06/10/2018

Derbyshire Junior Cup North Round 1

This was a highly entertaining game in which Whaley’s young side produced some of their best football of the season coming back from a goal behind to win this Junior Cup North 1^st Round after extra time.

Martin shuffled his talented young squad after a lack-lustre performance last week and his lads responded well to the challenge. Right from the off the youngsters were sharp and incisive with everyone pretty much making the right decisions on the ball, passing when the situation allowed and playing safe when necessary. However, the first goal came against the run of play when Darley’s tricky young winger danced through on the right to put the visitors one up on 15 minutes with virtually their first attack of the game. Whaley didn’t panic and continued to look after the ball well producing some good moves that resulted in some clear cut chances that unfortunately went awry through some poor shooting, most of which went high and wide, that otherwise would have sealed the game in the first half.

However, one shot that didn’t go awry came on the half hour from the influential Ben Jackson who latched on to a clearance to arrow 20 yard volley across goal and back low into the far corner. Whaley continued to play football through from the back with Wilson and Meadows looking particularly calm and collected and with Cripps, Jackson and Broome controlling the middle third the home side produced yet more chances but the score somehow remained level at full time.

Extra time saw the introduction of Peter Wigg and George Howell upfront to add a different dimension to the attack and with the pressure mounting the home side continued to create chances with some fluid football until ultimately Jason Broome smacked number 2 into the roof of the net from a ridiculously acute angle followed soon after by a 20 yarder.

All in all an excellent day’s work by all concerned and a standard to try to maintain next time out.

Arnfield, Hodges, Wilson, Meadows, Golphin, McNamara, Cripps, Broome, Jackson, Peatfield, Arnfield T

Howell G, Wigg. Brown

29/09/2018

Whaley win away in Cup derby.

It was always going to be a tough physical tight game but ultimately Whaley shaded it with two well taken goals.

The visitors started up the hill in the first the play was pretty even, a scrappy affair with countless challenges on a bobbly pitch that didn’t provide for much passing and moving throughout. Poynton had the first chance when a cross missed everybody to rebound to safety off the far post. Dwolitka got away from a solid Poynton back four but chose to cut inside on his left when perhaps a first time effort would have caused Poynton’s keeper Ward more problems; the visitors then had a few long range efforts that didn’t cause him too many problems. Poynton forced several late corners in the first half but Whaley defended really well optimised by Olly Toseland, looking solid and assured playing his best game so far in a Whaley shirt, and the ever classy Jamie Kay providing superb cover.

Now playing down the slope Whaley took a bit more control and pressed Poynton deeper into their own half but managed only a couple of close misses from young wide boys Leadbetter and O’Donnell that seemed to indicate that the game could well be heading for penalties. Then a quick Poynton break found Burgess in on goal but Tattersall got his angles just right to force the powerful shot onto the keepers near post.

The visitors piled on the pressure and subsequent to a clearance the Broome latched on to smack a twenty yard curler into the top left corner to put Whaley 1 ahead. Not long after that Sutton challenged in the box and his header fell to young O’Donnell who looped his header over the advancing keeper to make the game safe. Obviously the last 10 was always going to be a nervy affair with the home side hitting the post on the break but a rejuvenated Whaley outfit deserved their first clean sheet of the season!

Well done to the three Officials Declan Brown, Joe O’Neill and Ron Schofield with only one card being branded in a competitive cup game.

Mom Oli Toseland

Tattersall; Bailey; Toseland; Kay; Gemmell; O’Donnell (1); Sutton(c); Broome(1); Gilbride; Leadbetter Dwolitka

Drayson; Gregory; O’Connell

23/09/2018

Whaley had a couple of regulars back from injury this week so probably for the first time this season the management had a rare benefit of more or less a full squad to select from though not everyone is match fit yet.