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October

The month started with a challenge cup match against Castle Colts, a team that was unbeaten so far. The boys caused somewhat of a surprise in terms of dominating the first match. However our lack of firepower meant that the match ended 0-0. We had the same trouble in the second match and eventually succumbed to a 0-2 defeat and so went out at the first hurdle. Our next match was two weeks later at home to Sittingbourne Colts in the league. We played poorly in the first match, losing 0-3. In the second match we restructured the team and it paid dividends in terms of quality of play and we were unlucky to only draw 1-1. The following week we were away to the league leaders Castle Wanderers and we gave an average performance against a good side and lost 1-3 and 1-4. Improvement was required by all of the boys in the team for them to progress. This progress was evident in our final match of October when we entertained Larkfield in the league. An excellent performance in the first match gave us a 2-1 win. In the second match we missed some good chances in the second half and drew 2-2, so a good 4 points overall against solid opposition. Improvement in results is expected from now on as all 11 boys are working hard to form an effective squad for the remainder of the season. Player of the month was Kieran Monk.

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November

We kicked off November with friendlies against Bearsted Rangers as we had no league match due to Loose Lions not taking part in our league. Despite Bearsted doing reasonably well in their league so far we won all 3 matches played with an aggregate score of 8 – 1. The following week we visited MPE who needed to beat us to go top. The kick off was delayed for a considerable time whilst the grass on the pitch was cut and the pitch made playable. This caused considerable delay and was further compounded by the lack of a referee. Eventually we kicked off and the boys played well against a strong team. The score was 1-1 going in to the 4th minute of injury time, despite there being no stoppages! MPE scored from a corner and the final whistle went 10 seconds later. The outcome was unfair but sadly nothing new in junior football. After a change of referee for the second match and the use of 4 substitutes by us we lost 2-0, which was not too bad as the team was weakened by the substitutions. However the squad of 11 continues to improve overall from previous months. We had another free week on the 19th and it gave us the opportunity to have a full training session outdoors for a change. On Saturday 26th we visited Vinters Green for a league match. On a small pitch covered by leaves we struggled to settle and were over hitting the ball and struggling to get a passing game together. Following some half time substitutions in the first match we improved and scored two goals quickly. Our only defensive lapse was to concede a penalty which was well saved by our keeper and we ran out 2-0 winners. In the second match we changed the team around to give all squad members a game and scored within five seconds of the kick off. We then played some reasonable football and coasted to a 3-0 victory. All eleven players in the squad have improved significantly as the season progress and we are looking forward to a successful remainder of the season and a strong finish in the league and the consolation cup. Player of the month was Oliver Cooke.

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December

The winter weather finally had an influence on the under eights season as we were due to start the month off with a cup fixture at home to Swale Magpies. However, heavy continuous rain took its toll on the Coxheath village hall pitch. Following 12 hours rainfall the match had to be rescheduled for two weeks later, the 17th. The following Saturday we entertained Borough Green Youth at the village hall. The boys went in to the game knowing that wins in both games would take them in to fourth position in the League. The first match kicked off and we were quickly in to our stride with our passing and movement. The one negative in the match was that our finishing was too anxious and lacking quality at times. However our style of football and fluidity was too much for our opponents and we ran out 3-0 winners. In the second match we eased off a bit and after scoring early in the game our finishing was not up to standard and domination of possession was not evidenced by further goals. This allied to excellent goalkeeping by the diminutive Borough Green keeper meant that we had to wait until two minutes from time to score our second goal. However, the game was not yet over and sloppy defending meant that we conceded a goal and so had an anxious finish to the game. The boys had done the job and gained six points to move them in to fourth in the league.  The following week we played our re arranged cup match at home to Swale Magpies. Our opponents had the tallest goalkeeper I had ever seen at this age and would have not looked out of place in a much higher age group. Coxheath were up for this match and started at a fast pace and played their best football of the season, dominating the Magpies. However their keeper was unbeatable and our possession could not bring goals. The first match ended 0-0 and tactical changes were made so that we could work the ball in to their box and shoot from close range. A penalty shoot out was not an option as our opponents had a significant advantage over us. Our quality of play in the second match was again excellent and we pummelled the Magpie goal. Patience was required wand was rewarded three minutes from time when a close range scramble provided us with a goal. The Magpies attacked with three forwards from then on but the Coxheath defence held firm and we scored an excellent goal in the last minute to come out deserved 2-0 winners.  The performance of all of the squad has been excellent in recent weeks and the club and the parents should be proud of their progress in a short time. The December player of the month was Bradley Evernden.

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January

We started back after our Christmas break by playing a friendly against Barming. In the first match we started as if we had not missed three weeks and could afford to miss a penalty and an open goal and still win 3-1. However in the second match, after changing the team, we struggled to play with any rhythm or pace and lost 0-2. The following week we were away to South Park Colts United in the Consolation Cup at Oldborough Manor. On a good size pitch we were able to play our passing game and despite being a bit anxious in front of goal ran out 6-0 winners, setting us up for a comfortable second match. This enabled us to make extensive changes to the team in all positions. The match was delayed as our opponents could not persuade anyone to go in goal however we got going five minutes late. We struggled to get going and fell behind but worked our way back in to the game and ran out 2-1 winners and progressed comfortably to the quarter finals.  The following Saturday we entertained the unbeaten league leaders Castle Wanderers at the Village Hall. The first match was hard fought and skilful, but the Wanderers sneaked it 2-1. In the second match, with all eleven squad members getting a run out we lost valiantly 2-0, but won praise from the oppositions manager for our passing and teamwork. To complete the months fixtures we travelled to in form Sittingbourne Athletic on a bitterly cold day. The pitch at the UK Paper ground was excellent considering the weather conditions. Athletic started fast and hard and we had trouble coping with their style of play. They opened the scoring with a shot from twenty yards that rocketed in to the top corner. They scored a second from a hard hit deflected corner but we hit back at them and scored three minutes from time. We then pressurised their goal but could not force an equaliser. In the second match we made three substitutions to allow all of the squad a game. The Sittingbourne goalkeeper, who played well throughout, was able to kick the ball from one box to the other, a tactic we could not deal with. We lost the second match 0-2 and slipped to fifth in our tough league.  January was a hard month, not only due to the cold weather, but also because we played the best two teams in our League who are both in the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup. We now look forward to our cup quarter final to kick February off. The January player of the month was Ollie Cooke.

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February

February was a month that was affected by the weather and by the cancellation of matches, but was also a month in which we did not concede a goal. The month started on Saturday the 4th and saw us travel to South Park Rangers in the quarter finals of the Consolation Cup. The rangers had only conceded 8 goals in 20 league matches and so were no pushovers. One could see why they had not conceded many goals as they lined up in a ‘christmas tree’ formation of 3-2-1 and had a goalie of stature in between the posts. We started the game well and our passing game was on top. However we were finding the solid defence of Rangers hard to break down and despite domination of the first match we could not score and the game finished 0-0. During the interval between matches we managed to come up with a plan to break the opposition defence down by using the width of the pitch and using both wings and so dragging defenders out of the middle. Our plan paid dividends when our attack down both wings allowed our centre forward to find space within the penalty area to convert a cross. We then managed to replicate the first goal and were 2-0 up within five minutes of the start of the second game. At half time we expected Rangers to come out at us with all guns blazing to retrieve the two goal deficit. However they retained their christmas tree formation and with our defence mopping everything up we scored a third goal to kill the game off and give our centre forward a deserved hat trick. This was an excellent performance by everyone in the squad and augurs well for the future. The next two Saturdays were affected by the weather with no matches played. However we did train and worked on our passing game. On Saturday 25th we were away to Larkfield in the league, our opponents in the semi final of the Consolation Cup. On a freezing cold day the boys started the first match in cracking form and tore Larkfield apart. We deservedly ran out 3-0 winners leaving our opponents shell shocked. On the day we only had two subs available but they both played a full game in the second match. The game was closer than the first but we still outplayed our opposition and ran out 2-0 winners. This filled the boys with confidence in their ability and the belief that if they play to their potential they can progress to the Consolation Cup final. All in all an excellent month for the under eights.

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March

The month of March started off with our home match against MPE being postponed. This was unfortunate for us as not only did we need to take at least two pints to take fourth position in the League, but we needed a tough warm up match to prepare us for our cup semi final the following week. Instead we prepared with a full training session. The following Saturday we had our final training session before our semi final against Larkfield, who we had beaten 5-0 two weeks ago, tomorrow afternoon. All went well and when the big day came we were prepared. The UK Paper sports ground at Sittingbourne was packed when we arrived on Sunday afternoon. We caught the end of the first semi final in which Range Rovers ran out 5-0 winners. There was no real space for us to warm up and we struggled to do much that was constructive before kick off. The match kicked off on time at 3 PM and was hard fought. We did struggle to get our passing game going and it was more kick and rush which suited Larkfield better. The first match was hard fought and ended 0-0. In the second match we played better and got on top and deservedly took the lead. We then had a perfectly good goal disallowed by a young inexperienced referee and despite having other chances could not put them away. As sometimes happens we paid the penalty for not putting our chances away and conceded a poor goal in the second minute of injury time. Despite being very disappointed by letting in a goal so late, we rallied for extra time. However Larkfield scored a twenty yard top corner cracker early on and we had to raise our game to try and get back in to the match. The boys rallied very well and their effort was terrific. We plugged away non stop and forced a number of corners. In the last minute of extra time a perfect corned was sent over and was met at the near post by one of our players to equalise! It was now penalty shoot out time and our plan was for our goalie to stand up and get behind shots down the middle. The plan was working and we went in to the last set of penalties 3-2 up. Unfortunately we missed our last penalty which would have sent us through. It was left to the last penalty of Larkfield and it was hit wide to spark mass celebrations amongst the Coxheath boys and parents. This match had been a battle from start to finish and the boys had shown much spirit to get through it and proceed to the final. The following Saturday we rounded off our league season with our re arranged league match against MPE. We dominated both games despite having three players missing through illness and being down to seven players. However the MPE keeper was big and strong and we could not get past him, drawing both games 0-0. This was good enough to take us to fourth place in the league which was good considering we took two months of the season to get things going. We ended the month with a friendly away to Bearsted Rangers and the first team ran out comfortable 2-0 winners. We now look forward to the cup final on May 7th and have friendlies arranged in April to assist us to prepare for the big day. Player of the month for March was Joe Page.

© 1973 Coxheath & Farleigh JFC