Gap Connah's Quay Nomads Academy Under 13 (0)vs Eastham and Wirral Representative Squad Under 13

Eastham were quick to find their passing game from the whistle with nomads very slow to start and find the pace of the game.

The first ten minutes nomads were ball chasing and finding it increasingly difficult to retake possession of the ball because of Eastham players strength and desire to keep hold of the ball.

As the first game progressed nomads had a couple of snippets of football which was quickly quashed as Eastham for fighting hard for the ball. A basic turning your back error on an eastham cross by a nomads defender let them in for a simple goal.

This got Eastham going and they started to control the pace of the game comfortably and were in total control in the middle of the park spraying the ball around from wing to wing with composure and meaning.

Nomads kept pressing and trying to play which is a good positive and is part of the new foundation needed this year to team play. Liam Davies was having a good first game as central defender today with his calm and collected control and reading of situations.

Shane Russel was playing left wing instead of left back today and he really shown positive signs of learning this position well, he was defending the left wing high up the pitch which gave jack Aitken some great 2nd ball opportunities.

Eastham got their second goal in the first game by another defensive mix up with midfield players beyond the back four. The seven subs in the first game also had a job to do instead of sitting cold. 2 lads were looking for strengths of Eastham, 2 looking for weakness’s and three counting Nomads completed passes.

The second game was a complete change around in players with Will Jones (Jonesy) suring the right of defence up from the off and linking nicely with Danny Chambers. Liam Davies continued to boss Eastham in and around our 18yd box with his height and strength leaving him untouchable in winning the ball and clearing out of the danger zone. Eastham were awarded a dubious free kick 20 yards out which was executed with great precision and skill and finished in our top corner. 3 – 0. Nomads continued to battle and started to play some good football but again a defensive miss timed kick allowed the ball to go beyond a nomads defender and Eastham striker just easily pounced and finished nicely. 4 – 0. At one stage in this game nomads were fielding 7 club strikers out of 11 players but the guys did well in trying to play in different positions other than they are trained in week in week out.

Nathan Mendoza and Andy Mathison speed started to give us glimmer of hope but they were soon cut out as Eastham defence were reading them very well and jockeying them out to wings.

A much stronger game than the first and we had chances which were squandered. Nomads just needed composure in the box to get a goal and would of set the nomads off on their way. This is one area of the squad we need to work on because of the great number of club strikers and striker experience we are not scoring near enough goals in conversion to chances.

Again big POSITIVE: we did not give up and continued to work hard to try and play.

We needed to sure up the midfield as Eastham still had control of the middle of the pitch. We played three at the back with 5 in midfield, 2 up top.

The three defence lads were superb and somewhat more convincing and their positive passing was superb. Plenty of options in midfield as outlets. Lewys Jones bursting up and down the right wing to drop in when required as the fourth defender. Straight away Nomads were now strating play football and were getting on top of eastham with eastham chasing down the ball. Nomads started to put some god short passing combined with long passing together around diferant areas of the pitch which was very encouringing, players were throwing in skills learnt from training, it was starting to come together. Nomads continued to battle all the way to the very end with the third game finishing 0 – 0. Much better game and positive and strong end to the game.

All goals today bar 1 were from Nomads mistakes and a dubious ref decision. Learn from our mistakes and get lads in positons they are positive in the team will very quickly reach a playing standard of an academy side.

Lets not take anything away from Eastham & Wirral Rep Squad – they were a very strong side who have already won convincingly other FAW Academy sides, some more convincing than us.

Plenty of work to be done to find the balanced side with the dynamic to develop players individually and collectively.

A good hard work game of football was on show today.

GK: Jack Collins, RB:Will Jones, LB: Will Jones, CB: Joel Griffiths, CB:Liam Davies, RM:Danny Chambers, CM: Jack Aitken, CM: Mitch Williams, LM:Shane Russell, FW: Andy Mathison, FW: Dylan Roberts

Subs:

Mitch Williams, Jack Youd, Kai Oldfield, Iwan Rogers, Jack Smallman, LewIs Jones

Man of the match:

Liam Davies

Report by:

Rob Jones