HALSTEAD UNITED TEAM MEMORIES OF SEASON 2010 / 11

We start pre season training all players at the club do well with good attitude and
work to get fit. Friendlies could have been better organised and we should have
played more ofthem but we go into our first league game versus Dunton Green on a
pitch uncut goal posts that were more brown in colour than white. We struggled to get
going getting to know each other and playing a team that ends the season rock bottom
but this is the first game so they are keen. Craig had a good game in goal coming for
crosses and excellent distribution. 0-0 with 5 minutes to go James Whitelock places a
free kick from 30 yards into the top comer. One nil to the Halstead.
First game at home Eynsford a 1-1 draw Luke has the flu but plays what a man !
OIly scores from 25 yards in late stages we lose a bit of desire losing 1 st and 2nd balls.
Onto Chipstead away at edenbridge 4-0 Oily hatrick and Simmo goal see us to
victory.Ealsy was struggling to keep his balance after his audition the night before for
Dancing on Ice.
Big John Brettman comes up trumps with a mini bus from Thrifty car hire for sweet
FA and off we go on an away day to play Tenterden Town in the Kent Cup who play
in Kent County Two. A nice journey down with not many of our players going as far
as this for there holidays. We arrive to see Tenterden larging it up on the pitch
showing us there poncy warm up.Well that was like a red rag to a Halstead
player. Two nil goals from George and Scott coming on as substitute ,great
performance this is when we started to shape up as a unit.
Well I thought we were shaping up but the next game at home Borough Green we
lose 2-1 we were the inbetweeners somewhere between ok and poor.
Borough Green again in next game in Smith League Cup we discuss and change
. formation to 4-1-4-1 with Simmo holding and Scott up top.O-O half time Steve on for
Jack he crosses for Scott to score.2-1 win they score with last kick.Thats better!
30th October Sevenoaks Charity Cup first round Dunton Green away. James
Whitelock has a car accident on the way to the game but thankfully he only suffers
slight injury but we weren't to know that we would lose him till the tail end of the
season he is back playing which is good to see. We were losing 2-1 with not long to go
when Dave scores a great equaliser 2-2 we overrun them in extra time with goals
from Clarky and Luke Jones.
The next 3 games playing the travellers from medway Shepway Utd we lose 5-1 with
injuries prior .St Lawrence we drop 2 points to a 3-3 draw Powelly plays up top and
scores playing well after Luke Jones went walkabout before kick off. Kemsing
(Johns Boys) Utd beat us in Smith Cup 2-5 after we went 1-0 up with a Clarky
strike there keeper sheparded into his goal "cumby cumby".
And then the Snow no games from 27th November to 22nd January.
But we did not rest I had high level meetings with our prospective sponsors Ascott
Cab Company of Deptford deep in Millwall country I secured a new kit costing me
£780.00 as my F*****G next overhaul on my cab cost me £2300.00 Great!

So we had Christmas and New Year celebrations and I started to notice that Mark
Abbott AKA Abbo who lives with my eldest daughter Ella was turning into a couch
potato that's a Fat B*****D to you and me. So being the person I am and realising my
daughter can ill afford to subsidise this eating machine I made a new signing.
So all in our new kit Abbo makes his debut v Ide Hill after we had switched venue
from Ide Hill Colliery Working Mans Social to Sundridge Rec . This is when sadly we
realised that Sean Merrons injury was quite serious needing surgery and he has to
pull out after 6 minutes. He was not to play again until he started in the Tuesday game
v Ightham on 3 rd Mayas we only had eleven players to start,he gave us 15 minutes of
brilliance and we all realised what we had been missing. We run out 6-0 winners with
goals from Clarky 2 Scott 2 Jaryd Dave. We also had another debut in this game
stepping up from good performances in the reserves was James "Darbs"Darby who
kept the ball well saying afterwards how much he had "enjoyed himself', I then had
to workout if he was shallow and needed to get out more. He keeps his place but I
have my doubts about Abbo !
Easy wins against Ide Hill in Sevenoaks Cup and Dunton Green in the league but we
lose Ealsy to a mystery virus I warned him about those dodgy Bars and Geezer Birds
he mixes with but you can only take a horse to water.
Kemsing "Johns Boys" United at home 12th February in Sevenoaks Cup Ealsy
returns and inspires us to a 3-0 win. We win 70% of the first and 2nd balls Attitude
was first class our support play from mid field is good and Scott runs them ragged at
the back. Are they as good as they think they are?
To a wet muddy pitch Kingsdown away a grind 2-0 win.
Kemsing away game moved as our pitch waterlogged.Clarky out injured. 2-0 up at
half time with goals from Simmo and Oily pen. Scott doing well up front but off
before half time injured. Chris Beadle replaces the injury and Tony on for Dave.
They score early in 2nd half with a Brad Draper header and then equalise from free
kick and get winner from flicked header. We are all gutted this was one we should
have seen out. It was a hard game S**T wind against and the hill. But I was proud of
you all and would not swap places with there manager your all good fellas coming
together as one.
5th March Chip stead at home 4-1 Simmo 2 Scott 2.To Eynsford away on the slope
we work hard Jimmy scoring the winner with a great header. TBC away 0-0 there
keeper will never playa game like that again, injuries are not helping us. Larry gets
his debut.
Ide Hill win at home Dan Chick returns scoring 2 Jimmy Dards OIly also hit the
target.PoweIly has a stormer at full back.
Nomads Semi Final Sevenoaks Cup Away. A really poor pitch from a distance it
looked better.Chicky bags a hatrick with a pen. One of the goals a glancing after good
work from Powelly and Scott. A comfortable win a Cup Final to look forward to.

16th April we beat Ightham 2-1 at home and then start getting into the heavy situation
of the midweek games .Nomads 1-1 a good result in the circumstances with injuries.
Tim comes in and does well again for us after a good performance previously in the
3-1 win at Borough Green
So we come to Good Friday and the Sevenoaks Charity Cup Final at Sevenoaks Town
FC. We meet up at my house early having some refreshment and discussing the
opposition after we had had a look at them previously. Arriving at the ground it's not
good to tell players that are not in the starting line up but all those that were on the
bench conducted themselves well and encouraged and supported team-mates. Darbs
and Abbo needed fitness tests Darbs being honest and tells us he is not fit to start
Powelly comes in for him down left.Abbo with medication and help from Chris
Harvey is ok.A very hot morning we play well in first half not allowing to get the run
on us.We defended from the front to back well. Andy conducting and coming off his
line well.Powelly is fouled in the box Chicky collects the ball and despatches it well
they tell me I couldn't look. A few minutes later 2-0 from Dan again.
This was a fantastic performance by everyone but you don't win a cup just at the final
you have to get their and we did the hard way playing more games and Kemsing
along the way well done to all players.Ealsy gets his wish to lift a cup.
So we needed to win 4 of our remaining 5 games to come runners up the guy at the
league thought it was not possible with 12 games left for us to do it as we were so far
behind with fixtures.
Well done we did it not easy with work etc. But wins at St Lawrence (tues) 1-0
TBC home 3-1 and Ightham away 3-0 which was a good display. And points gained
from cancelled Kingsdown. Well done and thanks to Kev Wittsy Tim James Wand
Lewis who ably stepped in to help out towards the end of this successful season.
You have all been looked after this season. by John and Kev who organise and run
this club tirelessly well and keepers Andy and Craig have benefited and improved
with the training from The Frank Lanzalaco Goalkeeping Academy.
Thanks also to our supporter of the year Darren Wilkenson who has followed you all
year home and away.
Finally from yours truly you have all been a delight to coach I have totally enjoyed
your company and meeting your partners friends and families.
We hope to have some kind of celebration party but fmding a venue has been a
problem we have one in the pipeline and we are trying our best to sort it.
Have a good summer swim play golf get on the beach and come back fit refreshed and
ready to do it all again.
A pleasure
Cheers
Bob

View archived tables

View archived stats

Halstead United