Training Wednesday, no game Saturday

Training this Wednesday at Waverton, 6-7 with Mike and Heather.

The League have confirmed that our final game v Wirral Hawks will go ahead on Saturday May 8 or Saturday May 15 but certainly not this weekend. So NO GAME THIS SATURDAY.

Enjoy your Saturday off!

Red morning light

Wallasey Wanderers Red 4 - AFC Waverton 3

Football is like a religion to me. I worship the ball, and I treat it like a god. Too many players think of a football as something to kick. They should be taught to caress it and to treat it like a precious gem. Pele

8 Wavertonites downed their Weetabix and made the early morning journey up the M53 to Wallasey along with a number of parents, supporters and Emma's dogs. No complaints to UEFA from us about kick off times or travel arrangements.

The Delph was the scene of the first away game in the league back in September against Wanderers' other team and it took a few weeks to recover from the shock of that heavy defeat. Against the Reds though there was more hope give the close encounter at Waverton in the Autumn. Kiera took charge of the warm up and what an excellent job she did of it too with running, stretching and shooting routines all organised.

Waverton lined up with Cara in expansive Delph nets, a back two of Emma and Ellie M, Nicola in centre of midfield with Lily and Kiera alongside and Little Laura up front in the hope of bagging another couple of goals like she did last week. Ellie R was the super sub. The ground was very hard, especially in the centre, following the recent dry spell.

Straight from the start, unusually, the Waverton girls looked up for it. Cara looked bang on form with her goal kicks and it was from a long kick by Cara that the ball came to Kiera on the left who fired a great shot home. 1-0. Nosebleed time.

Wallasey weren't going to lie down easily and grabbed one back to make it 1-1. Nicola was using her strength in the middle and Kiera and Lily were proving to be very tricky alongside. Ellie was looking very classy at the back bringing out the ball from the defence comfortably, whilst Emma was solid as a rock alongside her. Laura looked lively but just needed the ball on the ground to go forward. Wanderers got another goal and then another. Two decent free kick chances were given to Waverton, one given after Nicola was brought down in full attacking flow injuring her wrist, but in either case Nicola couldn't make it count.

Ellie R was thrown onto the left wing to use her speed and then other changes took place as the team was rotated. In the second half Kiera had a chance in front of goal but hit it at the keeper and then did it again soon after. Another chance looked like the same outcome except that the keeper lost control of the ball and it wobbled through her legs into the net just as Kiera had turned away angry with missing the chance. Nicola had a number of chances but just couldn't find the target and Ellie R deceptive shot was inches wide of the left post. Kiera completed her hattrick in brilliant fashion when excellent work by Nicola resulted in her shot being parried by the keeper but the captain was there to thrash the ball home. By that time Wanderers had scored a fourth and the last 5 minutes saw Waverton pressure to get the equaliser, but despite trying, it just couldn't come. Just before the end, Nicola banged her head with another player in a challenge and was a bit dazed but bravely carried on.

A good game all round, a great performance and one that deserved at least a point. There were so many positives, particularly at the back where Cara was a relevation in goal and Emma and Ellie M were as good as any defensive pairing in the League this season. It gets better with each game and it's a shame that this team only has one more League game to play before it is broken up.

MOM - Nicola Jones and for Wanderers Natasha Kearney.

Training this Wednesday evening 6-7 with Mike and Heather.

UPDATE - NO GAME ON SATURDAY MAY 1 BUT OUR ONE REMAINING GAME AGAINST WIRRAL HAWKS IS LIKELY TO BE PLAYED ON SATURDAY MAY 8TH.

Game v Wallasey Wanderers Red on Sat

Update Friday Evening-

Confirmed players are:

Cara, Nicola, Emma, Lily, Laura, Ellie R, Ellie M.

Directions -

Take M53 to end following signs for 'All Docks' not Liverpool (DO NOT GO DOWN THE TUNNEL ENTRANCE). Follow link road down to roundabout making sure you get in the right hand lane signedposted 'Docks', as the left one takes you back down to the Tunnel entrance. Turn left at the roundabout following signs to Wallasey (just in front of the big Tate and Lyle tank). This is Mill Lane. Go straight through lights at the Pool Inn pub (on the right) and follow road over the M53/tunnel link road below to Liscard Village centre. Follow the one way road system left then get in the right hand lane to head right at the junction following a sign for New Brighton.

Keep straight on through the shopping area and onto Rake Lane following the New Brighton B5143 signs. Go past the Liscard Chippy and the Vauxhall Garage. The Delph is behind the houses on the right soon after the Vauxhall Garage. Park on the main road just before New Brighton Bowling/Cricket Club and take the path on the right hand side of the road through to the Delph. If you get to the Cemetery, you've gone too far. If lost call 07901552261.

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This Saturday we play against Wallasey Wanderers Red at the Delph in Wallasey. The Reds lie just above us in the League.

Kick off is 9:30 and please meet there by 9:10 as we will need to warm up properly before the game and as the pitch is required for 2 games after us, we have to kick off on time.

Directions to follow later. If anybody needs a lift let Mike know on 07901552261.

Festival May 22 - We are assuming all of our girls, except Olivia who is away, will attend. Cost is £5 each player. We had a planning meeting on Tuesday and we just need a parent from u14 girls to volunteer to help with car parking duties 9-10. Our games will kick off at 10:30, but we this is the only slot that we have to fulfill. Parents from other age groups have volunteered to cover the other parking duties, set up the penalty shoot out, and do the catering. So we have got off lightly and need a parent to come forward to help with this important event. Mike and the other coaches will be down there from 8am setting things up so we can't do it! Volunteers please let Mike know on 07901552261 and he'll pass on your details to the Head of Car Parking, Andrew Thompson.

New nets bring the home curtain down

AFC Waverton 4 - Irby 10

Sunshine. Sunglasses. Short sleeves. Not a cloud or volcanic ash trail in the sky. Yes the end of the season marching band is coming over the hill playing its final tune and this was the last home game before two away fixtures up in Wirral land.

With two new regulation sized maxi Samba goals delivered from the League by Sir David Harker at 10am, and put up in a record time of 50 mins thanks to the Harker numbering system, it all looked a bit different. This was the cunning plan to stop those pesky Irby people knocking the ball into the static goals designed really for large teenage boys. Make the goals narrower and bring them closer together so that we can save energy and Cara's goal kicks will also get further than the 6 yard box.

And something else was different. The ref had aged a bit hadn't he? Nice shades and a unique cool flow system on the track suit bottoms to boot.

Waverton lined up in the usual 2-3-1 formation, with the starters selected on the basis of appearance at training on Wednesday and for being early. So Cara was between the new shiny sticks, the Ellie twins at the back, El Capitan Kiera in the middle with Lily and the Wiltshire Wonder Caitlin alongside and Nicola (has anyone got any suncream?) leading the line. With Olivia's messenger pigeon despatched to Waverton with a tale of woe, Laura and Emma were the sole bench warmers.

It was a bright start too to match the morning and it could have been Waverton who took the lead against the high flying Irby girls. However the back looked a bit suspect and after about 8 minutes the visitors did take the lead. Not to be undone though a Kiera corner on the right was delivered straight to the in running Nicola and although she couldn't connect head with ball, she did enough to force the ball home. This was a great example of how to time a run into a corner routine. 1-1. Game on Motty.

Irby fought back and Cara made some tremendous saves, inspired by the size of the new area she had to defend. She was brilliant at stopping shot after shot, but was powerless to prevent Irby taking the lead and capitalising on it. One of the goals was a cruel deflection but one was a very well taken goal from a low corner delivered into the danger area and turned home.

4-1 at half time and still all to play for. In the second half Irby extended their lead but then a brilliant fightback commenced when Laura was thown up front. Caitlin scored a cracker thumping home into the new netting following great work from the team and then Laura grabbed two herself from close range seriously worrying her dad who false rumours claimed was going to dip into his pocket if Laura scored three. Lily, who had been excellent in the centre of midfield, took a nasty knock in the face and came off for a rest. Emma played very well in defence alongside the very dependable Ellie M. Ellie R ran and ran and Kiera out in another excellent performance.

Not a bad way to end the home campaign, with some good football played. Just two more games to go both away. Irby are all year 9 girls and very strong so this was a good performance all round.

Irby went off to the Crocky Trail for the day out they had to postpone in November. Some of our girls then suggested that we have a day out too at the end of the season. More of that soon.

Another match ball disappeared at the end of the game. It's becoming a bit expensive and we'll only bring one out of the the car next time. Has anyone seen the Waverton ball thief? Shall we call the Police? Next time we'll fit one of the ball alarms.

Thanks to the parents who helped with set up and take down. Appreciated.

MOM - Cara Grime (it had to be - she was awesome today) and Hannah Roberts for Irby.

Mike and Heather are unavailable for training this Wednesday so Robbie will take a joint u16/u14 session on the field from 6-7. Next Saturday we are away at Wallasey Wanderers Red. More details to follow in the week.

Have a good weekend. Enjoy the sunshine.

Training Wednesday, game Saturday, festival soon

Training this Wednesday 6-7 at Waverton. All players are expected, if anybody cannot make it please let Mike know on 07901552261.

Game this Saturday against Irby kick off at 11:00. Please meet at 10:40. Priority for starting given to early arrivals and those training on Wednesday.

Waverton Festival is on 22 May. This is a fun morning session for the whole club followed by a BBQ. Cost is £5 per player to raise funds for the club and celebrate FA chartermark. We expect all of the girls to take part. We will mix up all of the u12, u14, and u16 girls and play some fun football. More details to follow.

Fun in the sun

Irby Colts v Afc Waverton - Away Win

A glorious Spring morning, ideal for a football match. Except that poor old Irby Colts could only muster 3 players at 9:30 although another wandered in just after. So the 8 waverton girls were split up and the Irby girls too to form a six v six training game. Waverton will be awarded the points. Apologies for all the girls and parents who had got up early to drive to Irby, rest assured that we were told on Thursday that they had got a team together.

So the teams were:

Emma's team
Emma, Lily, Ellie, Cara, Molly Amber

Kieras team
Kiera, Nicola, Olivia, Laura, Corel, the late girl.

Score was 8-7 to Kieras team.

Waverton mom Lily
Irby mom Amber

Quotes of the day:

"Its too hot, can we stop playing now." Cara lying down in the goalmouth innthe first half

" I don't know which boots to wear, I gave two pairs"
"why have you got two?"
"one is too big and one too small"
"are you right footed or left footed"
"right"
"well put the bigger one on the right foot and the smaller one on the left foot and you'll score more goals"
"really? I'll try it"
Two unnamed players talking before the game but who you can probably work out.

" oh you muppet" an unnamed parent on seeing their daughter hit the post from two inches out.

Have a good weekend.

Training this Wednesday 6-7 at Waverton

Irby Colts game this Saturday

Irby colts have confirmed Saturdays game which will kick off at Irby Mill at 9:30. Please meet there at 9:00. This is where we played Irby at our last away game, please be there on time as there are 3 games to fit in on the pitch that morning.

Directions will be on here later

We have 7 confirmed players so the team is:

Cara, Laura, Emma, Lily, Kiera, Ellie Riste and Olivia.

Directions from memory as some people got lost last time using Google Map directions.

Take the M53 to the Arrowe Park junction (Junction 3).

Turn left and go the roundabout at the top by the Arrowe Park pub. Turn left past Landican cemetery to a roundabout. Turn right and then soon after, opposite a block of flats, look to turn off right again along Thingwall Road towards Irby. Go along that road all the way (1 mile), and just after passing The Shippons pub you'll reach a T junction. Turn right go past the Anchor Pub on the left (starting to see a pattern here?) and then immediately right again into Manor Road. Then left at the end onto Mill Hill Road and then soon after right into the car park. If lost call 07901552261 and you'll be talked in.

Season end in sight

The release of the April fixtures means that the end of the League season is in sight, although the Easter weather is more reminescent of mid winter than end of season.

At the end of April we will have completed all but one of our league fixtures with just the away game with last weeks opponents Wirral Hawks to play. We are in a much more fortunate position than some other clubs, testimony to the excellent Waverton pitches holding up in the worst of the winter weather when most other grounds were unplayable.

22 May is the Waverton football festival designed to celebrate the award of our chartermsrk status plus an opportunity to raise funds for the club. Without an event such as this, subs will go up significantly next season so help from parents is required.

Please put 22 May in your diaries and let Mike know if parents are prepared to help run it on the day. Across the whole club we will need help from setting up pitches to selling hotdogs, to managing car parking to minding the bouncy castle, and so on. Coaches will not be able to do all of this and the girls section need to take an active role.

So far we are committed to just one tournament, the Poynton Soccer Sixes with the squad being: Ellie R, Laura, Olivia, Lily, Emma and Kiera. Any other players have until Easter Monday to tell Mike if they want to play.

If the girls are interested then we can enter some more tournaments once the League season is over. Who's interested?

The girls coaches are meeting on Wednesday to consider arrangements for next season. It is likely that the coaching arrangements will stay the same meaning that Nicola, Laura, Ellie M, Olivia and Cara will move up to the u16s coached by Robbie, with the others remaining with the u14s to be joined by some younger girls coming up from u12s. It would be helpful to know if anybody is daring to even think about dropping out of football or leaving Chesters best girls club.