Whilst Coxheath & Farleigh lost star defender Louis Frost to the odd shaped ball at the end of last season, manager Jose Money paraded two summer signings in the opening day of the season. Sam Noakes & Matthew Leggett, starting from the bench, were both given their debuts today and showed just why Money has placed faith in their abilities. Leggett handled his role on the right wing admirably and Noakes displayed stubbornness in defence coupled with vision and awareness in going forward.

Every drop of ability and skill will be required this season as newly promoted Bearsted Rangers showed the form and desire that brought them the U9 Division 1 title by shutting out reigning Champions Coxheath & Farleigh in the first game and nicking the second match with a well deserved goal.

After an even opening half where neither team managed to carve out any clear scoring opportunities, the second half brought a degree of excitement at each end and displayed the abilities of two fine goalkeepers. Just moments after Anthony Whitehead magnificently tipped Jordan Smith's volley over the Bearsted cross-bar Chandler Money was called into action between the Heath sticks, deflecting a fierce Rangers shot from the edge of the box onto the cross-bar.

Whilst the play franticly moved from end to end, neither team could create more than a mild threat on the opposition goal and the game ended honours even.

Heath started the second match brightly, forcing the play more frequently yet still struggling with the effervescence of a confident Rangers team.

Late in the first half Robbie Smith launched one of his trademark drives on the Rangers goal, it was as much as Whitehead could do to parry the shot in the path of the on rushing Osborne who clipped the ball goal wards only to see the goalkeeper bounce up and force his attempt wide of the post.

The high standard of play continued in the second half, with both teams playing neat passes whilst the other harried and chased. Finally the deadlock was broken as Rangers forced a corner and McKay, picking up the loose ball on the edge of the area, riffled the ball through a crowd of players, past the diving Money and into the net.

Heath valiantly tried to get back into the game, testing the Rangers defence on a few further occasions before the referee called time on two well fought and thoroughly entertaining matches.

match report

Game 1 Coxheath & Farleigh 3 Butler 6’ J. Smith 15’ Leggett 18’ v Coxheath & Farleigh 0

Game 2 Coxheath & Farleigh 0 v Borough Green 1

Coxheath & Farleigh: Jordan Smith (c), Chandler Money (gk), Robbie Smith, Zach Osborne, Kane Butler, Lewis Page, Lewis Midwinter, Sam Noakes, Matthew Leggett.

Borough Green Juniors: James Cooper (gk), Oliver Longley, Kieran Carr, Fintan Baker, Sam Baker, Connor Jeffery. Man of the Match: Matthew Leggett.

Every game against Borough Green proves to be a memorable moment and this clash was to be no different. With a late kick off enforced by Borough Green’s pitch quality enquiries with the referee, these two matches contained more needle than Karen Millen’s sewing box. The pitch, having been moved to accommodate new equipment on the field, has a bald patch from last season’s goal-mouth and whilst it should be deserved of some criticism the surface could never be deemed un-playable, however the matter became the focus of attention for the Green’s manager, who no doubt had a stressful enough morning when only six players arrived for duty.

Play finally commenced and Heath dominated from the off coming close to scoring in their first movement as Robbie Smith received an excellent through ball from Butler only to miss the right side of the post. Tight marking, tenacious defending and slap-dash shooting kept the opening minute’s goal-less as Green held Heath at bay, that was until the 6th minute when the sparkling Kane Butler attacked the goal from the right hand side and chipped the keeper from an acute angle.

Dropping the goal seemed to fire up the Green players as the tackles flew-in during the second half, however their play could not prevent the inevitable as Jordan Smith scored Heath’s second, latching onto a rebound inside the penalty area. Moments later Matthew Leggett scored the third, his first goal for the club, adroitly sliding the ball past the keeper with his left foot as he stole in behind the Green defence. Whilst Borough Green were out numbered their commitment and bite brought a rare attack at the start of the second match, winning a corner and striking the near upright with the resultant kick. The near miss provided a timely reminder to the Heath players that the six points still had to be secured. Heath sprung into attack but were constantly undone by over-ornating the play instead of passing & moving their way around the field, this combined with the biting steel of the Green defence ensured a frustrating half for the dominant team, even more so when Green lumped the ball forwards creating a mêlée in the Heath box which saw the ball bounce off the Green attackers backside and beyond the grasp of the advancing Money in goal.

The second half continued in the same vein with Heath desperately trying to make their all round dominance tell and Green fiercely protecting their lead. Indeed Green’s commitment to retaining the win was typified by their #3 when making a sliding tackle to take the ball and man into touch, a marvellous tackle, garnished when completed with Billy Bremner style snarling and animalistic growl……. Another memorable match!