Out last game of the year and our first match against Boardman, this was to see two of our younger players score their first goals and gain some great experience with some older members of the team playing up with the U14's. In cold, hanging fog, our boys came out in their usual high spirits, their first game on the Monton pitch and early in the first quarter set up two sequential goals by Josh, both assisted ably by George. Two nil up, Boardman took possession and after a tense period digging in around our goal, we soon pushed back, George and Josh taking another apiece. A young team, Boardman were to be commended for coming back with some pressure, although we had the upper hand and a fifth just missed as James Smith's attempt pinged off the goal. As the seconds drew down to the end of the first quarter, Boardman's push back was rewarded amongst a little untidy defence with their first goal of the match.

In the second, we are into good rhythm - and didn't need to wait for long after an early shot by George deflected by the post before we saw the first of the quarter to the back of the net from Finn and the Josh/George partnership setting up our sixth goal of the match. Jake showed his fitness with a sprint the length of the pitch, a nice dummy, and then taking the reward for his efforts for our eighth goal. Jamie came to the fore the quarter too, with a nice cut, assisted by Josh, putting in a precision goal to add to his generous assist earlier to George. We would have had a couple more in the quarter, but for a couple of nice saves by Boardman's young goalie.

The game continued much in the same spirit after half time, spurred on by raucous applause from the thronging crowd as Eddie, in the third, and Frederick, in the fourth, put in their first goals of the season, supported respectively by George and James. Contrary too the scoreline, however, Boardman put some spirited attack on our goal, led by their 41 and digging in on a few occasions with our Robby, Jake and Toby in defence left with some work to do and Ned keeping five on-target shots out of the net with our second concession given in the third quarter just before the whistle. Ollie popped in a goal in the third and, in the fourth, set up a nice string with George and Ellis which took its own course away from the goal as he took the shot - unlucky for Ellis whose previous attempt had been kept out by Boardman's goalie.

All credit to Boardman for keeping their spirits and discipline through to the end of the game and for some first class dummy play that saw them score the last goal of the game as all eyes were on 41, who on this occasion did not have the ball, leaving his team mate with a clear firing line from the other side of goal.

A good game to end the season, leaving our boys undefeated and our younger recruits having had some great match play experience.

Match Reporter - Nick Donovan