The under 14’s started brightly this season in their first encounter. The squad is a new one but the welcome addition of Dan Levitt and Matt Stacey made all the difference.
The back 4 consisted of Tom Atkinson, Ben Stevenson, Jacob Dennison and young Chris Gascoigne with Danny Alderson in goals. In midfield the team started with Dan Levitt, Alice Gascoigne, Captain Matthew Stacey and Nick Caldersley with Matthew Chilton and Harry Gunning leading the forward line. Hannah Chilton started as substitute.
Airedale 2 – 1 Slazengers (Stacey 23’)
The first game against Airedale saw some settling in nerves as Slaz hadn’t played together as a team and many hadn’t played on a full pitch before. The back 4 coped well wit early pressure and Stacey and Gunning lead a good attacking line up the pitch. Airedale however had their own good players and after a disallowed goal Slaz were caught on the hop a quick attack from two talented Airedale midfielders. Slaz responded with some great triangular paces between Stacey, Levitt and Gunning through the centre and it was Captain Stacey who took his goal well to bring parity. Both teams were playing at their optimum now with goal chances at both ends but it was Airedale who took their chance with Slaz left high up the pitch looking for a goal making up the hole left in midfield and scoring past Danny Alderson.
Slazengers 5 – 0 Pocklington (Levitt 5’, Stacey 7’ 12’, Calderley 22’, A. Gascoigne 25’)
The team performance had been good and switching around Harry Gunning to a more sweeping role whilst pushing forward Dan Levitt made the difference in the second game. Slaz were in charge against Pocklington. Dominating for 90% of the game Dan Levitt and Matt Stacey drove attack after attack onto the Pocklington keeper. Dan scored first with Matthew following with 2 in quick succession. Then the wingers started to show their in fluence with Matt and Stacey supporting Alice and Nick both to score giving Slaz a very healthy 5-0 win.
Bradford 0 – 3 Slazengers (Levitt 3’ 20’, M. Chilton 25’)
Dan Levitt wasn’t going to let Captain Stacey have the share of the goals so against a tougher Bradford side he pounced early to score against a sluggish defence. Bradford responded well but couldn’t get past Jacob Dennison or Chris Gascoinge at the back. A counter attack by Slaz gave Dan another goal and in the dying minutes the whole team combined in a flowing counter attack to push the ball to Hannah playing up front for her to scramble in a final goal.
A cracking start to the year with Matthew Stacey leading the line well as captain, however for her encouragement and vocalisation throughout the match the Coach’s Player of the Tournament was Alice Gascoigne. Well done everyone a superb U14 team performance.
