Ginny saved three out of four penalties to
make the difference between finishing winners or runners
up.
Results:
| Mid-Oxfordshire |
0 |
|
0 |
South-East
Cornwall |
| Newbury |
0 |
|
5 |
Bath |
|
|
|
|
Dave Pollinger |
|
|
|
|
Bradley Norris |
|
|
|
|
Lee Hedges |
|
|
|
|
Paris Grappy (2) |
|
|
|
|
|
| Jersey |
1 |
|
2 |
Southampton |
| Poole & East
Dorset |
0 |
|
1 |
Bristol |
|
|
|
|
|
| Swindon |
3 |
|
1 |
Mid-Oxfordshire |
| South-East
Cornwall |
3 |
|
0 |
Newbury |
|
|
|
|
|
| Southampton |
0 |
|
1 |
Bath |
|
|
|
|
Will Oswin |
| Poole & East
Dorset |
4 |
|
1 |
Jersey |
|
|
|
|
|
| Bristol |
0 |
|
4 |
Swindon |
| Mid-Oxfordshire |
3 |
|
0 |
Newbury |
|
|
|
|
|
| Jersey |
1 |
|
2 |
Bath |
|
|
|
|
Will Oswin |
|
|
|
|
Bradley Norris |
| South-East
Cornwall |
2 |
|
0 |
Poole & East Dorset |
|
|
|
|
|
| Swindon |
5 |
|
1 |
Newbury |
| Southampton |
4 |
|
0 |
Bristol |
|
|
|
|
|
| Mid-Oxfordshire |
1 |
|
3 |
Poole & East
Dorset |
| South-East Cornwall |
4 |
|
0 |
Bath |
|
|
|
|
|
| Jersey |
0 |
|
1 |
Bristol |
| Southampton |
1 |
|
0 |
Swindon |
Table at end of group matches:
|
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
|
South-East
Cornwall |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
10 |
|
Swindon |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
3 |
9 |
9 |
|
Southampton |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
5 |
9 |
|
Bath |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
9 |
|
Poole & East
Dorset |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
|
Bristol |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
-6 |
6 |
|
Mid-Oxfordshire |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
-1 |
4 |
|
Jersey |
4 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
9 |
-6 |
0 |
|
Newbury |
4 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
16 |
-15 |
0 |
| Semi
Finals: |
|
|
|
|
|
| South-East Cornwall |
1 |
0 |
Southampton |
|
| Bath |
2 |
1 |
Swindon |
|
aet |
| Dave Pollinger |
|
|
|
|
|
| Bradley Norris |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Final |
|
|
|
|
|
| Bath |
2 |
2 |
South-East Cornwall |
aet |
| Will Oswin |
|
|
|
|
|
| Bradley Norris |
|
|
|
|
|
| Bath won the
penalty shoot out 3-1 |
|
|
|
Penalties
by:
Will Oswin
Bradley Norris
Charlie Wills
not
needed:
Lee Hedges
Jamie Smithies
School
Full
Bath
Squad:
Joseph Davies
GK
Weston
All Saints
Jack
Rowlands
St Stephens
Jamie Smithies
Capt
Chandag
Charlie Wills
Paragon
Bradley Norris
Oldfield Park
William Oswin
Newbridge
Lee Hedges
Chew Valley
Paris Grappy
Weston
All Saints
David Pollinger
Saltford
Report:
Bath qualified as Somerset champions by
default, which meant the team had no experience of playing
Seven-a-side, but we knew we had a good squad and if nothing
else, the experience of playing a South West Regional Final
would be good for the players’ development.
It was a good 2 hour journey down to
Poole,
with the A350 being closed just before Shaftesbury meaning a
long detour. We arrived at Oakdale school just in
time.
The competition format was 7 minutes each
way, each team playing 4 randomly drawn matches. The results
were built into a league table and the top 4 teams were drawn
into 2 semi finals.
Bath 5 Newbury
0
We got off to a flying start as
Dave Pollinger met a Will Oswin
through ball in the second minute and turned and shot in one
movement to beat the keeper. Still slightly nervous we
gradually began to play some passes and win most tackles.
Brad helped the nerves by netting
another before half time. This meant the half time team talk
was “more of the same please” and due to a straight turn
around was all there was time to say. With Paris and
Jack replacing David and
Charlie in the second half we soon
realised that our substitutes were just as strong as the
players they were replacing. A great sign for any squad. The
pace of play continued at a high tempo in the second half.
Will, who was causing the Newbury
defence plenty of trouble, was tripped in the box. The referee
had no choice but to award a penalty and I don’t think there
were any complaints from Newbury. Brad stepped up
to take it hard and to the right but the keeper saved
brilliantly, but Lee was first to react and put the
rebound away. Newbury knew they were defeated and a further 2
goals from Paris ensured we got
our goal difference column off to a good start as
well.
Bath 1 Southampton 0
This was going to be a tough match. We
had spent some time looking at Southampton when they played Jersey and they had
plenty of quality in their side. With an emphasis therefore,
on making sure we didn’t make any mistakes at the back and to
try to pin down Southampton in their own half,
the game developed into a technically excellent game of
football. Will scored the only goal of the
game by beating his man and slotting the ball past the keeper
with a sweet left foot. We weren’t surprised to later see
Southampton in the semi finals
though.
Bath 2 Jersey
1
After going a goal behind to a powerful
long range free kick, this match was to test Bath’s resolve. The following
period of play was to show that there was belief in this team
in abundance. Jersey never got another look in and
goals from Will, finishing on the half volley
from a cross field ball from Lee, and
Brad, using his frightening pace and
precision finishing, left us in a comfortable position of
played 3 won 3. Surely enough to get us to the
semis?
Bath 0 Cornwall 4
It’s possible that we took our foot off
the pedal for this match. The turn in the weather didn’t help
our moods either – being rained, hailed, snowed and sleeted on
in between burst of brilliant sunshine. Two goals in quick
succession in the first half left us with too much to do in
the second half and as is often the case, in trying to chase
the game we conceded more. On the positive side it brought us
back to reality and once we found we’d qualified for the
knockout phase, was a lesson worth taking heed of.
Semi Finals
Bath 2 Swindon 1 (after extra
time)
We didn’t want to be drawn against
Swindon
because we’d lost to them the week before in a Representative
match and when we saw them in their qualifying matches, they
looked quality opposition. However, we got off to a good start
and were well matched for quality of passing and effort. We
eventually took the lead with an increasingly confident
Dave Pollinger. Then we needed
to shut up shop knowing it would be difficult to get a second
against a strong Swindon defence. The plan failed only
because a shot from inside the penalty area, which Ginny did
well to parry, was scrambled over the line by a quicker
response from the Swindon forward. Extra time duly
followed but we had no substitutes since Dave and
Paris were
both injured. Anyone who was tired would just have to carry
on. The first period (3 mins each way) was competed at the
same high tempo but brought no progress from either side. In
the second period Brad, now playing up front with
Jack playing the holding midfield
role, was quicker to a long through ball by Jamie and
finished clinically to seal the win, with Swindon having only
half a minute to respond. We were through to the Final – which
also meant we were going to the National Finals at Keele
University.
Final
Bath 2 Cornwall 2 (after extra time –
Bath won
on penalties)
We’d met Cornwall in the qualifying
stages and lost 4-0, so they were confident and we were out
for revenge – a recipe for an excellent match. We now knew
they were a good side and would not make the same mistakes of
the previous match. Will gave us a lead from a long
throw by Charlie – a ploy we’d been using
more and more as the competition went on. In the second half
Cornwall
equalised from a poorly defended corner. After several chances
for either side went begging, we faced extra time yet
again.
With legs being dragged to the side of
the pitch to receive the manager’s pep talk, we wondered if
the boys had anything left to give. They did. Brad, again
using his speed and finishing ability gave us the lead in the
first period of extra time. All we had to do was hang on. It
lasted about 20 seconds.
The second period of extra time provided
a few hands on head chances but no goals and 2 well matched
teams had to go to penalties to decide their
differences.
Cornwall went first and Ginny
saved comfortably. Not a well taken penalty to be
honest.
Will stepped up
and placed with power, 1-0
Cornwall replied with an
unstoppable shot well to the right of Ginny.
1-1
Brad mad no
mistake with his penalty – low and to the right,
2-1
Cornwall’s’ next penalty was
well hit and to the left but Ginny reacted excellently and got
a strong right hand to it.
With Charlie stepping up for the next
penalty, the only person not shaking with nerves was him. He
slotted the ball as calmly as anything, low and to the left
with his left foot sending the keeper the wrong way. 3 –
1
Cornwall needed a finish to
stay in the competition but again, Ginny’s’ reflex save kept
out what looked like a certain goal, playing it onto crossbar
and then post and then away. Bath had won the South West
Regional Finals!!!!
Caretaker manager Dave Hedges: “What the boys
achieved today is absolutely awesome. To come here and play
the best in the South West of England is an experience that
many others would envy taking part in, but to go and win it is
phenomenal. I’m struggling to believe it’s
happened”
“The boys gave me everything I asked of
them and even when I asked for more, when their legs didn’t
want to give any more, they found another ounce of energy from
somewhere to give it.”
“They probably don’t realise yet just
what they have achieved, but when they get to Keele
University I think they
may start to realise how big this is.”
“I’d also like to mention that the boys’
behaviour throughout was exemplary. Didn’t argue with
refereeing decisions, shook hands after the match – win or
lose, and stuck by each other in a way that only kids of that
age can. They listened to instructions and followed them with
belief.”
The National Finals are on Sat 18th June at the University of
Keele and I, for one,
will make sure I’m there and don’t miss a minute of
it.
Report by Kevin Smithies
7/3/05
