Category: Headlines

See the pictures from the game with HOLWAY by hitting the link below

https://plus.google.com/photos/106481448529677945455/albums/6141561987616742017

 

Friday, April 24.

Taunton and District Youth League. Under-16 Division One

ROVERS (0) 3: 0 (0) HOLWAY
Ollie Elsworthy, Levi Edwardson, Josh Mclean

Football is, after all, just a game, and that is what was delivered for 80 splendid minutes by two well matched sides under the Silver Street floodlights.
The game was well marshalled by referee Shane Kellway and Rovers, champions once again of the Taunton and District Youth League, were made to work hard by an industrious Holway side who did their unfortunately (and desperately sadly) ailing boss Dan Toogood so proud with their collective performance.
However, this game was always going to be so much more than 80 minutes of action. The fixture had been re-arranged so that Dan (Holway boss) could see his side playing under the Silver Street floodlights. Typical of the chaps luck – illness prevented his attendance, but his lovely wife and dear son were both in attendance and, post match, the club were able to make a presentation of the match profits (plus the referee donated half his fee) and handed over a sum of £75 to Dan’s charity.
The club had also put together a framed presentation that showed a picture of the first Holway team Rovers had come across – the Under-12 team that had beaten Rovers 2-1 at Wellington FC in the 2011 cup final. There was also a picture of this season’s Holway team, and the frame carried the wording: ‘Holway versus Willand Rovers – always a cracking encounter’

Back to the football and it’s testament to the extraordinary discipline of the back three (skipper Tom Badcott, Dan Foweraker and Ryan Harder), and goalkeeper Harrison Burton, that YET ANOTHER clean sheet was kept. Young Burton has now played 27 times for the club and has kept an amazing 17 clean sheets!
Fittingly the goal that finally broke the Holway resistance was scored by a player who has been with the team since that very first game back in 2010 when a Rovers Under-12 side beat Phoenix 2-1 at Silver Street – Ollie Elsworthy.
His cool, calm, and clinical finish, gave Rovers a 60th minute lead. Ten minutes later Levi Edwardson rifled home the second and Josh Mclean, one of the undoubted stars of the season in this his debut campaign, slammed home the third and final goal.
In between we saw another midfield master class from Sam Jones and his young side-kick Connor Pengelly – the latter really has done so well playing in this accomplished Rovers outfit, and more than holding his own despite playing a ‘year up’.
Jordan Biss, another who was present on that first ever match day, played the full 90 minutes (this as we received a late, late cry off from one of the squad) and, as he always does when he gets onto the pitch, he let no one down, indeed he did himself proud with his shift in the engine room.
Bailey Jason-Ryan gave his now customary whole hearted ‘never-say-die’ performance – he proved once again what a pain he can be for opposition defences with the way he gives defenders not a second of time on the ball.

All in all it was another excellent all-round performance with everyone putting a good honest shift I for the cause.

For this scribe, watching the players who have grown with the team it was quite nostalgic as the match was of course the penultimate one this group will play together – the final chapter of this particular footballing story is ended on Sunday with the Staplegrove visit. It’s been a journey that has involved 96 match days (the Staplegrove one being the 96th).

So far 452 goals have been scored by the team in that time – the 450th was the first of the three against Holway – scored by Ollie Elsworthy who, with Sam Jones, has scored more goals than any other player of the 47 different lads who have played in this Rovers outfit.

Those still playing who were with the club on day one are:

Jordan Biss, Ollie Elsworthy, Sam Jones and Connor Pengelly. Over the seasons the team has bene able to integrate new players to such a degree that, for this scribe at least, we now have the best Rovers youth team this group has served up over the five years of its life time.

We started this penultimate report with the fact that whilst it was a game of football, the night was about so much more.

The night was very much about the fight being fought by one DAN TOOGOOD and he can battle away with his dreadful enemy (the illness) knowing that everybody connected with Willand Rovers Under-16s stands beside him. Good luck Dan – the very best of luck indeed.

Sunday, April 19th 2015

Devon County Youth League

Willand Rovers 3 Clyst Valley 1 (HT 1-0) Bastin, Gibbins, Johnson

Someone said recently that all the best title wins go to the wire. After all the issues and logistical problems for the previous fixture at Apollo, today Willand would have their full squad of 16! It seems that everyone was keen to ensure the league should be won for the club today.

So the game kicked off with Willand (as the hosts) attacking the Tesco End, on a very firm, well prepared pitch, under the watchful eye of referee Brian Holmes.

Early exchanges were promising for Willand’s under 18s, as their shape stretched wide on the Speeds Meadow surface. Tarji Jones and Nathan Antat were prolific on the flanks while Jordan Bastion started to pull the strings in midfield

After 6 minutes, and Alex Wright throw-in from deep in the Clyst Valley half, on the left was cutely flicked behind by Reece Kingdom and then again by Jones into the path of Bastin whose run and shot was beaten out at the last minute by the ‘keeper.

The blustery wind towards the Willand goal in the first half was a constant ally to the visitors’ cause, especially from free-kicks. Most were well flighted in and goalkeeper, Jez Cross, had to be constantly alert, especially when one such kick was glanced straight into his hands from 8 yards.

By then though, Willand were 1-0. Having had one or two runs into the Clyst area, this time Bastin collected a ball from the right and went straight to the goal-line. His excellent footwork wrong-footed the defence and when he cut back inside the six-yard area and shot, the ball went in off the far post for 1-0. Well deserved.

Ben Bickle was playing exceptionally well too and his runs and link-up play from right back were a constant threat. From one of his runs, Willand got possession in the Clyst penalty area and from another shot, the ball cannoned off the cross-bar and then off the line before it was cleared to safety. Johnson had a glancing header go just wide from a good cross on the left too.

Not long before halftime, Clyst fired a reminder that there was only a single goal advantage to Willand when from a corner, a shot hit the underside of the bar and a great chance went begging before it was cleared to safety.

Into the second half, and Willand went in search of a second goal. And got it.

Fifty seconds in and Gibbins collected the ball about 25 yards out and struck a drive which took a looping deflection and went in. He says the goal was going in anyway, so we’ll credit him with the goal but it gave Willand breathing space.

Now there was lots of good play from the White Ravens. It would be important to keep the ball and not give any chances away. Hmmm.

After 60 minutes, a free-kick from Willand’s right was met at the near post by Chim for Clyst Valley and suddenly it was 2-1.

But in all honesty, that was as close as the visitors came to Willand’s goal in the second period. Ash Matthews was imperious in defence, along with Jordan Major, Alex Wright, Ben Bickle and, of course, Jez Cross.

At the other end, Johnson was coming to life as space appeared between the visitors midfield and defence. He got his reward after 72 minutes when Gibbins chased a through ball that seemed to going out of play. As he reached it, Johnson saw the opportunity. Gibbins not only stopped the ball going out on the right hand-side but also pulled it back to the penalty spot where Johnson arrived to score high in the net. 3-1.

Now Willand could once again defend a 2-goal lead AND start to introduce their substitutes. Sam Rawlings came on for Gibbins, Jake Tillet for Antat, JJ for Johnson.

Chances came for Willand, including a rasping grass shot from Tillet when a loose ball came to him twenty yards out. And a word of note about Reece Kingdom who would not let the Clyst Valley midfield rest when on the ball.

When the final whistle went, Roland Brown and Richard Hill from the Devon County Youth League were on hand to present the League Cup and Winners-medals to the Willand team. It was a fitting-end to the campaign made all the harder, strangely, by the withdrawal of two sides from the league.

The County Cup Final is in just over a weeks time at Coach Road but before that, there is a league cup match at home to Alphington this Thursday, kick-off at 7:30pm.

 

 

https://plus.google.com/photos/106481448529677945455/albums/6139879533698575633
Rovers Under-16s have been crowned CHAMPIONS of the Taunton and District League Under-16 Division One following a 2-0 home win over MINEHEAD and a 2-1 defeat for Staplegrove at the hands of Wembdon.

Josh Mclean and an own goal made up the 2-0 Silver Street success for Rovers.

The Staplegrove defeat also means that they have now lost three matches and can no longer catch Rovers who  have two to play starting with Friday nights (7.30pm) meeting with Holway which will now be a champion party night!