continued on the front foot all working hard to carve out chances but both teams doing well defensively.

Well done to our m.o.t.m🏆 and parents player🏅 today Kian.

Kian pulled a muscle in Mondays friendly after working hard in that game but was given the all clear to feature today and didn't hold back with his work rate so much so we sent him back as CB for the last 15 minutes to try to slow him down.

Well done kian👏 ( looking very festive due to me forgetting a photo)

Well done to Ellis⚽ and Lewis⚽ on your goals today.

See you all next week. 🟠⚫

Sunday 30th November, at home on a chilly but dry day.

Halesowen East didn't have far to travel for this today's game.

We started well in this one, you could see the confidence in the lads all working well together but it was Halesowen that came in at half time with the lead.

The second half saw us dominate possession and chances with Halesowen looking dangerous on the counter attack.

The lads played really well today some great football and team work on show, a massive improvement showing each week. Well done lads. 👏

Well done to our m.o.t.m🏆 today Callum playing CM and dominating the middle with a great work rate to boot.

Well done Luca on Parents player🏅 working very hard for the team today and some great footwork.

Well done to our goal scorers lewis⚽ and Loagn⚽ 👏

Once again thank you Metro Plumb Birmingham & Solihull for giving these lads the opportunity to play their football at such a great venue.

See you all next week 🟠⚫

Sunday 23rd November.

The league didn't have us pencilled in this week so we arranged a friendly with Halesowen south.

At home in the sun on our fantastic pitch.

This game started very evenly with both teams showing great attacking ability but it was Halesowen that opened the scoring twice from well worked attacks to send lapal in at half time with work to do.

The lads spent all of 2 minutes on the side lines before heading out with great desire to turn this one around.

Lapal looking a lot more dangerous in the second half the lads knowing if they kept pushing their goals would come.

Well done to our m.o.t.m🏆 Kian, great determination combined with some very good footwork today.

Well done to parents player 🏅Roman, a powerful no 9 that causes issues to any defence.

Well done to our goalscorers today Roman⚽⚽ Logan ⚽ Aylan⚽ and Caleb⚽👏

A really friendly game played out in the right spirit so much so we had to drag both sets of players off the pitch 30 minutes after the game had finished.
Showing that it's sometimes us coaches and parents that turn it into something it isn't, for the kids it's just a game between friends.

See you all next week lapal. 🟠⚫

Sunday 16th and at home - at last!! due to a last minute fixture reverse due to the wet weather.

Old Wulfrunians the visitors to our pitch today, a team clearly full of quality, the lads would need to be switched on and give everything.

We started strong in this one and with a full set of 15 players could stay that way! With plenty of fresh legs at our disposal.

All of the kids gave their all today with some lovely football played.

Well done to our m.o.t.m🏆 Logan some great battling up front and clever movement off the ball to receive it.

Well done to our parents players 🏅🏅 today- a joint one, with even votes for Fletcher and JJ.

Fletcher controlling his box very well with great positional play and JJ working very hard at CB to s***f out any counter attack. Well done both👏

Well done to our goal scorers today Logan⚽ luca⚽ Aylan⚽ Roman⚽ and Mason⚽. 👏

All of the players should be very proud today a real team performance.

And of course a special mention to not only our kit sponsor but pitch sponsor also, Paul of Metro Plumb Birmingham & Solihull

Paul has been incredibly supportive of these lads since he started to sponsor the team- always asking if they need anything.

Paul is supportive of a lot of sport not just Lapal Colts U11s as you can see here in this photo he recently sponsored England rugby.

Well done Paul you really make a difference and without your support we would have a much harder job to do. 👏