Squad
Leo Arnold
(Whetstone Field), Mason Cooke (North Walsall), George Crowe (New
Invention), Nathan
Griffiths (North Walsall), Robert Hammett (St. John's), Lee Hickmans (Short Heath),
Scott Jukes (St. John's), Jacob Lamburn (Greenfield), Tom Morris (Watling Street), David Sly (St. James), Josh Small (St. Michael's),
Chris Stanton (Beacon).
Press Reports
Walsall U-11B 0 Wolverhampton U-11B 5 - 10.01.04
In the B team game Wolves were too good for a plucky
Walsall side. Mark Potts (Villiers) opened the scoring when the Walsall defence
failed to clear their lines. Further goals from Ryan Powell (Villiers) and
Steven Ward (Stow Heath) put the game out of Walsall’s reach by half time.
Potts completed his brace in the second half and Oliver Glasford (East Park)
scored the fifth.
Wolverhampton U-11B 4 Walsall U-11B 0 - 13.12.03
In the B team game victory for Wolves was more
convincing as Walsall collapsed after the second goal went in. In a poor first
half Steven Ward (Stow Heath) gave Wolves an early lead following a good move.
Wolves increased the lead early in the second half when a Ward shot was half
blocked and Mark Potts (Villiers) was on hand to stab the ball home. Within a
minute Ward grabbed his second with a good run and shot. Potts completed the
scoring five minutes later when he got on the end of a perfect cross from Sam
Elwell (Wodensfield). Jak Morrell-Davies (Christchurch) came close to a
consolation goal for Walsall but his shot was well gathered by Wolves keeper
Warren Beards (Stow Heath).
Brierley Hill and Dudley U-11B 2 Walsall U-11B 1 - 29.11.03
In the B team game Walsall had the strong wind behind
them in the first half. Walsall spent most of the first half in the opposition
half but produced few chances. David Sly (St. James) tried to lob the keeper and
from the clearance Dudley broke away and scored the opening goal. Within a
minute Walsall were back on terms when Sly found the net from the edge of the
box. It was backs to the wall in the second half for Walsall and keeper Tom
Morris (Watling Street) made couple of good blocks and Jake Lamburn (Greenfield)
cleared off the line. With 20 seconds left Dudley scored the winner with an
unstoppable strike.
Walsall U-11B 1 Leicester U-11B 4 - 22.11.03
The scores were reversed in the B game despite
Walsall spending most of the game in the opposition half. Leicester took the
lead after ten minutes when the Walsall defence failed to clear a corner.
Walsall should have equalised when Ryan Harris (Leamore) just missed the target
after the ball came back to him from the keeper’s block. Leicester immediately
broke away and scored a second goal. Harris had another good chance before
George Crowe (New Invention) pulled a goal back. Crowe and Jacob Lamburn
(Greenfield) both went close to equalising before Leicester scored a third. The
fourth goal came with the last kick of the game.
Walsall Schools’ F.A. v Leeds SFA - 1.11.03
Three Walsall
SFA teams played the touring Leeds SFA teams at Bentley Leisure Pavilion with
Leeds coming out on top over the three games.
The
stars of the show for Walsall were the under-11 A squad with a superb
performance seeing them come out on top with a 2-1 victory. Leeds took the lead
but Walsall equalised when a Kemar Roofe (Chuckery) 25-yard free kick found the
top corner. Walsall keeper Sam Arnold (Kings Hill) came to the rescue with two
good saves as Leeds piled on the pressure in a bid to regain the lead.
Walsall hit back when a superb ball from skipper Jamie Stanton (Chuckery)
saw Tom O’Sullivan (St. Anne’s) set off on a run that ended with his shot
shaving the far post. O’Sullivan broke away again and his shot was turned
round for a corner from which Jacob Lamburn (Greenfield) fired Walsall in front.
Only a good block prevented Matthew Rooke (Woodlands) increasing Walsall’s
lead near the end.
The
B-side, short of match practice, found the going tough against a well-drilled
Leeds side, losing 4-0. Walsall keeper Tom Morris (Watling Street) kept them in
the game in the first half as a succession of good saves kept Leeds to a single
goal. Ryan Harris (Leamore) ran half the length of the pitch but fired wide and
Adam Winn (Leighswood) also went close for Walsall. Leo Arnold (Whetstone Field)
rattled the crossbar in a second half dominated by Leeds.
The under-12 side playing in their first game held Leeds
to 1-0 before two late goals resulted in an undeserved 3-0 deficit.
Gloucester U-11B 0 Walsall U-11B 5 - 4.10.03
Walsall opened their Webster Shield programme
with a scintillating performance at Longlevens. After a nervous ten minutes of
opening exchanges, the Walsall team took complete control of the rest of the
first half, and turned in a team performance, which was nothing short of
excellent. Jacob Lamburn (Greenfield) had the better of the left flank exchanges
and his skill and control on the ball caused the Gloucester back four constant
problems. Good interplay between Joe Price (Blackwood) and Ryan Harris (Leamore)
down the right saw the latter fire just wide. With Gloucester's attacks down the
right being snuffed out by Ross Evans (Short Heath) Walsall efforts were
rewarded on 12 minutes when Ryan Harris netted his first after the Walsall team
clearly showed they wanted to win the match. The hardworking Joe Price made it
2-0 four minutes later with a great volley high into the net after Matthew Rooke
(Woodlands) won the ball with superb tackling and sent him free down the right.
On 22 minutes Chris Stanton (Beacon) rattled the crossbar from 30 yards as
Gloucester chased shadows. Walsall's centre midfield of Dominic Deasy (St.
Anne's) and Nathan Griffiths (Edgar Stammers) completely controlled the midfield
exchanges and Ryan Harris made the game safe with two magnificent strikes in
three minutes to give the visitor's a 4-0 halftime lead.
With the game clearly won Walsall introduced two substitutions as Mason Cook
(North Walsall) and Leo Arnold (Whetstone Field) replaced Price and Lee Hickmans
(Short Heath) who was forced off through injury. Ryan Harris crowned a superb
individual performance minutes from the end to make it 5-0after a defence
splitting ball from Jacob Lamburn. (Report from Bill Law)
Walsall U-11B 1 St. Helens U-11B 4 - 20.09.03
In their
annual friendlies, Walsall lost for the second week running against strong
opposition from the North West. A free kick given away after 12 minutes saw the
Walsall goalkeeper tested for the first time and although Thomas Morris (Watling
Street) got hands to it, Luke Crawford fired home to given the Saints an early
lead. During the next 14 minutes the Walsall lads created enough chances and
they dominated the game. Tom O'Sullivan (St. Anne’s) won the chase from the
halfway line and forced a brilliant tip over save. Two minutes later, the
Walsall forwards scented a chase again and O'Sullivan outstripped the Saints
defence to hit an unstoppable shot high into the net, to thunderous applause
from all around the ground. Chris Stanton (Beacon) worked tirelessly along the
forward line, and on two occasions inside two minutes went close. Then just on
half time a rare visiting attack saw panic in the home defence and with no one
taking command in the penalty area; St. Helens took an undeserved 2-1 advantage.
Walsall continued to press and a fine through ball from Josh Small (St.
Michael’s) saw Tom O'Sullivan force a fine save, and the chance went begging
as no one followed up. On 43 minutes, Walsall had a goal disallowed. As the game
swung from end to end, St. Helens just had enough and scored two late goals as
the Walsall defence failed to clear. (Report from Bill Law)
Walsall U-11B 0 Wirral U-11B 2 - 13.09.03
Walsall's misery was completed
at the weekend when two Shaun Breen goals secured a second victory for the
visitors. Although Walsall tried hard they were no match for a well-drilled
Wirral side whose competent passing game often saw the Walsall lads chasing
shadows. (Report from Bill Law)
Walsall
schools' football