Nigel Smith & Alistair Cox - Match Reports 2005-06

Reffley U13's Links

2005-06 MATCH REPORTS (as U11's)

UNDER 11'S

30 April 2006: REFFLEY 4-4 FAKENHAM
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre , Matthew Brockwell ,Andrew Barnes, Rowan Smith , Lewis Bankroft-Achurch , Ryan Barnes , James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole, Charlie Ilson.

After the previous weeks cup glory Reffley came into this last game of the season on a high, but how often have we seen teams under perform after a major cup win. This was to be Reffley's fate as well !

Some poor defending throughout the team denied Reffley the three points they required to move above their opposition in the league. All four defenders made basic errors which was so out of character for them, as they had played so competently throughout the season.

Fakenham took the lead in the 12th minute when Reffley conceded a really soft goal. The Fakenham attacker was allowed to take the ball wide down the right hand side without a single member of Reffley's midfield or defence putting a tackle in. His shot from the edge of the area wasnt too strong but it bobbled under the diving Liam Taylor and into the net (0 - 1).

Reffley pushed forward but were found off side on too many occasions. Their persistence paid off in the 23rd minute when a ball through from defence found James Kerry in space, who ran 10 yards to beat the keeper and equalise. (1 - 1).

Reffley took the lead just before half time in the 29th min when Fakenham conceded a free kick 30 yards out. Reffley's Rowan Smith took the kick, with a stunning shot that sailed over the waiting players in the box and into the net. (2 - 1).

Straight from the kick off Fakenham were on the attack, the Fakenham No 9 moved around 5 Reffley players without a tackle being put in only to see his shot well saved by Liam Taylor.

The half time whistle came as a relief for both teams who had worked hard in the sunshine and needed a break. Reffley came out for the second half knowing they had to work harder if they wanted to maintain the advantage. But on 35 mins a stupid error from a Reffley defender resulted in Fakenham equalising from the Penalty spot.

The ball had been pumped forward by Fakenham and it sailed over the midfield and defence, it looked like it was going to roll out for a throw in. The defender was tracking the ball out of play with a Fakenham attacker by his side. The ball slowed down as it approached the side line, and instead of kicking it out for a thrown in, the defender decided to try and shield it until it went out . As a result the Fakenham attacker stole the ball and took it into the box where he got brought down for the penalty by a sloppy Reffley tackle. (2 - 2).

Reffley didn't take long to regain the lead as on 37 mins another free kick was taken by Rowan Smith roughly the same distance out that resulted in his earlier goal. This time the ball was floated over into the 5 yard area were after a bit of a scramble Charlie Ilson powered a shot into the back of the net. (3 - 2).

Fakenham were unlucky not to equalise a minute later when a high ball over the Reffley defence was picked up by the alert Fakenham no. 9 who from just outside the area only had the keeper to beat. Yet again Liam Taylor's quality saved Reffley as he pulled off a good save when he parried the ball away, only to find another Fakenham player who's shot was stopped on the line by a Reffley defender who punted the ball away to safety.

On 49 mins Fakenham deservedly equalised from a corner that Reffley failed to clear allowing the ball to come to an unmarked attacker 7 yards out with a free shot on goal which was well struck giving the keeper no chance (3-3).

Reffley continued to press forward and always looked dangerous on the break. They had a few chances to equalise but were either being caught offside or were unable to find that final ball.

On 54th mins some poor defending again allowed Fakenham to take the lead. We were struggling to do the simple things at the back that were costing us dear, but taking nothing away from Fakenham they took their chances and punished us every time (3-4).

Fakenham's lead wasn't to last very long . . .90 seconds to be precise as the hard working Lewis Bankroft-Achurch put an excellent through ball from midfield into space for James Kerry to latch onto, his run took him to the edge of the area where he hit a great shot that sailed into the top right of the goal (4-4).

The result was a fair one, played in a sporting manner which is always nice to see. If you had no allegiance to either team you would have said it was an entertaining game to watch, but Reffley could and should have done better at the back. On a positive note, the forwards showed their quality as the finishes for all the goals were of a high standard. In parts we moved the ball around well and played some good football.

This was the final game of the league season, it is easy to see that Reffley have improved over the past few months, and have the potential to improve further with the squad of players that we have. Well done boys for finishing the season with some silverware ! And well done to the "Reffley Taxi Service" (aka Parents) for all your support and hard work !

23 April 2006: DERSINGHAM 1-2 REFFLEY (U11's Sub. Cup Final) - at Holt

Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Andrew Barnes, Daniel Grimston, Rowan Smith, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole, Charlie Ilson.

Reffley U11's
MNYL Sub. Cup Winners 2005-06

Reffley came from behind to beat Dersingham in this exciting end of season Cup Final which was played at Holt. Both teams should be commended for playing a fair competitive game in front of a sporting three figure crowd.

Straight from the kick off Reffley pushed forward and the hard working James Kerry came close to putting Reffley in the lead as early as the 2nd minute when he was given the ball at the near post by Rowan Smith only to see his shot go the wrong side of the near post.

The deadlock was broken in the 8th minute when an excellent 25 yard shot by the Dersingham striker gave Reffley's 'keeper no chance as it sailed into the top of the net (0-1).

The goal settled their nerves and gave Dersingham confidence; Reffley were a bit slow to react to the second ball, but they still battled hard and pushed forward. Ryan Barnes went close to equalising when his 14th minute shot from the edge of the area hit the bar and was cleared to safety.

But it was from the 19th minute onwards when Reffley's 'keeper, Liam Taylor, started to show his sheer class between the posts when he pulled off a magnificent save from a one-on-one after the Dersingham attacker had rounded four Reffley players, only to see his shot smothered by the Reffley No. 1. The save woke his team mates up and they started to move the ball around with a bit more precision and accuracy. With 22 mins gone Reffley's Lewis Bankroft-Achurch came close to scoring when his long range effort was nearly fumbled by the 'keeper into his own net. Another attacking move three minutes later saw a Reffley header go inches wide of the post. Finally in the 29th min of the first half, Reffley equalised with a special goal by the hard working James Kerry, when after beating three Dersingham players, he moved towards the edge of the area and popped the ball over the 'keeper to put Reffley back in the game (1-1).

The start of the second period saw Reffley play a lot better than they did in the first and they went close to taking the lead four minutes into the half when James Kerry was put through on goal with only the 'keeper to beat, but his shot went agonisingly wide of the far post.

On 36 mins an example of goalkeeping excellence saw Liam Taylor deny Dersingham twice from re-taking the lead. His first save came from a one-on-one, when he parried the ball away only to find another Dersingham player who's shot was goal-ward bound but for the agile Taylor, who quickly got back on his feet and tipped the ball over the bar for a corner. That was to be one of two turning points of the game, as he kept the scores level by those two magnificent saves.

Reffley where not dealing with the ball at the back as confidently as they had been, but when they did move forward they always looked dangerous. Their hard work was rewarded in the 41st minute when James Kerry was fed the ball and confidently took it on himself to go wide, beating another four Dersingham players before crossing to two unmarked Reffley players, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch and Tyler Doran, who had an easy tap in from 3 yards out (2-1).

All credit to Dersingham as they didn't let their heads go down and fought for every ball. They continued to press forwards and in the 50th minute were awarded a clear cut penalty when a Reffley defender's outstretched leg caught the goal bound Dersingham attacker. Their was a brief delay before the penalty kick was taken as the Reffley defender had hurt himself in the tackle and apart from being visibly upset was also hyper ventilating. The penalty was taken by the scorer of Dersingham's first goal. He struck the ball very well, but the Reffley 'keeper correctly guessed which side he was to put the ball and dived brilliantly full stretch to his right to tip the ball around the post for a corner... what a save! If Reffley's team spirit could be summed up in one action it would be this penalty save. As soon as Reffley's 'keeper saved the penalty he stood up and shouted over to the Reffley defender (who was still receiving treatment), "That was for you mate".

The last few minutes of the game was all hands on deck. A typical cup tie, full of excitement and frayed nerves. Commiserations to Dersingham who battled hard to get the equaliser and would have done but for the heroics of Reffley 'keeper, Liam Taylor, who without doubt was named Reffley's Man of The Match.

All the boys worked hard and are a credit to the team, well done to each and every one of you !

16 APRIL 2006: DOWNHAM 6-2 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Andrew Barnes, Rowan Smith, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Charlie Ilson, Daniel Cole.

Reffley came into this re arranged league match confident that they could take something away, even though they were missing some squad players due to the Easter Holidays. However, it proved to be a disappointing game for Reffley but one that they could leave with their heads held high, as it was the decisions made by the man in the middle that would ultimately turn this game in Downham's favour.

Both teams had early chances, with James Kerry going close on 5 mins when his shot went inches wide of the Downham goalpost. It took 13 mins to break the deadlock when a Downham through ball wasn't cleared by the Reffley defender, which allowed former Reffley player Josh Taylor to shoot from the edge of the area, giving the keeper no chance 1-0.

Downham's second goal came in the 22nd minute when a long ball over the midfield fell to Downham's Josh Taylor who passed to an unmarked Downham attacker, who 's shot was well taken to put the Downham 2-0 up.

Reffley battled hard and deserved to pull a goal back on 26 mins. It was a well worked move which involved Lewis Bankroft-Achurch who put a beautiful pass through the Downham defence to James Kerry who only had the 'keeper to beat, which he did with a deft low shot to the right to make it 2-1.

Reffley started the second half as brightly as they finished the first with the whole team working hard to move the ball forward. They were rewarded in the 34th min with another goal for the hard working James Kerry, who shot from 5 yards out beating the 'keeper again on his left hand side, 2-2.

Downham realised that they were in a game and continued to push forward. However, from this point on a number of controversial decisions from the referee left a bad taste in the mouth of those of us who were there to support Reffley.

In the 38th minute a Downham move down the right hand side should never have happened as a foul thrown had been awarded by the referee to Reffley but he allowed Downham to take it, which resulted in a cross into the box that should have been cleared by the defender but it fell to the Downham attacker for an easy tap in, 3-2.

There then followed an obvious offside that was missed by the referee when Reffley cleared from a corner leaving the Downham attacker in a clearly offside position. The ball was lofted over the outcoming Reffley defence to the loan Downham attacker for an easy tap in, 4-2.

Whilst the previous two Downham goals were questionable to say the least their fifth, on 49 mins, was one of the best you'll see all season. The ball fell to ex-Reffley player Josh Taylor 20 yards out who struck one of the sweetest volleys that rifled into the net giving the Reffley keeper no chance, 5-2.

Downham finished the game with a goal in injury time when a corner was taken quickly that caught Reffley off guard, 6-2.

None of the Reffley players deserved to be beaten by the amount that they were and they can look back on this game with their heads held high knowing full well they were beaten by more than the eleven Downham players they found themselves against on the pitch.

Special mention must go out to those players and parents who curtailed their Easter Holidays to take part in today's game. Your commitment is deeply appreciated.

Reffley's MotM: Yet again it goes to the whole team who battled hard and deserved a lot more out of the game, well done lads!

09 APRIL 2006: REFFLEY v WALPOLE
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Daniel Grimston, Rowan Smith, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

Due to an error by the groundsman at Springwood High School this Reffley 'home' game was switched to East Lynn's River Lane pitch as Springwood had mistakenly taken down our goal posts thinking our season was over! Thankfully our players thought otherwise, as they put in another excellent hard working display against a useful Walpole side, who came into the game full of confidence after their 7-1 trouncing of Dersingham earlier in the week.

Reffley played into the wind in the first half and withstood some early pressure from Walpole. Callum Hewitt came close to scoring for the home side in the 17th min when he received the ball from a short corner and deftly took the ball around four Walpole defenders before seeing his shot beat the 'keeper but go agonisingly past the far post. Walpole too had their chances in the first half but on two occasions Reffley 'keeper Liam Taylor showed his class with some excellent saves to keep the scores level.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 29th minute when James Kerry put an inch perfect pass to Callum Hewitt who fired an excellent shot from the edge of the area into the top left hand side of the Walpole goal to put Reffley in the lead 1-0. With only seconds left of the first half James Kerry came close to scoring himself when after beating three Walpole defenders, his shot on goal narrowly missed the right hand post.

After the half time break Reffley took the field confident they could add to the score line now that they had the wind behind them. The Reffley back four started to pump the ball over the top of the Walpole defence enabling the wind to give it a few extra yards, but more often than the forwards were caught offside or it went straight to the 'keeper.

Walpole's first attack of the half came in the 35th min when a through ball in the middle of the pitch looked like it had been snubbed out and dealt with by the backtracking Reffley defender. But an under strength back pass to the 'keeper was intercepted by the Walpole attacker who rounded the stranded 'keeper for the easiest goal he will score all season.

All credit to the defender concerned he didn't let his head go down and as a result put in an excellent performance for the rest of the game. Reffley continued to push forward and on 38mins Ryan Barnes went agonisingly close to scoring when he was put through on goal with only the 'keeper to beat, but his shot went straight into the well positioned 'keeper's arms.

Reffley's attacking play finally paid off when they took the lead for the second time in the 48th min from a well worked short corner that saw James Kerry feed the ball through to Lewis Bankroft-Achurch who unselfishly gave the ball to Ryan Barnes who took an easy tap in to make it 2-1.

The game was put to bed in the dying seconds of the match when an excellent cross from the hard working James Kerry found two Reffley players free inside the 18yrd box, both Callum Hewitt and Tyler Doran were clear on goal with only the 'keeper to beat. Hewitt decided to allow the ball to come to Doran who had the poise and precision to beat the outstretched Walpole keeper and thump the ball in the back of the net 3-1.

The whole squad worked very hard and got what they deserved. Special mentions to Tyler Doran and Oliver Cox who both showed guts and commitment to the cause for coming back onto the pitch after being injured earlier in the game.

MotM: Whole Team - Well Done Boys!

2 APRIL 2006: EAST LYNN 4-4 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Andrew Barnes, Daniel Grimston, Rowan Smith, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Charlie Ilson, Daniel Cole.

A spirited performance saw Reffley fight back from being 4 - 0 down at half time to end the game honours even on a very windy pitch.

Reffley started the first half playing against the wind and were coping well with the conditions until a mad three minute spell saw them go three goals behind. The first of East Lynn's goals came in the 8th min from a speculative kick up field from at least 40 yards out. It was a high ball that was aided by the wind which bounced over the stranded keeper and into the net.

East Lynn got their second within a minute, after a corner kick curled in the strong wind to the back post leaving the attacker with a free header to make it 2-0. It was a sloppy goal to conceded and Reffley didn't learn from their mistake as the same thing happened again two minutes later in the 11th min. This time it was a near post header that Reffley failed to clear, and gifted the East Lynn attacker with a loose ball on the goal line for the easiest of tap-ins (3-0).

East Lynn got their fourth goal on 27mins when a well worked move down the right hand side was rewarded with a shot on goal that Reffley's keeper was only able to parry right into the path of the oncoming attacker who scored from an easy tap in.

East Lynn must have gone off at half time thinking 'job done', but they were forgetting one thing . . . . the wind!

Reffley came out in the second half full of confidence knowing full well they now had the wind behind them , and they made full use of it.

It only took 5 minutes to pull a goal back when a well worked cross from Rowan Smith was deftly flicked with the back of his foot by James Kerry into the net leaving the keeper wrong footed (4-1).

This was the shot in the arm that Reffley needed and three minutes later in the 38th min Charlie Ilson fired an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area that screamed into the net to make it 4-2.

Reffley continued to pressure East Lynn as they used the wind to their own advantage pumping balls forward to the attacking duo. On 46 mins Rowan Smith lofted yet another superb cross which Ryan Barnes met 10 yards out with his left foot and volleyed it into the net to make it 4-3.

East Lynn tried to put some pressure on Reffley and came close to scoring when a well worked move was saved superbly by Reffley keeper Liam Taylor as he dived to his right to parry the ball around the post for a corner. Reffley too went close to equalising in the 50th minute when a carbon copy of East Lynn's first goal saw the ball bounce over the keeper but this time went inches over the bar.

The best of all goals came in the 56th minute when Reffley's left back Daniel Grimston picked up the ball just inside his own half and moved it forwards across the half way line before launching it towards the goal. The ball moved like a rocket , aided by the wind it sailed over the keeper and into the top of the East Lynn net (4-4).

Reffley continued to pressure East Lynn , but failed to find the winner. It was an excellent game for the Reffley boys as they showed great strength of character and belief to come back from being four goals behind. We had gifted 3 of the four goals to East Lynn, but every one of ours that we scored were well worked moves that had been executed with precision using the wind to our advantage. Well done to both teams for putting on an exciting game in what was very difficult conditions.

Reffley MotM: The Whole Squad, great team work and effort throughout that proved that anything is possible, well done to all of you!

26 March 2006: REFFLEY 0-4 DOWNHAM

No Match Report.

19 March 2006: DERSINGHAM 0-1 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor (GK), Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Daniel Grimston, Andrew Barnes, Rowan Smith, Lewis Bancroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, Tyler Doran, Daniel Cole, Charlie Ilson, James Kerry, Calum Hewitt.

In Reffley and Dersingham's third meeting of the season, both teams proved ready for a challenge and were on form for a good match although it seemed that neither team could convert their shots to goals.

Reffley’s James Kerry had two goals disallowed due to being in an ‘off-side’ position. Reffley goalkeeper Liam Taylor was also on form and dashed the hopes of Dersingham’s strikers on more than one occasion. However, referee Tim Cockle, was able to keep the well matched teams focused on a sporting game.

The pace was kept fast and furious as Tyler Doran, Charlie Ilson and Daniel Eyre put in spirited performances. It was in the closing minutes of a frantic game that found Reffley mid-fielder, Rowan Smith, delivering the ball to the feet of James Kerry. Kerry swiftly and precisely found the back of the net, this time his efforts were not denied as unified team play had eventually paid off.

12 March 2006: REFFLEY v WOOTTONS
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Andrew Barnes, Daniel Grimston, Rowan Smith, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

After last week's 4 -1 loss at Walpole, Reffley U11's were told specifically of what was expected from them... and they delivered. A much improved performance all round saw them comfortably beat Woottons after the away side took the lead on 9 mins when Reffley gave away a penalty. Wootton took full advantage of the poor tackle inside the box that lead to the decision and tucked away the penalty kick giving Liam Taylor no chance of saving the low drive to his left hand side.

Reffley had the better chances in the first half and finally equalised on 19 mins with some lovely football being played down the left hand side of the pitch. An excellent cross from Rowan Smith was inch perfect for Ryan Barnes to tap in from 2 yards out.

On 28 mins Reffley went in front when the Wootton 'keeper was adjudged to have brought down Tyler Doran in the area when he was through on goal. Doran recovered from the challenge to score from the penalty spot to put Reffley in to a 2-1 lead.

Reffley's third goal came only 50 seconds into the second half. A well taken cross on the left hand side from Rowan Smith was again inch perfect to Tyler Doran who had an easy tap in from 2 yards out.

Reffley's hard work paid off in the 54th minute when they won the ball back in midfield that allowed Daniel Cole to put a lovely ball through to Charlie Ilson who confidently passed the 'keeper to score Reffley's 4th and final goal of the game.

All credit to Wootton as they didnt let their heads go down and continued to battle their way back into the game, but a solid display from the Reffley defence kept them at bay, whilst the midfield worked hard to win the ball and supply the two attacking forwards.

Reffley MOM award goes to the whole of the defence who were alert to any danger that came their way and played with confidence.

5 MARCH 2006: WALPOLE 4-1 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Andrew Barnes, Daniel Grimston, Rowan Smith, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

Apart from goalkeeper Liam Taylor and midfielder Ryan Barnes the rest of the squad put in a very very poor performance for Reffley, that saw them deservedly lose 4 - 1 against a team that wanted it so much more.

Walpole's first goal was scored deep into time added on in the first half. One Reffley defender was very slow to move out which allowed the attacking Walpole forward to remain on side and beat the 'keeper to put them in the lead (1-0).

There second goal was another gift. It came on 36 mins when the whole defence got drawn to the by line allowing Walpole to pass the ball over them to the four unmarked Walpole players waiting in the box, on of whom slipped the ball past the 'keeper (2-0).

Walpole's third came on 50 mins after a 40 yard attacking run was allowed to progress without a single Reffley player putting in a tackle. The Walpole player was allowed to run on goal and finish the move with a well taken goal to make it 3 - 0 to the home side.

Reffley pulled one back in the 56th minute when they finally had their first shot on target. Andrew Barnes took the ball from the edge of the area and was able to score form a low shot that went between the left hand post and the 'keeper.

Walpole rounded off their hard working performance with a goal from the last kick of the game. Again no one tackled as the move started in midfield and was allowed to move right throughout he defence to score.

It was a well deserved win for Walpole that was played in a very sporting manner.

26 February 2006: FAKENHAM 1-2 REFFLEY (Sub. Cup S/F)
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Andrew Barnes, Daniel Grimston, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

For the first 20 minutes of this semi final Cup match Reffley were second best to everything - they started very poorly indeed against a useful Fakenham side and a pretty strong wind in their faces.

They went a goal down after only 8 minutes when a well taken Fakenham corner was allowed to cross into the six yard area without any Reffley player being prepared to head the ball away. Instead it fell to a Fakenham attacker who had the easiest shot of the match to put them 1-0 up. Even after the goal was scored they didn't wake up and continued to struggle to string two passes together out of their own half. It took until the 20th minute of the half for the Fakenham goalkeeper to touch the ball and even that was only a goal kick from a wayward shot. The last ten minutes of the half Reffley began to wake up and play the football we had recently been accustom to.

The second half found the wind behind Reffley's backs and they started to play some nice football. The defence became more alert and the midfield started to move the ball around nicely to the two forwards.

It only took four minutes after the restart for Reffley to equalise from a well executed move that saw the ball passed around from defence into midfield, where Charlie Ilson put an inch perfect ball through for James Kerry to control well and score.

Reffley continued to play with confidence and only allowed Fakenham a few chances on goal whilst creating a few more for themselves. In the 48th minute Reffley cleared the ball from a Fakenham attack that came to an end on the left hand side of the pitch, the ball was pumped up to the half way line when a Fakenham player had stayed on the floor after being hurt in a tackle. The ref. allowed play to go on and Reffley were on the attack down the left hand side. Rowan Smith passed to Tyler Doran who neatly passed the 'keeper to put Reffley in the lead. A number of Fakenham parents and players were upset at the decision to play on, but the Referee allowed the move to continue which resulted in the goal.

Reffley continued to push forward and in the 55th minute were denied a 3rd goal when an excellent diving header from a Fakenham player diverted the goal bound shot away to concede a corner. Fakenham came close to equalising after a throw from Reffley's 'keeper to his defender was pounced on by a Fakenham attacker, who won the ball only to see his shot go inches wide of the Reffley goal post. The 'keeper redeemed himself shortly afterwards when he bravely dived in to smother the ball from a 50/50 one-on-one Fakeham attack.

The game was an exciting cup tie that was a credit to both sides and played in a sportsmanlike manner that saw chances at both ends.

Reffley's man of the match award goes this week to the whole team, after a poor start they played well as a unit and worked hard for the result.

19 February 2006: HUNGATE 0-2 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Andrew Barnes, Daniel Grimston, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

A much improved performance from Reffley saw them to a well deserved first win of 2006.

Hungate started brightly and were unlucky not to punish Reffley as they hit the post twice in the first 5 minutes. But after that they were given very little opportunity to score by a solid Reffley back four. Neither side had a clear chance on goal in the first half, but Reffley created more as the game progressed.

The second half saw Reffley continue from where they left off, playing some nice moves from midfield which kept the Hungate defence busy. On 35 minutes a Reffley attack saw the ball fall to Rowan Smith who scored from 5 yards out to put them 0-1 up. They continued to push forward and ten minutes later scored again after an excellent through ball from Daniel Eyre was sent from the half way line to put Tyler Doran through on goal. Tyler's first touch was equal to his finish as he went round the keeper to slot the ball home to make it 0-2.

Reffley continued to push forward and were unlucky not to go further in front when James Kerry went close to scoring on two separate occasions. All credit to Hungate they didn't drop their heads and continued to push forward, but all of the Reffley back four made it an easy morning for the Reffley 'keeper. Only in the last 5 minutes did Hungate put Reffley under pressure with a few shots that strayed off target.

It was a clean game that was a credit to both sets of players and supporters. The whole squad can be proud of their performance as they put a lot of effort in and played as a team.

Reffley MotM: Awarded to Matthew Brockwell whose display at right back was his best of the season so far.

5 February 2006: REFFLEY P-P FAKENHAM

No Match Report.

29 January 2006: DOWNHAM P-P REFFLEY

No Match Report.

22 January 2006: REFFLEY 1-2 DERSINGHAM
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Rowan Smith, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole, Andrew Barnes, Daniel Grimston.

For the second game in a row Reffley were unlucky to finish on the loosing end of a game. The first half saw Reffley play some excellent football throughout the team, they kept the ball in the oppositions half and were more than capable of dealing with whatever Dersingham threw at them. Both James Kerry and Ryan Barnes came very close to scoring in the first quarter of the game, but some good saves and quick reactions from the Desingham keeper kept the scores level until the last minute of the half.

With only a few seconds left of the first half James Kerry was put through with a lovely ball from Rowan Smith, but a Dersingham defender handled the ball just inside the box for a clear cut penalty. James Kerry decided to take it and put it away with a clinical finish low to the keepers right hand side (1-0).

The start to the second half saw Dersingham push forward and should have scored within two minutes of the restart when a a free shot on goal went over the bar. This should have been a warning sign to the Reffley defence who five minutes later conceded a bad equaliser.

Central defender Daniel Eyre had put in a brilliant tackle to prevent Dersingham from a clear shot on goal, his tackle pushed the ball out to the left hand side of the Reffley goal area , but our keeper made a very rare error as he was slow to run and gather the ball allowing the more alert Dersingham attacker to pick up the ball and slot it in the net for their equaliser (1- 1).

It didn't take long for Dersingham to go in front as only three minutes later in the 40th min they beat the offside as one of our defenders was slow to move up, by doing this he found himself as the last man in defence for the approaching Dersingham attacker, failed to put in a decent tackle and the attacker went through to put his side 1- 2 up.

Reffley lost the game because of 5 mins sloppy defensive play in the 2nd half, they didn't let their heads go down and were unlucky not to get an equaliser. They outplayed the opposition in the first half and should have gone into the break at least two goals up. Both sides played a fair and sportsmanlike game and thankfully ignored some of the unwarranted comments coming from a small minority of spectators.

15 January 2006: REFFLEY 0-2 HUNGATE
Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

Reffley didn't deserve to lose this game as they were the better team but two bad defensive errors allowed Hungate to score from their only two attempts on target in the first half.

Hungate's first goal came with only 90 seconds on the clock. Poor defending and a failure to clear a loose ball on the 6 yard line let the visitors in. The ball was miss-kicked by a Reffley fullback which enabled an easy shot on goal for the Hungate attacker, giving Reffley's keeper no chance.

Reffley where kept under pressure for the first 8 minutes of the game, but after the Lynn team had the majority of the chances. Ten minutes into the game, Ryan Barnes' shot had beaten the 'keeper but it went only inches past the post.

With 15 minutes gone, Rowan Smith played an excellent ball from midfield that put through Lewis Bankcroft-Achurch but his shot was well saved by the Hungate 'keeper. Less than a minute later, Reffley's Ryan Barnes was through on goal but his shot went agonisingly wide of the post.

Hungate's second goal came on 19 minutes when a Hungate corner was nearly kicked into the Reffley net by one of the home defenders. However, the quick reflexes of Reffley's keeper, Liam Taylor, saw him pull off a great save when he parried the ball away, but unfortunately the ball landed at the feet of a grateful Hungate attacker who calmly scored from 3 yards out.

All credit to Reffley, they didn't let their heads go down and continued to fight back. The second half carried on from where the first had finished with Reffley on the attack. With 31 minutes gone, both Rowan Smith and James Kerry had good chances that went inches wide. Two minutes later Rowan Smith had another shot on goal that was fumbled by the Hungate keeper who recovered quickly to stop the ball from crossing his line.

Tyler Doran, James Kerry and Ryan Barnes all had further chances to get back into the game but for near misses and some good goalkeeping, Reffley finished the match without scoring.

It was a well mannered affair with good sportsmanship on both sides. Reffley battled for the whole 60 minutes to get back into the game and created a lot of chances, but it just wasn't meant to be.

8 January 2006: WOOTTONS 1-1 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barnes, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Daniel Grimston, Matthew Brockwell, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

A closely contested game saw a fair result of 1-1. Both goals came within a period of 60 seconds with only five minutes of the game gone.

Reffley scored first when Rowan Smith who on the edge of the area picked up the ball from a cleared corner, his shot was lofted over the majority of the players standing the box and was headed backwards into his own net by a Woottons player.

All credit to Woottons; they immediately came back on the attack. Dreadful defending by Reffley allowed the on-coming Wootton player to take the ball into the Reffley goal area without a single tackle being made. His shot from 8 yards out gave the Reffley 'keeper no chance and put Wootton back in the game 1-1.

Both teams had chances to take the lead, but the final ball let them down.

The second half was a closely contested affair that saw some spectacular saves from both 'keepers. With only 10 minutes to go, Wootton's keeper pulled off a magnificent save from a Rowan Smith shot. He hit the sweetest of balls that was destined for the top right hand corner of the goal but the shot was pushed over the bar by the Wootton 'keeper.

Eight minutes later it was the turn of Reffley's Liam Taylor to keep his side in the game. Reffley failed to clear the ball after a corner and a Wootton shot on goal from 6 yards out was parried past the post from the diving Taylor to keep the scores level - another quality save from the Reffley No 1!

Both sides worked hard for a well deserved point, with Reffley's Tyler Doran being awarded Man Of the Match for his constant running and hard work in midfield, well done Tyler!

18 December 2005: REFFLEY P-P WALPOLE

No Match Report.

4 December 2005: FAKENHAM 4-1 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Andrew Barnes, Matthew Brockwell, Tyler Doran, Daniel Cole, James Kerry, Ryan Barnes, Rowan Smith, Daniel Grimston, Daniel Eyre, Charlie Ilson, Callum Hewitt, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch.

Another poor performance by Reffley who lost the game by making too many basic errors across the park and showed little or no enthusiasm to win the game. The first 20 mins was closely contested between the sides, Charlie Ilson should have put Reffley in front but his shot hit the post and was cleared for a corner.

Fakenham opened the scoring in the 21st minute after a Reffley attacker had lost possession far too easily in the middle of the pitch that led to the defence scrambling back to give away a corner. The ball came over and Reffley had three chances to clear the ball but Fakenham wanted it more and scored from a scramble, 6 yards out.

Fakenham continued to push forward and three minutes later another attack was snuffed out by the Reffley defence only to see their own midfielder try and clear the ball by kicking across his own goal mouth. This gift of a ball was pounced on by Fakenham who punished the Reffley error by going two goals up.

The half time break was an uncomfortable five minutes for the Reffley squad who were told in no uncertain terms that their first half performance was unacceptable. This sparked some life into the team and one minute after the restart James Kerry hit a shot from the edge of the area which flat footed the Fakenham keeper and screamed into the net.

Reffley then had their best 10 minute spell of the game. Charlie Ilson came close when his goal bound shot was deflected out for a corner. Daniel Eyre also came close to leveling the scores in the same minute when his shot was well saved by the 'keeper. Reffley continued to press for the equaliser and Rowan Smith was unlucky to see his shot beat the 'keeper and rebound off the post to safety.

But all their hard work was undone with another spell of sloppy play and poor defending. Fakenham were gifted a third goal in the 50th minute when Reffley forgot how to defend from a corner and allowed Fakenham to score their third from a free shot, less than 6yrds out.

Fakenham were allowed to move and pass the ball and Reffley got punished again in the 57th minute when they failed to pick up the runner from midfield who had a the simple task of slotting the ball home when the inch perfect pass was crossed to his feet.

The game was summed up in the last minute when a Reffley move down the left hand side put a through ball to a Reffley player in the goal mouth who failed to hit the target from only 2 yards out. Another unacceptable performance from the boys who where all told of what was required if they wished to continue wearing the Reffley shirt.

27 November 2005: REFFLEY 0-7 DOWNHAM (KO Cup Q/F)
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barnes, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

The less said about this game the better - by far the worst performance from this Reffley side since they've been together. There was no commitment and no effort and this resulted in them getting punished by a more determined team. It took Reffley 40 minutes to have a shot on goal, which speaks for itself. Only our goal 'keeper Liam Taylor could come off the pitch with his head held high after working hard to keep the score down to an embarrassing 0- 7.

20 November 2005: REFFLEY 2-3 EAST LYNN
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Andrew Barnes, Matthew Brockwell, Tyler Doran, Daniel Cole, James Kerry, Ryan Barnes, Rowan Smith, Daniel Grimston, Daniel Eyre, Charlie Ilson, Callum Hewitt, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch.

A cold and frosty pitch didn't give too many problems to either team who were meeting for the second time in as many weeks. First chance of the game went to Ryan Barnes who came close to scoring in the 3rd minute when a shot on goal went inches past the left hand post. East Lynn came close to scoring on two occasions but were denied by Reffley 'keeper Liam Taylor who got his central defenders out of trouble with some excellent 1 on 1 saves.

Reffley were very unlucky to go 0-1 down in the 12th minute as the referee ignored please for a push on a Reffley defender.

East Lynn's second came 6 minutes into the second half and just like the first, was controversial. The ball appeared to have gone out for a goal kick after an East Lynn attack had been pushed wide of the Reffley goal mouth, but East Lynn continued to play the ball and the resulting cross was stuck in the back of the net to put East Lynn 0-2 up.

All credit to Reffley as they didn't let their heads drop and a minute later James Kerry put an excellent cross over for Ryan Barnes to score with ease to pull Reffley back into the game 1-2.

East Lynn continued to pressurise the Reffley defence and they beat the offside trap on 41 minutes as Liam Taylor pulled off a magnificent save from another 1 on 1 situation. Unfortunately his parry went straight to an East Lynn attacker who slotted the ball in the net to make it 1-3.

Finally, Reffley started to play football and they were rewarded with a goal on 47 minutes when Charlie Ilson hit a sweet volley from 12 yards out to make the score 2-3. This set up an exciting finish that saw both teams come close to scoring but Reffley ran out of time with the score line at 2-3. Without any doubt, the Reffley Man of the Match was 'keeper Liam Taylor, who pulled off some excellent saves to keep his team in the game.

13 November 2005: REFFLEY 2 - 2 WALPOLE (Friendly)
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barnes, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole, James Rayner, Daniel Kerry, Lewis Murphy.

Walpole came for a mid season friendly which allowed Reffley to give a well deserved run out for a few of the younger players that had been training all this season with the squad: James Rayner & Daniel Kerry both applied themselves very well.

Walpole came back from being 2-0 down at the break to earn a draw. A strong start from Reffley saw them take the lead in the 7th minute when Rowan Smith punished the miss hit goal kick with a 20 yard special. The next few minutes saw Reffley continue to pressure the Walpole defence and Charlie Ilson tried a chip shot that the 'keeper blocked, whilst Rowan Smith saw his slick pass go right across the goalmouth.

Reffley doubled their lead on 17 minutes when Andrew Barnes scored his first ever goal for Reffley with a well taken powerful shot from the edge of the area that sailed into the top left hand corner of the goal.

Credit to Walpole they didn't let their heads go down and came close to pulling a goal back in the 26th minute when a corner kick wasn't cleared and the resulting scramble saw a shot hit the Reffley post and eventually cleared to safety.

Three minutes later Reffley's James Kerry came close to scoring when he was put through one on one with only the keeper to beat, he chipped the ball only to see his shot go inches wide of the right hand post.

The second half saw Walpole increase the pressure and Reffley ease back. On too many occasions we failed to pass the ball when on the attack and on 42 minutes the home side got punished for it. Sloppy midfield play saw Reffley lose the ball which allowed Walpole to run nearly half the pitch beating the defence and 'keeper to bring them back into the game at 2-1.

Reffley lost their concentration and were punished two minutes later when they allowed Walpole to walk through the defence and equalise. Both teams pushed forward to try and get the winner, but time ran out and it ended 2-2.

6 November 2005: EAST LYN 2-1 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barnes, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Daniel Grimston, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Tyler Doran, Callum Hewitt, Daniel Cole.

Reffley got off to an excellent start against a useful looking East Lynn, when Rowan Smith was put through on goal and scored a great goal to give Reffley the lead with only 46 seconds of the game completed.

Both teams pushed forward and had chances, East Lynn were unfortunate not to get a penalty in the 10th minute when a Reffley handball was not seen by the referee. East Lynn's sense of injustice didn't last long when they got an equalising goal in the 17th minute, with a well taken shot from outside the area.

Reffley continued to give as good as the got and came very close to putting themselves back in the lead. The move started with a great clearance from defence by Oliver Cox that was picked up on the right wing by Ryan Barnes who flighted an inch perfect cross that James Kerry hammered against the post.

The game was finally balanced when both teams started the second half. But again in the 34th minute Reffley got punished for a sloppy mistake when a goal kick was pounced on by the East Lynn attackers who were more alert to the situation and as a result put the ball away to make it 2 - 1 to the home side.

The game became more difficult when the weather changed and the rain came down in force. Both teams to their credit battled on and fought a closely contested game in wet and windy conditions. Reffley goalkeeper Liam Taylor pulled off an excellent save 8 minutes from time when he thwarted a 2 on 1 East Lynn attack by falling quickly down to his left hand side and parrying a well struck shot.

The final whistle saw the end of a close game from which Reffley were unlucky not to come away with a draw. It was another solid performance by all the team who worked very hard in what became very tough conditions.

23 October 2005: REFFLEY 1-6 DOWNHAM
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Oliver Cox, Andrew Barnes, Matthew Brockwell, Tyler Doran, Daniel Cole, James Kerry, Ryan Barnes, Rowan Smith, Daniel Grimston, Daniel Eyre, Charlie Ilson, Callum Hewitt.

An eagerly awaited contest against top of the table Downham Market saw an opening 20 minutes dominated by Reffley. Tyler Doran came close to putting the home side in front on 12 minutes when his shot was cleared off the line. Reffley continued to push forward and got their reward in the 12th minute when a lovely cross from James Kerry was neatly put away by Tyler Doran to put Reffley 1-0 up.

As expected Downham came back into the game but the Reffley defence was equal to the amount of pressure put on them. It was disappointing to see Reffley keep missing chances when going forward as we didn't seem to punish the Downham defence when they made basic errors unlike Downham when they were gifted their equalising goal. In the 16th minute Reffley forgot to mark up for a Downham throw in on the half way line, they were allowed to move the ball across the pitch to an unmarked Downham forward who's well taken shot gave Liam Taylor no chance.

Both sides continued to play good attractive football, but unlike Downham Reffley were punished for their mistakes when 3 minutes before half time Downham beat the offside and scored to put them 2-1 up.

Reffley started the second half knowing full well they were capable of turning the score around but again they let themselves down with some sloppy play and got punished in quick succession with Downham scoring two goals in less than two minutes. Downham's 3rd goal was scored on 35 minutes when a soft shot from the corner didn't get cleared and even the Reffley defender on the line fluffed his kick and put it in the back of his own net. Downhams' 4th goal came a minute later when Reffley went to sleep and a beautifully weighted Downham cross from the right hand side was unchallenged and put away with ease.

Downham's 5th came after a very unlucky Reffley keeper Liam Taylor tried in vain to keep the ball out after 3 excellent quick fire saves saw the Downham striker quicker to react to Liam's final parry, and punish Reffley's slow defence with another goal.

Downham's final goal of the game came only a minute later after another fine move down the right hand side was put away with ease to make the score 1- 6 to the away side.

Reffley came close to making the score more respectable, but the finishing left a lot to be desired.

Anyone looking at the result might feel that Reffley were outclassed, but that wasn't the case, They let themselves down in the second half, but can take heart from playing their best football of their season in the first 20 minutes of the game that worried Downham and should have seen them go into the break in a much stronger position.

16 October 2005: HUNGATE 4-1 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barnes, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, James Kerry, Tyler Doran, Daniel Cole, Lewis Murphy.

Reffley started very positively and controlled the game for the first 20 minutes. Their hard work was rewarded with a goal on 18 minutes when goalkeeper Liam Taylor's kick fed James Kerry through on goal and whose excellent finish put Reffley 1 - 0 up.

The hard work and good team play should have resulted in a few more goals for Reffley, but they stopped playing and started making basic errors all over the pitch.

Once they'd gone a goal down Hungate immediately turned up the pressure and less than a minute after the restart made Liam Taylor pull off an excellent save from a speculative high ball. This was a clear warning of what was to come.

Hungate got back into the game on 23 mins when they equalised with a well taken shot from the edge of the area that had been badly defended. A further goal for Hungate came on the stroke of half time to put them 2 - 1 up after all the Reffley defence forgot how to clear a ball and it ended up in the net.

After a very promising first 20 minute period , Reffley came off at half time 2 -1 down with only themselves to blame. Harsh words were said during the break but none of it sunk in as further goals were to be conceded in the second half.

Hungate 's third goal came from a break on the half way line which caught our keeper out of position and the Hungate striker finished well by chipping the ball over and into the net.

The last goal of the game also went to the home side , after a fine save from Liam Taylor saw the rebound put into the Reffley net by an eager Hungate attacker to make the final score 4 -1.

9 October 2005: DERSINGHAM 3-2 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barnes, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Rowan Smith, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, Callum Hewitt, James Kerry, Tyler Doran, Daniel Cole.

Reffley went to Dersingham with an under strength team having lost 3 good players due to injury or family commitments. This meant that all those left would have to give 110% and play the full 60 minutes with no substitutions, which to their credit they all did.

The game got off to a bad start from a Reffley perspective, when Dersingham where gifted a silly corner that they took full advantage of by scoring from the resulting cross into the box. The Reffley Defence forgot to mark up and allowed the Dersingham attacker a free kick on goal that was well taken to put Dersingham 1-0 up in the 6th minute.

Dersingham controlled the midfield for the first quarter, and Liam Taylor in goal pulled of a few crucial saves to keep us in the game. It took until the 20th minute for Reffley to finally have their first shot on goal ,but that spurred the team on and Reffley started to play football. It didn't take long to pay dividends when in the 24th minute Callum Hewitt was put through on goal with only the keeper to beat, Callum calmly chipped the ball over his outstretched hands and into the back of the net, a very well taken goal!

Reffley began to play better football and were unlucky to concede a second goal right on half time when Dersingham moved the ball through the middle to the unmarked attackers who gave Liam Taylor no chance and went 2-1 up.

The second half started just like the first when Reffley defended poorly and failed to clear the ball in the penalty area and on 37 minutes were punished with another Dersingham goal 3-1.

But to all the teams credit they didn't let their heads go down and finally started to play the football they are so capable of. Some nice moves down the left hand side by James Kerry, Tyler Doran and Daniel Cole saw Reffley cause Dersingham problems and put them on the back foot. On the 40th minute one of these moves resulted in a great finish by James Kerry who scored to put Reffley right back into the game 3-2.

Dersingham came back and again another solid performance by defender Daniel Eyre and Liam Taylor in goal kept the opposition at bay. Reffley were unlucky not to level the score as they pushed hard in the last ten minutes but the Refs whistle came to the aid of Dersingham who won a well fought game by two good sides.

Final Score: Dersingham 3 - 2 Reffley

Reffley's Man of the Match: Liam Taylor after another solid performance in goal.

2 October 2005: REFFLEY 4-2 WOOTTONS
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barnes, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, Callum Hewitt, James Kerry, Tyler Doran, Daniel Cole.

Another poor start saw Reffley go two goals down within the first eleven minutes. The first was conceded when a Wootton corner went straight into the net after three Reffley defenders watched it go past them at the near post. The second was another soft goal when a Reffley defender forgot to push up and played Wootton on side, who then broke away and scored.

All credit to Reffley though as they didn't drop their heads. Instead they woke up and started to play the football they are capable of. Some nice play on the left hand side resulted in a great pass from Callum Hewitt to new boy Charlie Ilson who scored on his home debut, with a well taken shot in the 18th minute.

Straight after the kick off Reffley were pressurising again and good efforts from Lewis Bankroft-Achurch and Ryan Barnes both went just wide.

Reffley were on the up, and got the equaliser in the dying seconds of the first half when Ryan Barnes's cross was finished off accurately by Tyler Doran.

The second half continued from where the first half finished with good confident play from the whole team. Both Daniel Eyre and Oliver Cox in defence ably dealt with the few chances Woottons created. Reffley continued to use the wing and in the 44th minute a great cross from Ryan Barnes saw Tyler Doran one on one with the keeper, who he beat to put Reffley ahead for the first time in the game.

Some confident play from defence saw Reffley win the ball back from the edge of their goal area and move it down the left hand flank with some deft play and passing from James Kerry and Ryan Barnes who's pass was put away with ease by Charlie Ilson.

Wootton didn't give up and kept pressurising till the final whistle. Reffley had goalkeeper Liam Taylor to thank after a fantastic save to keep the score at 4 - 2 . It was a good performance by Reffley that was only blighted by the sluggish play in the first ten minutes of the game. But the lads did well not to drop their heads and fought hard to earn the win.

Reffley's MotM: Daniel Eyre, with a terrific performance in defence.

24 September 2005: WALPOLE 2-3 REFFLEY
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barne, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Daniel Cole, Rowan Smith, Charlie Ilson, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, Callum Hewitt, James Kerry.

Reffley claimed their first win of the season with goals from Rowan Smith and Ryan Barnes as they beat Walpole 2-3, with Walpole also putting through their own net.

Reffley's Daniel Cole also scored, but his kick unfortunately went into his own goal as well after a badly defended corner saw a goal mouth scramble that put Walpole into the lead on 7 minutes.

In the first half Reffley struggled against the long kicks from the Walpole goalkeeper, who kept pumping the ball up to his team mates. But a big kick from our own Rowan Smith leveled the scores in the 14th minute. It was sweetly struck from the half way line , went up in the air over the keeper and didn't bounce till it was over the line.

Reffley worked hard with a growing confidence and went in at half time all square at 1-1.

The team talk during the break paid dividends in the second half , the boys began to deal with the threat of the big boot up field from the Walpole keeper , both Daniel Eyre and Matthew Brockwell made excellent defensive headers in the second half.

Our improved defensive play resulted in our best period of the game as Reffley started to dominate. A nicely worked ball down the left hand flank saw Ryan Barnes score in the 35th minute after his strong shot on goal was fumbled by the Walpole keeper into the back of his net.

Reffley continued to press forward searching for a third goal which eventually came in the 44th minute when a long throw into the box by Rowan Smith was kicked into the oppositions net by a Walpole player, the second own goal of the game.

The home side ( to their credit ) didn't let their heads go down and continued to pressurise for a goal that would keep them in the game. The Walpole keeper's long kicks eventually paid off when they got their 2nd goal in the 52nd minute. The Reffley defence got caught napping from a big boot up field, the ball sailed over the two defenders and set up a 1 on 1 with the quick thinking Walpole attacker pushing the ball past our keeper. It was a well taken Walpole goal that kept the game alive and exciting at both ends until the final whistle was blown.

It was a good win for Reffley with a lot of hard work put in by all the players, who are slowly getting used to the bigger pitches and the offside rule...

11 September 2005: REFFLEY 1-6 FAKENHAM
Reffley Squad: Liam Taylor, Andrew Barnes, Oliver Cox, Daniel Eyre, Matthew Brockwell, Daniel Cole, Rowan Smith, Tyler Doran, Lewis Bankroft-Achurch, Ryan Barnes, Callum Hewitt, James Kerry.

Fakenham made sure that Reffley's first venture into competitive 11 a side football won't be easily forgotten. After a solid and confident start, Rowan Smith gave Reffley the lead on 9 mins with a well worked goal that was produced from confident, intelligent play from one end to the other.

But two minutes later Reffley conceded a very soft goal from a corner that was the result of some very sloppy play at the back, where the defence pulled out of a header and allowed Fakenham to equalise.

From that point onwards Reffley forgot to how play football. 20 mins into the game they let Fakenham to run from the half way line without a tackle being put in and conceded another goal, to end the first half 2-1 down.

There was no improvement after the restart, as Reffley allowed Fakenham to score a further 4 goals, one of which was a penalty that Liam Taylor was unlucky not to save.

It was a very disappointing performance from Reffley which hopefully will be a lesson well learned when they next play in two weeks time. The 'Man of the Match' award must go to the Fakenham striker who's solid performance netted him all six goals for his team.