DIVISION ONE

WEST EXE YOUTH v ALPHINGTON YOUTH U13’s

Thursday 9th May 2019 K.O. 6.00pm

Match report by Geoff Bland

Having beaten this years league champions only a couple of days earlier, we now face our neighbours Alphington in the final match of the season.

We get off to a reasonable start with an early floated cross from Mickie out on the right wing. Dylan sprints into the box and is unlucky not to get on the end of the ball. A few minutes later James tries with a long range shot from the middle of Alphington’s half but it sails high and wide. Sixty seconds later we lose possession in mid-field. Alphington break down the right wing, shoot and score. 0-1. After quarter of an hour we again lose the ball. Alphington run through and score but the flag is raised for off-side. In the nineteenth minute Alphington have a corner. The ball is whipped into the penalty area where there is lack of communication by West Exe and Alphington score again. 0-2. West Exe have a good spell of possession and on half an hour James tries a long range shot but to goes high over the cross bar. A minute later he tries again with a run down the left wing, past a number of Alphington players and shoots wide. As half time approaches Alphington take a shot from just inside the box requiring Thomas to make a good finger tip catch. The half ends with an attempt from Mickie that the keeper saves.

HT 0-2

Within the first few seconds of starting the second half we have a corner. Gracian jumps high and makes good contact with the ball but it goes straight into the keeper’s arms. A minute later Alphington play a through ball down the centre of the park. They are one on one with Thomas who spreads himself out wide as the shot heads his way and he makes an important save with his feet. It’s end to end football and West Exe now have a corner. Mickie flights the ball right into the danger zone as our strikers set themselves but the keeper gets a finger tip to the ball first and nudges it to an Alphington player to clear. On seven minutes Alphington have a free kick out on the right wing. The ball is floated over our static defence and with three Alphington attackers beating the off-side trap, they easily slot the ball into the net. 0-3. A few minutes later they have another free kick, this time out on the left. It’s a similar set piece but this time the ball hits the post and gets cleared. On quarter of an hour an under powered pass back to Thomas enables Alphington to try a lob. Thomas jumps up to get a finger to the ball and catch. Less than two minutes later Alphington play a ball over the top of our defence. Thomas stretches out and makes a great save to tip the ball over the cross bar. The corner comes in and skims off the top of the cross bar and out for a goal kick. From this kick, James passes to Gracian who runs past and around a number of Alphington players and calmly slots past the keeper. 1-3. The following five minutes sees both sides trying long range shots, Alphington wanting to put the game out of our reach and West Exe desperately looking to close the gap. Thomas makes a great save from Alphington’s attempt, James’s shot goes wide, Seb shot is fumbled by the keeper, Gracian couldn’t quite control the rebound and another shot from James is saved by the keeper. On twenty five minutes Levi plays a through ball to Gracian who side foots it wide. The game is starting to slip away and the frustration shows when James is booked for kicking the ball away. The match finishes with a ball from Alphington that goes across the face of the goal.

FULL TIME 1-3

A shame the season ended with a loss but Alphington are a well organised side, with rehearsed set pieces and clear communication between all of their players. West Exe had some opportunities but tiredness from a hectic end of season seemed to catch up with us, especially after an epic game only a couple of days previously. It was a pointless yellow card to give away and only proved to Alphington that we were getting frustrated. This only gives them more determination to carry on doing more of the same, to try to rattle and disrupt our play further. It was good to see we continued to fight for everything even when three goals down.

West Exe have improved massively this season and have played some outstanding football along the way. To beat the top teams and reach the semi final of the cup has been well deserved. Our first season with  a full size pitch and goal has seen our defence grow in confidence and play well as a unit. Mid-field love the tough games where they get stuck in for a battle and push forward whenever possible. The strikers have taken their opportunities well and have scored some unbelievable goals. To pay three pounds to watch some of the matches this year seems like a bargain. Well done West Exe to a brilliant 2018/19 season and we are all looking forward to an even better 2019/20.

DIVISION ONE

EXETER PANTHERS v WEST EXE YOUTH U13’s

Tuesday 7th May 2019 K.O. 6.30pm

The penultimate game of the season was against this years champions Exeter Panthers, who had only lost one league match.

Panthers came out the blocks running with good early possession and a shot that hit the cross bar. West Exe had a chance after eight minutes following a good spell of passing that resulted in Gracian taking a shot that is blocked by a defender, the ball rebounds to James whose shot has the sting taken out of it by a deflection enabling the keeper to save. Shortly after Panthers have a corner kick. Panthers header the ball at goal and as West Exe attempt to clear the it, the ball is kicked at a Panthers player and rebounds into our own net. 1-0. Conceding this unfortunate goal makes West Exe up the tempo and a couple of minutes later, James tries a speculative shot from just inside the Panthers half. The ball is high and begins to dip but just a little too late as it goes over the cross bar. On fifteen minutes West Exe have a throw in. A great pass by James to Gracian allows him to run past his defender and slot the ball past the keeper. 1-1. From the restart West Exe gain possession and push forward. James hits a belter of a shot with his left foot into the back of the net. 1-2. Again from the restart Seb has a shot at goal but with little power and the ball goes wide. Panthers try a long range shot which Thomas saves. West Exe also try their luck with a long range shot from Mickie, the keeper spills and Seb taps in for our third. 1-3. We are now in complete control and looking dominant. Gracian controls a high ball, beats the keeper takes a shot with his left foot but the ball hits the left hand post and goes out for a goal kick. Twenty five minutes on the clock and James fires another left footed shot that sails past the keeper for yet another goal. 1-4. This is unbelievable football. On the half hour Panthers take a shot. The ball deflects off defender Thomas sending goal keeper Thomas the wrong way. With a quick adjustment and a desperate dive he just about gets a finger tip to the ball. The ball is now slowly heading towards the right hand side of the goal but as it hits the inside of the post the long grass stops the ball before it completely crosses the line. Panthers are now getting frustrated and results in a booking. Just before half time Panthers cross from the left wing, our defence doesn’t clear and they score. 2-4. The half ends with a corner for Panthers, the ball is floated into the box for an unchallenged header that fortunately goes wide.

HT 2-4

West Exe start the second half in fine form. We have an early throw in. Mickie crosses to Gracian who can’t get the ball out from under his feet and the under powered shot is saved. Gracian tries again soon after from a through ball from Archie. He beats two defenders but the shot goes wide. A couple of minutes later James passes to Gracian who is in the penalty box but his attempt is saved by the keeper. After nine minutes and the majority of play by West Exe, Panthers have a run down the right wing. The cross comes in, our defence is struggling to get back in time and Panthers shoot past our keeper. 3-4. A few minutes later and Panthers try a similar move. This time the shot is saved by Thomas. Panthers are starting to take control and force a corner. The ball comes in and they have an unchallenged header to make the score level. 4-4. Surely we can’t lose this now. We almost do in the twenty third minute from another Panthers corner. Their shot is stopped by a great save of an outstretched leg from our keeper. From Thomas’s goal kick high up the pitch, James shoots but it goes across the face of the goal and out. Approaching full time, James has a go from far out on the left wing. The ball rattles the cross bar and falls at Levi’s feet who reacts to get a quick shot off. The keeper gets a finger tip on the ball enabling a defender to clear. We’re into the thirty fifth minute and it’s looking like a draw. We continue battling and force a corner. Seb fires the ball into the penalty area where an unmarked Gracian leaps up and scores with a thunderous bullet header. Amazing scenes. 4-5. West Exe play out time and the game finishes after Levi’s shot is deflected wide.

FULL TIME 4-5

This was an outstanding match from start to finish. The intensity of play didn’t let up throughout the entire seventy minutes and the way West Exe took hold of the game, especially in the first half was top class. You deserved to win that match and perhaps by a bigger margin. Every single player contributed to a historic victory. Well done.

Thanks

Geoff.

DIVISION ONE

MOORS YOUTH V WEST EXE YOUTH U13’s

Saturday 4th May 2019 K.O. 10.30am

The pitch at Tiverton High School was in good condition and the sun popped out now and then so all was set for a good morning of football. With West Exe and Moors currently 5th and 6th in the table there was all to fight for with only a few matches remaining.

Moors started briskly, with an early run down the right. Their striker’s subsequent shot required Thomas to parry for a corner. A couple of minutes later and West Exe have settled into the match and starting to push forward. Mickie passes the ball through the middle of the Moors defence to Gracjan, who takes a shot but it goes over the cross bar. Sixty seconds later we have made good ground down the left wing. The ball is cut back to Levi who is on the edge of the penalty area and he calmly side foots in for the opening goal of the match. 0-1. A couple of minutes later West Exe lose the ball in mid-field. Moors run towards goal where Thomas runs out to try and force the attacker out wide but the striker shoots and scores. 1-1. From the restart West Exe have another chance. A whipped in cross by Gracjan fizzes across the goal where Dylan couldn’t quite reach to get his head to the ball. The following quarter of an hour goes by without much incident, then following a one-two between Gracjan and Thomas, Gracjan hits the ball right on the sweet spot only for the shot to go inches wide. On twenty five minutes James goes on a run. He runs past a number of Moors players before taking his shot but sends it straight at the keeper. Moors finish the half stronger, with a cross and shot that is cleared off the line by Andreas.

HT 1-1

West Exe begin the second half looking like they want to take all three points from this game. Seb makes good headway down the right wing, crosses it into the box where a scramble ensues and the ball ends up being kicked out for a corner. After six minutes Seb receives a through ball and is one on one with the keeper. He instinctively side foots his shot but it goes wide. West Exe are awarded a free kick in the fourteenth minute out on the left hand side. James goes for the far corner but the ball goes millimeters wide. The twentieth minute has Moors on the break. The ball is played across the penalty box and the shot is not scored due to a great save by Thomas. West Exe try soon after with a long range shot from Levi that goes just over the cross bar. The final chance of the match again comes from Moors on the break. Thomas comes charging out from goal and puts the striker off just enough for the shot to go wide.

FULL TIME 1-1

This game saw two equally matched sides, cancelling each other out for long periods of the game. Both teams had missed opportunities and a draw seems a fair result. With only two matches remaining against two top teams, if we put in our best effort, determination and commitment we will finish the season on a high. You can do it West Exe. Lets have it.

Thanks Simon

Geoff.