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Team Profile, Information and Match reports 12/13

Under 14’s Whites

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Managers Profile:

Name: Andrew Crane

What is your football background?

How long have you been involved with Pennine Juniors?

How long have you been managing a team?

What do you like most about managing a team?

What do you find challenging when managing a team?

What has been your funniest/best/ most memorable moment?

Describe your team:

What are you focusing on in training?

Tell us the best game to date and why:

What advice/tips would you give to young, up and coming footballers?

Contact details: 07713 191478

Training times and details: Monday, 8-9, Pitch 3, Cardinal Langley School

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Results at a glance: Pennine Juniors Under 14’s Whites 2012 / 2013 Season Date

Home Away Scorers MOM

15/09/2012 Elton and Walshaw 1 Pennine Whites 6 Matty Coria, Matty Crane (2) Ben Jackson (2), Harry Moore

Jacob Elis

22/09/2012 Pennine Whites 0 Mighty Dragons 3 Matthew Coria

13/10/2012 Pennine Whites 4 Radcliffe Town 7 Mpensa 3 Crane 1 Mpensa

20/10/2012 Pennine Whites 1 Whitefield Galaxy 7 Jacob Ellis Nial Lineker

Goal scorers Man Of The Match Awards

Matty Crane 3 Matty Coria 1

Matty Coria 1 Nial Lineker 2

Ben Jackson 2 Jacob Ellis 1

Harry Moore 1 Mpensa 1

Mpensa 3

Jacob Ellis 1

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Latest Match report: 20.10.12

Pennine v Whitefield Galaxy

MOM Nial Lineker

Scorer Jacob Ellis

The Hopwood Hall faithful can take consolation that their team were well beaten by come May

Champions elect Whitefield. The Galaxy boys in the end were convincing winners as Pennine had no

response to their attractive and powerful style of play. Pennine opted for a traditional 4-4-2

formation and controversially left playmaker Harry Moore on the bench in a response to him arriving

only 10 minutes before the kick-off.

It was Pennine who took an early lead when an excellent Matty Crane corner was met beautifully by

Jacob Ellis as he rose like the proverbial salmon to nod Pennine in front. Pennines joy was short-

lived as Whitefield then took complete control and the inevitable equaliser was probably the goal of

the game. Galaxy forward Joe Bloggs let fly from 25 yard and Nial Lineker could only watch as the

ball flew into the top left had corner. The second wasn’t bad either, expertly driven home from

similar distance by Bill Boggs.

The turning point of this game came when Pennines influential midfielder Jacob Ellis collapsed in the

centre circle. The Hopwood Hall faithful feared the worst as the plucky midfielder was assisted off by

concerned Pennine backroom staff. Post-match reports indicate that the midfielder was suffering

from “lack of breakfast” which resulted in severe stomach cramps!!

Just before the break Pennine blooded loanee Daniel Pitre. The Portuguese full back showed some

promising touches and probably did enough to earn himself a full time contract, a welcome boost to

a depleted Pennine squad after the retirement of veteran Dev Forden.

Whitefield continued to dominate and went into the break with an unassailable 5-1 lead. After the

break the Whites managed to restrict Whitefield to only 2 more goals as the visitors ran out worthy

7-1 winners.

After the match Coach Keith Ellis bemoaned the modern day prima dona footballer. “Players these

days expect to have everything done for them, they want pampering, they have to take

responsibility for themselves and I don’t think it’s too much to ask them to make their own

breakfast” he blasted.

Certainly Pennine will have to have their players fired up on “ready brek” If they are to salvage

anything from this disappointing season to date.

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Previous match reports: 13.10.12

Pennine Whites v Radcliffe Town

Duke of Edinburgh duties robbed Pennine of three influential players for the visit of Radcliffe Town

today. As a result of the “Dukes” intervention the home team started the game with only 10 players.

In the end their absence was key as Pennine suffered yet another miserable home defeat. Assistant

manager Andy Shaw must be thinking what he has to do to give the whites the consistency that is so

clearly lacking in their game. The opening minutes were evenly contested but the match turned as

Radcliffe took the lead with a well taken goal. The next twenty minutes saw Town take complete

control and they sailed into a three nil lead. The Hopwood Hall faithful feared the worst; their team

were all over the place and were staring a big defeat in the face. Then against the run of play

Zambian import Simon Mpensa latched onto a delicious through ball by Whites playmaker Harry

Moore and netted with some aplomb. Matty Crane grabbed a second and the Whites perhaps

undeservedly went into the break back in the game.

After the interval the Whites put Town on the back foot and got back on level terms with a fantastic

curled effort by that man Mpensa. The stage was all set for the home team to cap a remarkable

comeback and go on and win this game, however nothing is predictable with the men from

Hopwood Hall as schoolboy defending saw them concede another four second half goals. The only

bright spot was Simon Mpensa going onto to complete the first hat trick of his career.

“Full credit to Radcliffe they set their stall out and made it very difficult. We really missed the three

players on Duke of Edinburgh duty, I’m sure it would have been a different game if they had played”,

commented Andy Shaw after the post-match press conference. I think we can safely assume that the

“Duke “won’t be on Pennines assistant managers Christmas card list this year.

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22.09.12 Pennine Whites v Mighty Dragons

This was Pennines first competitive game at their new Hopwood Hall ground. As the fans

familiarised themselves with their new surroundings there was optimism in the air. “The playing

surface at Hopwood is light years ahead of what we’ve been used to and the facilities are fantastic!”

said one proud fan.

This first home game against the league’s new boys was always going to be stern test for Pennine.

The Dragons have assembled a side capable of challenging for honours this season and come May it

will be no surprise if the title wings its way to Failsworth

The first half saw Pennine have as much possession as the Dragons but just weren’t able to carve out

any gilt edged opportunities. The Dragons took the lead on 10 minutes when a break down the left

resulted in a clinical finish. Pennine continued to press and were unlucky not to be awarded a

penalty for what appeared to be a blatant push on Jim Hart. The young ref waived away Pennines

claims much to the frustration of the home fans. Just before the interval the Dragons extended their

lead after another break down the left hand flank.

The second half saw the introduction of Steve Diggle to add more bite to Pennines forward line. As

the game wore on the Dragons began to exert their physical superiority and it was no surprise that

they extended their lead five minutes into the second half. At 3-0 down everyone expected the

floodgates to open but much to Pennines credit the Dragons failed to find he net again. Matthew

Coria had an excellent game at the heart of the Pennine defence and was duly awarded the man of

the match award closely beating Luke Shaw to the accolade. The little man proved what a great

player he can be when his attitude is right for the game.

Assistant manager Andy Shaw was in philosophical mood at the post match press conference. “we

always knew it was going to be tough today, all credit to the Dragons they are a strong side, but I

was pleased with how the lads battled, if we work hard like we did today then we will win more

than we lose”

There was speculation last night that Pennine are about to enter the transfer market “yes we are

always on the lookout for players who can improve what we have here, we’ll just have to wait and

see what develops over the next couple of days” commented manager Andy Crane

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15/09/12 Elton and Walshaw v Pennine Whites

Footballs a funny old game and a week in football is certainly a long time. Pennine Whites looked resigned to a long hard season after last weeks no show against Whitefield when they suffered a humiliating 7-0 defeat, however the team at last dragged themselves off the proverbial holiday beech to give their legion of traveling fans room for optimism with a moral boosting 6-1 away victory over last season’s whipping boys Elton and Walshaw. This wasn’t the walkover the score line may suggest. Elton have gone into the transfer market with a number of useful acquisitions from former league club Seedfield and it was Elton who made the early running and the breakthrough in the second minute of play. An innocuous challenge 25 yards out was penalised by the ref and the corresponding free kick found its way into the net after a rare misjudgement by Pennine Keeper Nial “the Cat” Lineker. Elton continued to dominate for the next 20 minutes and were unfortunate not to extend their lead. Eventually Pennine got their act together and with captain Matty Barlow marshalling the back four ably accompanied by the ever dependable Ben Brown, Pennine slowly began to drag themselves back into the game and got a well-deserved equaliser 5 minutes from the break when Matthew Coria expertly guided a Matthew Crane cross past the Elton keeper. The second half saw Pennine dominate their opponents. Luke Shaw and Jacob Ellis the Pennine engine room freed up Harry Moore to dictate play with his effortless passing game. It was no surprise when the Norden side swept into the lead with a goal from that man Harry Moore. A brace each from Matthew Crane and Ben Jackson gave the red and blacks an emphatic victory to kick start their season. After the match assistant manager Andy Shaw was pleased with the team performance. “Its no secret that the lads have been struggling to apply themselves in training today shows what they are capable of” he commented. However he wasn’t getting too carried away as he still thinks there’s room for improvement “This games all about attitude and we need the lads to focus all the time not just when they feel like it”. There were encouraging signs today. Jim Hart showed his versatility filling in at left back and the two summer signings Ben Jackson and foreign import Simon Mpenda bedded in and should prove useful acquisitions. The seasons destiny is in the players hands, Pennine Whites fans must be hoping that their team can continue to show the same maturity on the training pitch as the showed today…..time will tell.