“New Season has started slowly due to suspensions and injuries but starting to get the feel we are all back on track and glad to be so. A lot of new faces emerging as well as the familiar old guard. Although we have not had the best string of results in our opening couple of fixtures I think this is the most it has been evident of how we intend to play football going forward and the most I have seen everybody willing to partake in the possession mind-frame.

“Away from the pitch we have had a lot of meetings and correspondence about the right direction of the club which will no doubt become apparent in weeks to come. One thing that consistently pops up in these meetings is how much more the players could do to help out the likes of John, Midge, Adam, Myself and Nat as well as the committee itself; there still is not a satisfying enough response to the GTS and people still aren’t great with texting back and getting to places on time with the correct money for things.

“Those moans aside it has been great to be back with all the lads and coming of the back of a personally disappointing loss on penalties to a good West Cheshire side I feel that the team performance was actually strong enough that we should have won.

“Keep up the good work and let’s all get stuck into training, etc when it restarts.”

Perry Hughes

LIVERPOOL COUNTY PREM – DIV TWO:

“Unfortunately this season started very similarly to how the last ended. Too much chopping and changing the side due to people not committing each Saturday. Nevertheless we managed to put a side out for each game, albeit patched together at times. I firmly believe the core of the team is there, it needs strengthening no doubt, but the spine of players such as myself, Dave Nest, Cressy, Mitch, Paul B et al. has the ability to hold the side together if we can all get there each week. New lads and lads from last season’s periphery have also come to the fore. Particularly the last couple of games and also training sessions have shown me that there is a side here. Some of the new lads have slotted in like they had played with us for months and if we can keep together and get our heads down, results will come.

“I have a couple of special mentions to make. Firstly, Han who has stepped in in Marks absence for a couple of games and had to deal with some tricky situations regarding actually fielding a team and he has been outstanding in stepping in. Also Mark, Han and Rob have made trainings enjoyable and personally I know I would like to see a better turnout. Probably should have put the special mention to Welshy first but no matter. Welshy kindly helped us out for a few games this season before he went off on his travels again. His mazy dribbles in which he looks on the verge of falling over for between 20 – 70 yards will be sorely missed. Finally, Cressy for donning the gloves when goalies are unavailable, although it is abundantly clear he would much prefer to play out he will just get on with it and help the lads out, which I speak for everyone in the side when I say it is hugely appreciated.

“I don’t want to go in to too much detail regarding matches, we know how the season has started. We know we are not scoring enough, we know we are conceding too many. I can single out too many exemplary first half displays (Woolton away Aintree Villa away) in which we have outplayed our opponents. These games we must put our chances away early, we are coming unstuck in the last 20 minutes when our limited squad do not have the legs to press the way we would like to.

“In this, my first log, I have decided not to push on the negatives too much. The positives is that we have a good group of lads, manager and assistant. We need to build up more of a team spirit and dig in. We know we have wins in us and we know they will come. Positive outlook, positive outcome.”

Matty Long

LIVERPOOL & DISTRICT SUNDAY LEAGUE:

“It's been a positive start to the season so far for Woodstreet; we've picked up some excellent results in recent weeks, and long may that continue. After a great pre-season, with 3 wins from 3 games, we got off to an absolute flyer in the league with a convincing 15-0 win against Liver Sports. However, we were brought crashing back down to earth with a 3-1 defeat to The Fulwood Arms, which could prove to be our most frustrating result of the season. We started the game with 9 players, and after a Paul Humphries equalizer, we managed to make it to half-time all square at 1-1. With a couple of lads turning up late (after a few too many the night before!!), we started the 2nd half with 11 players and looked in good shape for the win. The longer the game went on and the more chances we missed, it was looking more and more like it wasn't going to be our day. A couple of breakaway goals for them and the rest is history!

“The lads have since responded in superb fashion with three hard fought victories on the spin at the expense of MPH Liverpool (3-1), Sacred Heart (3-2) and Athletico Bay (6-1). We're scoring goals, look solid and are playing some excellent football, and those last three results have set us a real bench mark for the rest of the season. We have got some tough fixtures coming up in October, which will really test where we are as a team, so it's time for us to take it up another level and hopefully achieve some more positive results over the next month.

“Up the Woodstreet!”

Colin Hartley.