MELLOR U13’s - MANCHESTER CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT Sunday June 7th
By Dominic Macdonald

Mellor’s under 13’s already had a gauntlet thrown down by the under 11’s who won their age group in this 8-aside tournament yesterday. But winning is something that this team have had a lot of experience of in the last few years. Most of the skills of a winning group of players were on display today along with some moments of complacency. A lack of drive often meant that Mellor created their own problems and when they start the next season they will have to function better as a team if they want more success.
But it was Mellor’s day again. Daniel Jones captained the team for the first time and his skill, speed and commitment set a good example for the rest of the team. First up were Cheadle who were well drilled and played a neat and tidy passing game. However, they didn’t have much fire power up front and Mellor quickly took hold of the match. Daniel scored a hat trick, Martin popped a neat one in, Joe Hussey scored twice, Josh Simpson-Pink banged in a lovely goal and Josh Poke also slammed in a classic pile-driver. The team worked well together in this game and with the steady presence of Will Macdonald in the goal, making his return to the team, they looked a good bet for the final. They ran out 8-3 winners.
The big game was the next one against Stockport. Mellor’s nemesis, Danny Hilditch played his usual busy industrious game and through his goals they quickly took a two goal lead. Luckily this spurred Mellor into action and Daniel and Joe both answered in kind. In fact each time Stockport scored a goal Mellor were able to peg them back. Increasingly all Stockport’s best moves came through Danny and he scored all their goals. Mellor have more of a spread of skilled players and were able to respond well. The two talented teams slugged it out to the final whistle where the game was tied 6-6. It was a measure of the rivalry between the two teams that the Stockport players celebrated a rare point stolen off Mellor.
Mellor’s third game was against Poynton and here they never really got out of second gear. Poynton didn’t present much threat and Mellor seemed a little sleepy after the stirring game against Stockport. Ben Mochan started finding the net in his centre forward role and Mellor simply had too much fire power for the Poynton team. Mellor won 5 – 0
The final group match was against Oldham Mersey Guild and Mellor made very heavy weather of what should have been one of their easier matches. Increasingly players were holding on to the ball too long, trying to score from solo runs rather than team build-up. Perhaps it was the painless way they had eased past Poynton but Mellor were very disjointed in this game and none of the team covered themselves in the glory. For the watching spectators it was quarter of an hour they’d never get back. Mellor struggled to a 5 – 3 win and it was generally agreed that the less said about the game the better.
But Mellor had done enough to get into the semi-finals and there they met Stockport again. An earlier game against Cheadle had left them without their injured star player, Danny Hilditch and Mellor went into the game very confident that without him Stockport could be beaten. This proved true in the first half where Mellor played an enthusiastic and strong team game and led 3 – 0 at half-time. But Stockport proved they weren’t a one man team by slowly pulling back into the game. Daniel Jones eventually scored the winner that kept Mellor’s noses in front. The 4 – 3 scoreline was a good reflection of a game that Mellor should have dominated but too many wild shots went out and too little passing in the second half let the opposition in.
So to the final, against old rivals Timperley. These days a lot of teams are desperate to beat Mellor and Timperley looked fired up for this one. Mellor had obviously had a talking to because they started at a much brisker pace than in the previous few games. Daniel, Joe, Josh SP and Josh Poke whizzed around the pitch and soon the goals were flying in. Josh SP scored the first and Daniel slammed in a second before Drew Bickerton placed a beauty low down to make it 3 – 0. Timperley couldn’t get near Mellor in the first half. The defence looked solid, especially Josh Haining who picked out most balls that were sent in his direction. Will made a series of superb saves culminating in one with his head and Mellor seemed to be cruising. But Timperley are old hands at this sort of tournament and they turned on the pressure in the second half. They started to claw back and lapses of defensive concentration let Mellor down. The score was dragged back to 4 – 3 to Mellor before Joe managed to open up some clear blue sky with Mellor’s fifth goal – significantly a lovely team effort. After that, sniffing victory they passed their way through the rest of the match, shutting out Timperley in a confident display of team work and discipline – something they probably should have done all day. When the final whistle was blown they were deserving winners of the tournament 5 – 3.
Daniel Jones lifted the plate in glorious sunshine and all members of the team played their part in this victory. The little village of Mellor should be justifiably proud of the double victory of its under 11’s and under 13’s this weekend. Well done everybody.
Man of the tournament – Daniel Jones