Soham Grammarian New Year 1955
FOOTBALL
SOCCER NOTES
By 2.50pm on Wednesday, December 15th, it looked as if we were about to complete our best season since the war. By then we had won all our matches and were three goals up on Saffron Walden whom we had beaten earlier in the term. However, we were to be disillusioned.
A magnificent recovery by our opponents gave them the victory and us a useful lesson or two. The match itself was a classic, enjoyed by all who saw it, and clearly showed some of our defects. Undoubtedly we were the more skilful but Saffron Walden produced the "urge", a favourite word of mine.
The First XI settled down very quickly after a few minor adjustments; Scotting moved to right back and Hobbs took his place in the middle, and when Dennis had replaced the enthusiastic Murfitt at full back the team looked a good one and proceeded to prove it. In mid-term Pearson, who had been a tower of strength in the half-back line for two seasons, left School, and although it would be quite wrong to say that we didn't miss him, Aspinall, his replacement, more than fulfilled our expectations.
An analysis of the team would show that we had two speedy wingers in Burton and Cropley, while South and Guiver at inside forward had guile and stamina respectively. Hobbs at centre-forward put the finishing touches to their efforts.
The feature of the half-back line was the superiority of the captain, J Fordham. Tireless and unrelenting, he was the mainspring of the team, and our success, in no small measure, was due to him. Starling proved himself at centre-half and became a worthy successor to Leonard - we have indeed been lucky in the last two years to have two such as these.
Scotting and Dennis at full back gave good protection. Scotting, the more accomplished player, was seldom caught on the wrong foot and Dennis improved with every game. I cannot remember a sounder goalkeeper at School than Jones. Our congratulations on gaining 1st XI Colours go to Cropley, Burton, South, Starling, Scotting, Hobbs and Jones.
The Second XI record speaks for itself. All games were won and many of this year's team would have gained places in the 1st XI of an ordinary year. The experience gained by Moore, who incidently played some fine games in the 1st XI, Muxfitt and. Peers, will stand them in good stead for later years, and we look forward to their continued improvement.
The under 14 XI won all its matches except one and many of them show the promise one expects from the 1st XI of the future. On the whole an excellent season, and I say "Well done!" to all who helped to make it so.
RAT
RESULTS
FIRST ELEVEN
22nd September: School v Newmarket (away). Won 7-2. (Hobbs 3, South 3, Cropley)
25th September: School v March (home). Won 13-0. (Hobbs 6, Guiver 4, Fordham 2, South).
2nd October: School v Newport (home). Won 7-0. (Hobbs 5, Guiver, Cropley)
9th October: School v Thetford (home). Won 4-0. (Hobbs, Burton, Cropley, South)16th October: School v Huntingdon (home). Won 6-2. (Hobbs 2, Guiver 2, Cropley, Burton)
Huntingdon began at a brisk pace and within ten minutes they had twice penetrated our defence to put them in good stead. The Huntingdon centre-forward took advan tage of the slowness of the School defence to score. A little later Scotting put the ball into his own goal while trying to clear. However, the School were not in the least perturbed and two goals by Hobbs reassured them.
Half-time: School 2, Huntingdon 2Soon after half-time Cropley put the School ahead with a shot from the left wing which the goalkeeper misjudged. A long pass down the centre from Pearson was neatly deflected past the goalkeeper by Guiver, and he again scored with a well-placed shot from the edge of the penalty area. Burton brought the score to six when a weak clearance from the opposition left him with an open goal. The School won what had been their hardest match of the season so far.
Result: School 6, Huntingdon 223rd October: School v Thetford (away). Won 5-1. (Cropley 3, Guiver, 1 og.)
From the kick-off the School went immediately into attack and ought to have scored, but after this Thetford fought back and play was even for about half an hour. Then a long shot by the opponents' inside-forward hit Pearson and was deflected into the net. Thetford came near to scoring again several times but our defence remained firm.
Half-time: School 0, Thetford 1Very soon after the interval Guiver levelled the scores when the full-back miskicked on his goal-line. A few minutes later a corner from Cropley was deflected by one of the opponents into his own goal, giving the School much more confidence. Some good work on the right led to a centre from Burton which found Cropley unmarked and the winger scored easily. Cropley again scored when a long pass reached him almost on the goal-line. Forceful attacking on the right wing again brought the ball to Cropley who shot in from close range to complete his hat-trick. The School, after being a goal down, monopolised the second half and won easily.
Result: School 5, Thetford 130th October: School v Saffron Walden (away). Won 3-1. (Guiver, Fordham, Hobbs)
10th November: School v Newmarket (home). Won 5-1. (Hobbs 4, Burton)
13th November: School v March (away). Won 8-0 (Hobbs 5, Burton, South, Guiver)20th November: School v King Edward VI, Bury (away). Won 4-1. (Cropley, Guiver, Hobbs, 1 og.)
On a fast, lively surface, with the ball proving itself very difficult to control, it took both teams some time to settle down. The teamwork which had been so evident in previous matches was lacking on this occasion and many early chances went astray. But Fordham started the scoring when he brought the ball upfield and passed it to Guiver. He in turn swept a long pass to Cropley whose shot entered the goal via the post. Almost immediately Bury pressed very hard and Scotting pushed the ball into his own net while attempting a pass back to Jones.
Half-time: School 1 Bury 1Just after the restart Guiver received a pass from the right wing and his shot was misjudged by the goalkeeper and it entered the goal. Still keeping up constant pressure the School went further ahead when a Bury defender had the misfortune to deflect the ball off his own goalkeeper into the net. A few moments later Hobbs converted a high centre from Burton with a flying header to ensure a comfortable victory. The School won what to them in this bumper season was a somewhat disappointing game.
Result: School 4, Bury 124th November: School v Newport (away). Won 9-3. (Hobbs 4, Guiver 3, Burton 2)
On a slippery surface the School started well and Hobbs soon paved the way for Guiver to slip the ball into the opposing goal. From the kick-off Newport swung into attack and a shot from the right wing deceived Jones and entered the net. Hobbs put us back into the lead but the Newport wing again foiled Dennis and beat the advancing Jones. Guiver and Burton put us two ahead but just before half-time Newport reduced the lead from a free kick.
Half-time: School 4, Newport 3After the interval the School gained the upper hand but it was some time before they were rewarded for their labours. Hobbs started the run of goals when the Newport goalkeeper fumbled the ball. Burton added another and Hobbs again scored from a goalmouth mêlée. He scored yet again when he took advantage of the centre-half's slowness to slip the ball into the net. By now the result was beyond doubt and the School's last goal came when a long through pass from Burton found Guiver running through and the inside-left scored easily. The School won an interesting game of attractive football made particularly strenuous by the muddy conditions.
Result: School 9, Newport 34th December: School v King Edward VI, Bury (home). Won 9-0. (Guiver 3, Cropley 2, Hobbs 2, South, Burton)
11th December: School v Huntingdon (away). Won 5-2. (Hobbs 2, Guiver, Cropley, Burton)15th December: School v Saffron Walden (home). Lost 4-5. (Cropley 3, Hobbs)
This game marked the climax to the School football season and was watched by many pupils and several masters. The whole team, aware that it was "on show", was intent on giving a display which would justify its unbeaten record.It was evident straight from the kick-off that good fast football was to be seen and within a few minutes the School were a goal up when Cropley bundled the opposing goalkeeper over his own line. This quick goal acted as a tonic to the School and almost immediately Burton outwitted his full-back and centred the ball for Cropley to tap into the net. The School was now asserting its supremacy with scintillating soccer, and Aspinall and Fordham laid on streams of passes to their forwards.
A further reward was reaped when Cropley gathered a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area and shot it into the net. A runaway victory seemed likely to all - except Saffron Walden. When a team has a "never-say-die" spirit it cannot possibly go on unrewarded. Our forwards slackened their devastating pace, more pressure was exerted on our defence, and by half-time Saffron Walden had netted three times to put the scores level.
Half-time: School 3, Saffron Walden 3The School again took up the offensive in the second half. Hobbs put us back into the lead, but after a period of intense pressure by our forwards, Saffron Walden cleared the ball and swept down the field to equalise. These shock tactics knocked off balance a defence which had hitherto played brilliantly all the season. Having equalised, the visitors seemed quite content with a draw and, ably supported by some brilliant goal keeping, it held out against constant pressure. For one breathtaking moment a goal appeared inevitable but Guiver's "special" hit the post and rebounded into play. Then the tide suddenly changed and the ball was whisked to the other end and the opposition was in the lead. A veritable phalanx kept out the School forwards for the rest of the game - and what a dramatic finish to such a classic game!
Result: School 4, Saffron Walden 518th December: School v Old Boys (home). Won 5-4. (Burton 2, South, Fordham, Hobbs)
SECOND ELEVEN
25th September: School v March (home). Won 17-1
9th October: School v Thetford (home). Won 6-0
16th October: School v Huntingdon (home). Won 4-1
23rd October: School v Thetford (away). Won 8-3
13th November: School v March (away). Won 6-0
11th December: School v Huntingdon (away). Won 12-1UNDER 14 ELEVEN
25th September: School v March (home). Won 5-2
2nd October: School v Newport (home). Won 11-2
9th October: School v Thetford (home). Won 7-2.
I 3th November: School v March (away). Won 7-2
20th November: School v King Edward VI, Bury (away). Lost 1-2
24th November: School v Newport (away). Won 6-4
4th December: School v King Edward VI, Bury (home). Won 3-0UNDER 15 ELEVEN
30th October: School v Saffron Walden (away). Drew 3-3
UNDER 13 ELEVEN
30th October: School v St. Faiths (away). Won 7-1
CFC & REG
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last update 4 Dec 2007