Junior Football - Barton Court

Date: Tuesday 9 September 2008

The first Tuesday games' afternoon of the term, and the first two fixtures for the junior XIs against their counterparts from Barton Court G.S. in Canterbury. The Under 15s went down narrowly 2 - 3, while the Under 14s drew 3 - 3 after conceding a late and scrappy equaliser.

The Under 15s were up against a physically powerful side, and struggled to come to terms in the first half, offering few attacking threats apart from a superb run from the half-way line by Oli Kirkness which he converted into an equaliser. The start of the second half saw the SES boys apply far greater pressure, but fail to turn pressure into goals, apart from a splendid chip from Shohei Sekiguchi. New arrivals seem to have strengthened the squad, after the disappointing 2007 season; it will be interesting to see how they cope with the trip to Croydon on Saturday.

The Under 14s could easily have taken 'three points' from their first match, as Daniyal Jafree and Max Bungay (2) converted several of the chances created by fluent midfield passing and pace up front. Coach Leigh Millard praised the wholehearted commitment of the team as a whole, and was impressed by the unexpected, not least the result, and the early performances of James Hitchcock in defence, and, in midfield, Joel Whitewood. They too travel to Royal Russell on Saturday.

Next fixture: the Reserves (2nd XI) take on a Barton Court side, at home, on Thursday afternoon.