Wasps Dream Team ...

... a quick rules clarification.

This season's scoring is very similar to last year's (as laid out to the right) but with a couple of minor changes to the "Assists" rules. This is now staggered (as laid out in the 5 Sept blog below) and it kicked in right from the start of the season (the October date shown on the right refers to last season). Assists are now 1 point for attackers, 3 for midfielders and 5 for defenders. It would clearly be easier if I changed the rules text to relect this, but unfortunately this is embedded on the site and I don't have the technical capacity to change it!!

Despite this rule change our front players continue to dominate, with a really close contest at the top (after four competitive games): Sam Jones (64) holds a slender lead from Matt Sheen (63), with Alex Wilkinson's improved goal tally this season putting him in third (56).

JFC Boughton 3 v 4 AFC Waverton Wasps

Chester & District League (26 September 2010)

Waverton Scorers (season's total in brackets)

Sam Jones  -  2 (6)

Matt Sheen  -  1 (9)

Robbie Foster  -  1 (2)

Report

As expected JFC Boughton provided Waverton with their stiffest challenge so far this season, but the Wasps managed to hold on to a one goal lead for the final 10 minutes to take the three points, and they now hold a clear lead at the top of the Chester & District league table.

For once Waverton started the brighter of the two teams, and the frontline of Matt Sheen and Sam Jones immediately started to cause the Boughton defence problems, just as they'd done in last season's cup final. This early pressure resulted in a couple of early corners, both delivered well by Sam, and Robbie Foster got on the end of the second one with a firm header which the Boughton keeper couldn't keep out, giving Waverton a deserved lead.

Instead of pushing on from this goal though Waverton almost seemed to relax, allowing Boughton to get back into the game, especially in midfield where they started to win the majority of the balls. It wasn't that surprising therefore when, after a number of half chances, Boughton finally forced home an equaliser from close range after about 20 minutes. The Wasps reacted well to this setback though and pushed forward again immediately from the restart, and just a couple of minutes later they won a free-kick about 30 yards out, on the right. It was clear Sam Jones would take a shot from this range, and he struck the ball beautifully into the top corner giving the Boughton goalie no chance, putting Waverton back in front.

After this Waverton started to play some better passing football, resulting in a well worked third goal as Matt Sheen calmly slotted home from a Cameron Faulkner cross. Although they'd been pushed harder than during any game so far this season, Waverton, having weathered a storm in the middle of the half, probably deserved to go into the break 3-1 up. The Wasps continued to take this better play into the early exchanges in the second half, and started to look for a fourth goal. When they were awarded another free kick, ten minutes into the second period, "deadshot" Jones again lined it up for another "bullet", and despite the efforts of a Boughton defender to head it off the line it went in to give the Wasps a 4-1 lead.

At this point, with around 20/25 minutes to go, it might have been expected that the Boughton players heads would start to go down and Waverton would add to their lead. To give Boughton great credit though they never gave up and actually played some of their best football over the last quarter of the match, pushing forward strongly to get themselves back into the game. When Ollie parried out a Boughton free-kick their strikers got to it first to force home a second goal with 15 minutes remaining, and five minutes later another scrappy goal made the scoreline a much closer 4-3 to Waverton, with ten "long" minutes still remaining!

The Wasps have added some real steel to their play in the last season and a half though, and where they might have crumbled under such pressure in the past they held firm, with some last ditch tackles, a goal line clearance and overall defending very solidly as team to keep Boughton at bay. On the total balance of play Waverton probably just edged the match, making 4-3 a fair scoreline, but it remains clear the destination of the league title will still, almost certainly, rest on the result of the return match between these two very strong U14s teams.

Manager's MoM:  George Gresty

Supporters' MoM:  Sam Jones 

 

 

AFC Waverton Wasps 7 v 1 Chester Nomads Colts

Chester & District League (19 September 2010)

Waverton Scorers (season's total in brackets)

Matt Sheen  -  3 (8)

Alex Wilkinson  -  2 (6)

Sam Jones  -  1 (4)

Cameron Faulkener  -  1 (1)

Report

A real game of two halves. With both sides struggling to come to terms with a heavy pitch a disappointing first half ended 1-1, but in the second half Waverton recaptured their form, outmuscled and outplayed the Colts and eventually ran out very comfortable 7-1 winners.

On a heavy Waverton pitch, with two games played on it earlier in the day, both sides struggled to put together any good passing football in the first half. Waverton were well on top in terms of possession, but failed to convert any of their chances, and then fell behind after half an hour as Jack Powell fired home a trademark bullet shot from wide out, albeit from a slightly dubious free kick award. The Wasps though didn't panic at falling behind, and just before the break they got a well deserved equaliser as Cameron Faulkener latched on to a defensive error to slot home from close in.

Waverton built on this as the second half started, and they were immediately back on top. When Alex Wilkinson was fouled in the box, Sam Jones scored from the resultant penalty, keeping up his usual habit of scoring against his Kings schoolmates. Soon afterwards Matt Sheen scored his first of the afternoon for the Wasps to take a 3-1 lead, and with Waverton now looking by far the stronger team on the difficult pitch it was largely one way traffic from there on in.

The home team scored at regular intervals therafter, with Matt Sheen completing yet another hat-trick and Alex Wilkinson continuing his good early season goal scoring form with another double. So, despite being level at the break, Waverton's usual strong second period saw a complete turnaround and they eventually registered another very convincing victory by a margin of 7-1. That's now three wins out of three in the league, and a very encouraging record of 20 goals scored and just 3 conceded by an increasingly strong looking defence.

Next up it's the "old enemy" Boughton, and if Waverton can continue their winning ways in that game it should set them up well to retain their league title.

Manager's MoM  -  Cameron Faulkner

Supporter's MoM - again given as a joint team award for a strong fighting display from the whole squad

P.S. The Dream Team will be updated as soon as we (or Andrew Thompson!) can overcome some current "technical issues" on the website   

Chester Nomads 1 v 5 AFC Waverton Wasps

Chester & District League (12 September 2010)

Waverton Scorers (season's total in brackets) 

Alex Wilkinson  -  2 (4)

Sam Jones  -  2 (3)

Matt Sheen  -  1 (5)

Report

As usual a strong Nomads team presented Waverton with a stiff test, especially during an even first half, but the Wasps proved to be the better team in the end, running out comfortable 5-1 winners and maintaining their early lead in the league table.

The early exchanges were very even, but without any clear chances at either end. After 15 minutes however Matt Sheen raced on to a long ball over the top from Robbie Foster and slotted home for Waverton to take a 1-0 lead. Nomads were not deterred by this setback though, and they continued to push forward strongly, taking control of the central midfield, and it was no real surprise when they equalised 10 minutes before half time. In the lead up to the break they remained the more attacking team, but the Waverton defence held firm, including one goal line clearance from George Gresty.

Waverton made some tactical changes at half time to address the midfield imbalance, to good effect, with Aaron Hassall proving very effective in the "holding" role and Sam Jones adding more "bite" to the Wasps attack. As a result the whole team looked much stronger in the second period, and began to dominate the game. Matt Sheen turned provider with two excellent crosses from the left which were turned in by Alex Wilkinson and Sam Jones respectively, to give the Wasps a deserved 3-1 lead.

With another strong back four performance preventing the dangerous Nomads attackers from creating any real goal scoring opportunities there was only likely to be further goals at one end, and with Waverton now dominating the game it was no surprise when Alex W and Sam J added a second goal each (both from good long range strikes) to make the final margin 5-1 to the Wasps.

Looking at it from the perspective of 1-1 at half time this might look like a flattering score for Waverton, but the all round improvement in their team play in the second period meant they probably deserved this comfortable victory in the end, and it should put the team in confident mood to take on Nomads Colts and Boughton over the next two weeks.

Manager's MoM Awards - Cameron Faulkener & Matt Sheen

Supporters' MoM Awards - Aaron Hassall & Sam Jones 

Wasps Dream Team ...

... is back up and running again this season, with the first scores (after the Castrol game) already showing on the site.

Scoring is largely the same as last season with one small change, to even things up a bit the "assist" points are now staggered, with 1 point for strikers, 3 points for midfielders and 5 points for defenders. Despite which Mr Sheen has again taken an early lead!

AFC Waverton Wasps 8 v 1 Castrol Athletic

Chester & District League (5 September 2010)

Waverton Scorers

Matt Sheen   4

Alex Wilkinson   2

Sam Jones   1

Robbie Foster   1

Report

Waverton had a rather strange beginning to the season with both teams having to get back in their cars and travel up the motorway to switch venues with Castol. Once the match got underway though it was soon "business as usual" from last season, and the Wasps ran out comfortable 8-1 winners to get their title defence off to a solid start.

Castrol were "competitive" throughout, probably giving Waverton a taste of what to expect this season as every team attempts to upset the reigning champions. As a result it took 10/15 minutes before the Wasps managed to break down their opponents, but after Alex Wilkinson was felled in the box, Matt Sheen (despite needing a rebound) scored from the resultant penalty to open up his, and the teams, account for the season. Once Alex Wilkinson had added a second, shortly afterwards, it steadily became a more one sided affair, and when Robbie Foster scored from close range just before the break Waverton reached half time with a well deserved 3-0 advantage.

Having established their dominance the Wasps continued to add to their lead at regular intervals in the second half, with Matt Sheen scoring another three, the captain scoring his second and Sam Jones scoring the goal his all round play deserved (winning him the Manager's MoM award). Probably the unluckiest player on the field was Waverton's only debutant this season, Aaron Hassall, who went close with a number of chances (including striking the woodwork twice) during a very assured first performance in yellow.

Probably the only challenge left to Waverton was to make sure they "kept their cool" as the tackles continued to fly in, and it was great to see the boys do so, but without ever shirking from the physical challenge. The back four in particular looked strong all afternoon, with a calm performance from Ollie behind them, and they will have been disappointed to just miss out on a clean sheet after conceding a goal late on as the result of a tactical mix-up in defending a Castrol free kick.

So, after a comfortable victory in the end, the first three points are in the bag following a good, if slightly rusty, team performance. Next up though it's Chester Nomads who are bound to provide a stiffer challenge, but one the Wasps will be confident of overcoming.