HGS Hits Boston - 16/08/14

Although Friday was a long day of sitting, waiting & travelling, many of the boys were up in time for breakfast at the hotel. Despite the 8am breakfast meet, 4 boys took the opportunity to get up even earlier & join Coaches Chamberlain & Stevenson on a run round the lake. Although it was only 6.45, the temperature was still high & meant that Messers Brazier, Nunn, Nelhams & Donald were able to work up a hard sweat & got rid of some of stiffness from the flight.

The hotel we stayed in was not the largest & with the craziness that occurred when our boys came in to the breakfast hall, it was clear that they had not had to contend with a group breakfast order many times before. There were waffles & pancakes & eggs & cups of coffee all over the place. In the end, all the boys were able to grab something to eat & retreated back to their rooms in order to grab their things ready for our journey in to the city.

The 9am leave was met by all boys after the warning the previous night that anyone who was late would be dropped for the next game. The boys boarded the buses & the music was soon pumping. All apart from in Coach Stevenson's wagon who, despite Donald spending over $20 on a $5 Aux cable, had forgotten it leaving them with the roulette that is American radio.

The journey to the city centre was smooth & a lot easier than the reverse journey was the previous evening. Once the cars were parked, we wandered over to the pickup venue for the morning's activity. A Duck tour of Boston.

For those unaware of what this is, we boarded an amphibious vehicle & had a guided tour of the city by land as well as in the river!! Whilst on land, we drove around the city whilst our very entertaining tour guide/driver offered us some interesting facts (& in his words, some even more interesting lies) about the city. Straight away, Coach Chamberlain's profession as a history teacher struck fear in to the tour guide when he thought that he would have to go by the book with his tour & get his facts correct. Upon questioning Coach Chamberlain about his knowledge of the city & it's history, he soon realised this would not be a concern. . .

As is the norm for a Duck tour, once we had retracted the wheels & entered the river, the driver opened it up for members of the touring party to be captain & drive the boat. Without hesitation (& almost in unison) the whole squad nominated Jake Hobbs. If anything though, Jake didn't put up too much contention to this having already got in to the Duck spirit by purchasing his own quacker!!

After floating around the river & then heading back to the Duck Centre, we disembarked from the vehicle & then headed towards the busiest tourist region of the city. Quincy Market. It was a good half hour walk that required us to walk through the centre of the city which the boy's didn't necessarily appreciate. The frequency of shops & restaurants that offered free wifi was greatly appreciated though as it was now midway through the 2nd halves of the opening Premier League games (& for Coach Walton & Sam Ansell, half way through the latest Championship games) as well as the opportunity to update Instagram & SnapChat to friends at home (parents - we did suggest this could have been a great chance to touch base with you to tell you that they are having fun. We cannot say whether they heeded our suggestions though).

Quincy Market, as suggested earlier, is the busiest area of the city for tourists. It is also home to the best shopping district in the city, something I'm sure all the boys really enjoyed. Looking at the amount of bags that they carried away after their exploits, Foot Locker & Abercrombie & Fitch enjoyed our visit!!

After doing our bit for the US economy, we made our way back to the cars to deposit our purchases before heading to our evening entertainment. An evening at the ballpark to watch the Boston Red Sox take on the Houston Astros. This is something really special as Fenway Park is the oldest ball park in America & the Red Sox are a very successful team, so to be able to watch the game is something amazing & truly American.

The Coaches made good use of the concession stand & the available souvenirs, whilst the boys took their seats for yet more individual & team selfies. The game itself was a big scoring affair, with the Red Sox winning 10-7 thanks to 2 huge Home Runs from David Ortiz. Unfortunately a combination of a lack of understanding of what was going on with the tiredness from the day before meant that our boys may not have fully got to grips with the ins & outs of the game.

During one innings change, the coaches agreed that for his over priced Aux cable purchase (& subsequent forgetting of said cable), Josh Donald would be the worthy carrier of the bun bag for the following day. Roche handed over responsibility just after he had added his Red Sox ticket stub to it as a momento.

Upon the finish of the game, a short walk back to the cars allowed our boys to see Boston by night, although it was no less busy than during the day as game day in & around Boston is a spectacle. Having parked just along from Boylston Street where the marathon finish line is every year, we were able to take a few moments on our walk back to think about the impact that the bombing there in 2013 could have had on the city & it's people.

London - Boston - 15/08/14

The many months of waiting & excitement as well as the various countdown clocks that were doing the rounds on Facebook & on their personal phones, all counted down to this morning. The America Tour 2014 was here. . .

It was an early start for all involved with a 4.45 meet at the school. All involved today including Mr Bristow & Mr Goodfellow, who kindly assisted with the transport of the touring party up to the airport. Luggage was loaded on to the minibuses, goodbyes were said to mums & dads & the boys were all eager to buckle up in the readiness to get going quicker. Despite the early start, Jake Hobbs decided to arrive in his mum's car, whilst wearing his sunglasses. A strange choice when it was pre-sunrise.

All were looking very good in their tour travel kit. All that is apart from James Roche, who decided that instead of going with the many directions & instructions of wearing his travel shorts & tour hoodie, he would choose his own ensemble. Something that was quickly picked up on by both the staff & the boys.

The journey up to the airport was largely uneventful & fairly smooth. For whose who were in Mr Goodfellow's bus, they were treated to a small glimpse in to the "Goodfellow Family Holiday Playlist" with entries from Adele to The Proclaimers & all the way through to Thin Lizzy!! 

Within no time, we were at the terminal unloading our bags & looking for the correct check in zone. Our early start had been successful meaning that we were there in plenty of time. This gave the boys the opportunity to have a wander round the terminal & grab some snacks & forms of entertainment from the shops. In doing so, they happened to bump in to Jeremy Clarkson (of Top Gear fame). Most were happy to simply lurk around the newspapers to grab a glimpse of him, however Ronan Taggart simply went over & grabbed a selfie.

Before we knew it, it was time to check in, drop the bags off & head through security. Again for most, this was a smooth & simply process, having read & taken heed of the instructions that were given to them prior to arrival with regards to packing of items & liquids. Again Mr Roche struggled though, with his bag being pulled aside, opened & searched intensively. Only to find a shower gel container that had made it in to his hand luggage instead of his check in bag.

Time was given to the boys again to grab some food before we all had to meet up at the gate in readiness to board. The early start was starting to take its toll on some of the boys & the opportunity to finally take their seats on the plane was welcome. Coach Walton, as is usually the case, was one of the first to fall asleep once buckled in to his seat, but others were soon to follow, with many photos being taken of boys in various states on unconsciousness. The selection of media available was appreciated by the boys, with the prospect of seeing The Hobbit making Sam Ansell openly rejoice as he "had not seen that yet!!" The food served was also greatly appreciated & before we knew it the fasten seat belt signs were lit ready for landing.

Through security & customs we went without any fuss & onto the luggage reclaim area. Jake Hobbs' bright orange bag, that had taken much abuse during the day, came in to it's own at this stage when it was immediately visible to everyone when it went round, rather than having to be hunted for. It was then on to the rental car place where 3 (very) large wagons were collected. The boys organised & separated themselves in to the 3 separate vehicles & we were on the road. The GPS sat nav systems that were rented as part of the car deals came in to instant importance as our journey required us to drive through Downtown Boston. Not as useful as his colleague's was Coach Walton's that was pre-set to give out directions in Spanish!! Seeing Boston from the highways & through the car's windows was enough to get the boys excited about tomorrow's prospects.

After a 30 minute drive, we arrived at our hotel for the next couple of evenings where we all unpacked & simply chilled out for a bit before we went for a group walk around the lake that was located next to our hotel. This allowed the boys to loosen up their muscles after a long day's travels whilst also just getting themselves used to the American way of life. After a good 45 minute wander, it was all back in the vehicles to head to our evening meal at Fuddrucker Burger Joint. 

Fuddruckers is known for it's big burgers & thick shakes, so naturally a competitive Man v Food competition was organised. The prospect of trying to beat the 2009 squad in the number of 1lb burgers eaten was set. For those who weren't feeling as hungry. Or for those who like Josh Donald described himself as having a small stomach, there was simply a 1/2lb option. Of the 9 who took up the challenge, there were 8 successes. Working out the figures, almost half a stone of beef was consumed!!

To finish of the day, & to let the food & mass amount of meat to settle before bed, the boys were given the chance to have a walk around a small shopping mall. Before arriving for dinner, Josh Donald was given the task from Coach Stevenson to buy a simple Aux cable for their car so they could listen to their iPods. Unfortunately Donald took this as an immediate task & went to the Bose outlet to spend $21 on an Aux cable that he could have purchased tomorrow during his day in Boston city centre for a couple of $s.

Before we headed back to the hotel, the group were pulled together to for tomorrow's details to be given. Timings were told, as well as the punishment for any late comings were warned. Finally the tour first aid bum bag (in a fetching purple/pink colour) was handed over to James Roche for his stupidity during the day. His task is to now carry this with him for the following day, offering support & medical assistance when needed, whilst also adding a piece of tour memorabilia to it. This will be decided daily by the coaches & handed out each evening.

HGS USA v. Hawkinge Town - 05/08/14

Tuesday night saw our boys take on familiar opponents in Hawkinge Town, the team they battled hard with to earn a draw on Sunday. Just as their squad was different from then, gaining & losing a couple due to work commitments, Team HGS was also able to call upon a near full squad for the first time this pre tour campaign, with only Davison away.

Pre game, Coach Stevenson lead the warm up session. A session that the boys will implement before every training session & game as it will make sure their bodies are physically prepared & they are mentally set for the game.

Once the warm up was complete, the boys followed Coach Walton in to the pavilion to go over the plan & set up for today's game. Again, we went with the setup that we have been working on since Easter. Today just saw a couple of positional changes for some boys taking in to account what we learnt from our opposition on Sunday. There was also a whole team idea for when we weren't in possession of the ball, something that caught us out in the first half last game.

With the confidence gained from Sunday's performance, we started well. The now expected high intensity pressing was evident from the outset. We gave Hawkinge no time on the ball. This resulted in us winning possession all over the pitch. Various times we hustled in packs or pairs, forcing a mistake from them to pick up the ball before spreading it across the field to find open players. Switching the point of attack from one side to the other has been a strength of our's throughout, but I'm sure the Hawkinge front men were tired of simply running, chasing the ball across the field.

An early change was required after a rather heavy tackle was made on Taylor (ironically from one of his club team mates) leaving him with a rather nasty mark on his leg. With the tour so close, we made sure we were very cautious with an injuries or knocks, so Taylor was subbed off briefly so he could recovery & gain some treatment.

The first half followed pretty much the same pattern. HGS would pressure hard & win possession. With some well timed passing, free players would be found, who would then use the ball effectively to bring in to play our 3 attacking midfielders or work off of Ansell in the lone strikers role. Shots were taken at goal, or attacking set pieces were won. For a period of 15/20 minutes, we had Hawkinge on the back foot. Cross after cross & forward balls through were wasted without ever really testing the keeper.

With all the possession & the run of the game, Harvey should have been in front, however the half time break came with the scores level. The standard goalkeeper change took place, replacing Roche (who had made a very good reaction save at the near post late in the first half) with Hancock. The other routine rotation of players also took place, with those who came off in the first half, returning to the action. Again the system & set up we had worked on throughout these games, as well as the individual game plan for today's were proving a success, so the replacements were simply like for like rather than changing anything massively with Kane Nelhams joining us from his work shift to slot in the holding role whilst Jake Hobbs came on at right back.

The 2nd half, now refereed by Coach Stevenson, started in a similar vein as how the first finished. Team Harvey constantly pressing the ball across the field & then using the possession wisely once the mistake was forced. Unlike the first half though, we didn't really use the ball well in the final third & our attacks mostly came to nothing. 

With 15 minutes to go & the scores still level, for some reason we took our foot of the pedal & allowed Hawkinge to come in to the game for a period. With the ability they have in their side, this was a mistake. A couple of intelligent runs from their front 3 created gaps by pulling our players out of their structure, which they exploited well. A simple ball split our back 4 & left a one-on-one chance for their striker which he wasn't go to turn down. With their dominance throughout, this goal shocked our boys from which affected them. Much like Sunday, Hawkinge then took advantage in quick time with a second. A great volleyed strike from just outside the box again gave Hancock no chance. It came from a simple ball over the top that wasn't dealt with again.

The game kind of just trickled along for the final 5 minutes with neither side having much dominance over the other. Our boys' hard work in the first 75 minutes meant that they were unable to form one final push to at least get on the score sheet. 

With the game finishing 2-0 to Hawkinge, despite our dominance, it was a nice reminder to our boys how important it is for them to make use of the possession they have by converting it in to goals. Again they were by far the fitter side, & at times played the much better football, but Hawkinge showed that it simply takes a couple of lapses in concentration & we are out of the game. This will be the case when we play some of our American counterparts, who may match us on the fitness stakes.

One final training session on Thursday, before it is down to the boys to prepare themselves for the tour. Both on the field by resting up & recovering from any injuries or niggles, but also off the field with their packing.

SQUAD - Roche, Hancock, Taylor, Nunn, James, Price, Brazier, Donald, Maffia, Taggart, Hearmon, Ansell, Nelhams, Smith, Hobbs

Man of the Match - Harry Nunn/Ronan Taggart

HGS USA v. Hawkinge Town - 03/08/14

This Sunday saw a massive step up in our pre-tour preparations with a game against Hawkinge Town. Despite only being formed in 2013, Hawkinge have had a very successful time. They won their competitive regional league last season without losing a game. This dominance saw them promoted not just the 1 division as is standard, but instead up 2 leagues ready for this season. This being their first pre-season game of the year meant that they were in a position of experimenting with their large 18 man squad, however we knew that they would combine the physical aspect that Lyminge did with the technical ability that the HGS USA Rep team possessed, so being a good test & indication of how far our boys have come.

Due to an afternoon kick off, Team HGS were reduced to only having 12 of their 16 man squad available due to other commitments. This required some tactical reshuffling from Coaches Walton, Stevenson & Chamberlain with Ansell being moved back to centre back alongside captain Donald to hopefully deal with the big physical strikers that we knew Hawkinge possessed. This opened up a position for returning Ronan Taggart (who was yet to make his debut for the touring side having been on what seems like a constant holiday all the way back to Easter when he went on the cricket tour to Barbados). 

If the boys were under any confusion about what standard their opposition, this was dispelled within the first 5 minutes when Hawkinge broke quickly down either wing & had chances at goal. Nothing came of these, but the damage was done as our boys were then disjointed & found themselves out of position. Something a team with the quality that Hawkinge possess enjoyed as they exposed the gaps. 

Despite this pressure, Taggart had a great chance to open the scoring with a run through on goal after a great ball through from Taylor (keen to impress as he's playing against not only his club side but against his Dad who coaches Hawkinge). Unfortunately he was just too wide to have a clear view at goal & the keeper made the save. Despite this positive play, HGS found themselves behind soon after. In quick succession, a ball down the line in behind our defensive line led to 2 well taken goals for our visitors. A combination of new players & a lack of communication proved our downfall.

A quick reshuffle of formation from Coach Walton followed the restart, something that seemed to relax the boys & despite being behind for the first time this pre-season, Team HGS didn't let their heads drop & just collapse. Some gutsy work from Brazier & Donald challenging for the ball in the middle whilst Smith, Hearmon, Maffia & Price offered great resistance & challenges against their larger & stronger counterparts. This work rate meant that at the half time break, it was still only 2-0 to Hawkinge.

With limited resources compared to the other fixtures, Coaches Walton, Stevenson & Chamberlain had a long chat whilst the boys rehydrated in terms of their plan for the 2nd half. The outcome resulted with a sticking to the system that had been successful for the 2nd part of the 1st half, but with a few personnel changes. Walton brought himself on at the back, allowing Ansell to form a partnership for the first time with Taggart up front. A few other switches to allow some periods of recovery & we were back under way. The plan for the 2nd half was simply to work hard all over the field & win the half.

Instantly from their kick off, the upped pressure was evident with a pack of 3 or 4 hunting the ball down all over the field. This pattern of play continued throughout, with Hawking looking like they didn't know what had hit them. Team HGS were picking up the ball all over the field & using it intelligently to get to within shooting range of the goal. After 10 minutes a break through was made when Taggart was released again to bear down 1-on-1 with the keeper. This time however he made sure & slotted the ball past him.

Despite bringing the scoreline back to within a goal, HGS didn't let up & continued with the pressure. In particular Nathan Smith, who again despite his size, was more than able to out muscle some of the midfielders in order to win or retain possession. It was from one of his challenges that the ball fell to Hearmon. With his usual tight control on the ball, he wiggled in & out of defenders a couple of times, but was eventually brought down what looked inside the box, but actually just outside for a free kick. Donald stepped up to take the kick, but must have seen Hobbs' penalties too much as he what can only be described as scuffed the ball in to the ground. Luckily for him, the wall jumped & leaving the keepr unsighted meant he equalised with 10 minutes left to find a possible winner.

This third goal came soon after. Team HGS were really forcing mistakes from the Hawkinge side with their high intensity pressure A great sign that all the hard work from January was paying off. The ball was won again by the front 5, who then interchanged passes to allow Maffia to run at their defence. His shot was blocked, but the ball fell to Smith who calmly controlled & passed the ball in to the net. Nothing more than his performance deserved.


It had now turned from a rescue job at half time in to a protection mission with only 5 minutes to go. This didn't stop the forward momentum though with a few efforts at goal still testing their keeper. The best of the lot coming from Taylor, who from near on 30 yards out & wide on the sideline, hit a shot come cross that had beaten the keeper all ends up. Unfortunately the cross bar saved him. Goal of the tour still lays at the feet of Coach Walton's volley at Lyminge!!

With only a couple of minutes to go, a rare Hawkinge break forward ended up with them being in the our box in a threatening position. Despite being ushered away from the centre, a slightly mistimed tackle brought the attacker down giving them the chance to earn a late draw from the penalty spot, something they duely took. 

Despite this late equaliser, the boys & coaches were not too downbeat when the whistle went as being disappointed with a draw against that opposition says a lot. More importantly though, the effort, work rate, passion, level of football played & simple guts & determination in the second half was something for everyone associated to be proud off. We go again on Tuesday against Hawkinge again, this time with a more complete squad, so hopefully with similar intentions, a win is not too much to expect. . .

SQUAD - Roche, Hancock, Brazier, Price, Donald, Maffia, Smith, Ansell, Walton, Rolfe, East, Revill, Taylor, Hearmon, Taggart

Man of the Match - Josh Donald

Scorers - Taggart, Donald, Smith

HGS USA v. Lyminge - 31/07/14

Upon getting to the Main Field for our second game within a week against Lyminge, we were met with the sight of a (very poor standard) cricket game going on across a large portion of our pitch. A slight booking confusion had seen both us & the local cricket team that use our fields during the Summer being told that they were free for their respective fixtures. Nothing something Coach Stevenson couldn't sort out with a polite conversation with the captains of the 2 cricket teams. With an agreed 7.15ko organised, the cricketers carried on throwing & hitting whilst our boys & Lyminge used the remaining space to go through their pre match preparations.

The later than scheduled start seemed to throw both teams off their stride, as a slow rather dis-jointed performance was on offer from both sides. Tonight saw Harry Nunn make his pre tour debut having been nursing a groin strain since the end of school. He slotted neatly in to the system that we have worked on during the previous couple of months in training as well as with the couple of games that have past. Proving that his presence at these despite his non-playing was important.

As the first period progressed, our boys grew in to the game much more, appreciating the more mowed surface that they had to play their opposition on as opposed to the farming field from the week before. Possession was well maintained across the back 4 & within midfield with some clever movement & intelligent play. A couple of quick incisive passes saw Hearmon gain possession just outside the box. He then drove at their defence before slotting the ball home.

With 2 keepers on tour, giving both enough game time is difficult. With our tight schedule whilst out, the non-playing keeper for each game will be used on field. Today's starting keeper Charlie Hancock was tested a few times early after we broke the deadline, whilst James Roche started on the bench. Within 20 minutes he was utilised in an attacking form though, coming on as a second striker to play up against the 3 big, strong defenders alongside Ansell. This substitution proved successful when he was on the end of a cut back from Maffia to volley the ball past his goalkeeping counterpart with the poise & finesse that any striker would be proud off.

The 2-0 lead took us in to the first break, but with the usual slight alterations made by Coaches Walton & Stevenson, the boys seemed to come out for the 2nd period in a different mood. This was picked up quickly by Lyminge, themselves fielding a different squad to that the previous week, with more concerted pressure going forward. After a few efforts at goal, they finally broke their duck against us with a good finish.

Despite the obvious disappointment, our boys simply rolled their sleeves up & went forward again. More good play by the holding players combined with some intelligent driving forward with the ball saw the possession stay mostly in the Lyminge half for the rest of the period.

The break saw the usual rotation of positions & players from the coaches, with Roche & Hancock switching responsibilities as well as a few others. The goal was simply to not concede anymore goals through keeping the ball. With many switches of play across the back 4, the Lyminge front players were running & chasing. This did the job we had hoped, committing others forward & leaving gaps elsewhere on the field.

With further intelligent & well timed runs & passes, we were able to get in behind the Lyminge defence on numerous occasions. With the fourth or fifth attack at their full backs, our boys were able to extend the lead again, this time when Sam Ansell turned in a great cross by Maffia. By this time the Lyminge team were flagging & again the extensive fitness work that Coach Stevenson had put the boys through since January was evident.

With the light fading due to the late start, it was decided to play a shortened 3rd period of only 15 minutes. This limited time didn't stop our boys though, as straight from the restart a corner was won. Good delivery was met by Josh Donald to head home a 4th. Again from the kick off, HGS won possession through James, who then went on another characteristic headless storm forward. Like Sunday, he somehow managed to find himself in the box & with another calm lobbed finish completed the scoring.

Another great performance from Team HGS, with efforts & endeavours of the highest order all across the pitch. This will be severely tested on Sunday when we face Hawkinge Town, a very successful semi-pro side from the area who went unbeaten in their league last season.

SQUAD - Hancock, Roche, Hobbs, Brazier, James, Price, Donald, Maffia, Smith, Ansell, Nelhams, Nunn

Man of the Match - Aaron James

Scorers - Hearmon, Roche , Ansell, Donald, James

HGS USA 2014 v. HGS USA Representative XI - 26/07/14

Following on fast from Thursday's victory, our boys faced another stern test on Sunday morning in the form of a representative side of players who have been on past tours. Since the first trip in 1990, we have taken well over 200 students stateside. This meant that there was a very large & strong pool of players from which the Rep side could select their squad. The majority of the side was made up of boys who had been on the last tour (2009), but also included Andy Morris (the sole representative from the 1990 tour) as well as Coach Walton who switched his allegiances from playing for the 2014 squad on Thursday after his trip in 2005.

Again the HGS 2014 squad was slightly depleted due to working & other family commitments, with Harry Nunn again providing vocal support from the sidelines as he nurses his injury. The pleasing factor however being that across the 2 games this week, there has only been 1 touring player who has been unable to make an appearance. This commitment has been seen throughout the training schedule & has put our boys in a great position before we head out.

Before the game started, there was mass excitement amongst the boys as they entered the home changing room to find the tour kit bags were ready for them to collect. Unlike previous tours when the kit provided to the boys was minimal, we went all out this year to offer the boys a lot of high quality Adidas clothing both for on & off the field. We wanted the boys to not only have kit that matched their professional approach so far, but to allow us to perform to our best whilst out there in probably very high temperatures. Riffling through the bags, many of the boys took the opportunity to try on various items of the kit to check for sizes & styles (hopefully both were up to their satisfaction?!). We did insist on them switching back to their pre tour playing kit for the game though, in case of ruining any of the playing items before we even take off.

As with the previous game against Lyminge, the game started at a steady intensity with the Rep team offering some forward pressure with some good football. Josh McCue & Matt Biggs were pulling the strings in the middle of the field whilst Oscar Carty was making some probing runs behind our back 4 but to no avail.

After about 10 minutes the HGS 2014 squad then came in to the game strongly. Again all the possession work we have worked on proved important with Nathan Smith picking up the ball in the middle of the field before laying it down the line for Ethan Maffia to run on to. He then beat his defender before laying a pass to Jake Brazier on the edge of the box who calmly slotted it past Ben Burchell in the Rep team goal. This 1-0 lead was kept until the first break when Charlie Hancock was replaced in goal by James Roche & a slight formational change was made by Coach Walton, shortly before he was brought on by the Rep side.

Early in the 2nd period, Aaron James avoided a tackle from the Rep team left back before bearing down on goal. He took Brazier's calm approach with his finish to put the 2014 squad 2-0 up. By this time they had gained massive confidence in the football they were playing against a highly able Rep team who included players who play for Folkestone Invicta (past & present), Hawkinge Town as well as others who have represented their university teams.

This confidence perhaps got the better of them as Coach Walton was left unmarked in the box after a cross come shot from McCue to finish at the back post to make it 3 goals in 2 games (albeit for & against the 2014 squad). This goal seemed to give the Rep side some extra impetus as they carried on with extra pressure. Again this left gaps at the back that were exposed by Jake Hobbs' pace. He got in behind the defence & was brought down. He dusted himself down again & added another (really poorly struck) penalty to the one he scored on Thursday evening.

By now the Rep side were flagging from the heat (& the massive difference in fitness levels) & ended up with a very attacking looking 3-3-4 formation. This again allowed James to run down the right hand side in to a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper Burchell. This time he took coolness to another level by scooping the ball over his head in to the back of the net. By now the Rep side were willing for the final whistle to end their pain, something that Coach Stevenson provided (acting as referee for the morning).

Another fine display of not only fitness & strength from the 2014 squad, going toe to toe with a much older, stronger & more experienced team, but also for their footballing ability as at times they played the Rep side off the field.

With 3 more games to go before we head across the pond, it is now important to make sure that we keep up the effort & enthusiasm as well as the levels of performance.

SQUAD - Hancock, Roche, Hobbs, Brazier, James, Davison, Price, Donald, Maffia, Taylor, Smith, Ansell

Man of the Match - Josh Donald

Scorers - James (2), Hobbs, Brazier

HGS USA v. Lyminge - 22/07/14

Having started fitness work in late January & then ball work since Easter, Thursday saw the squad's first real opportunity to see all their hard work start to pay off.

Our opposition were Lyminge FC, a strong local Sunday morning team who have a rich recent history of success in their respective competitions. They also were starting their pre-season preparations, so they were looking forward to getting back together as a squad & seeing at what stage they are at.

Arriving at the ground, our boys were shocked to see that it had a (good) layer of grass, with the lines & markings being produced not with paint but with a simple mowed strip. Firstly it was a nice reminder for them that our opposition are from a small country village, but more importantly it was a massive wake up call & test for our boys who may have been slightly privileged up until now with the playing surfaces they have played on in their footballing past. They were reminded that "good players can play on anything. . ."

As it was a first game for both sides, it was agreed that the game would be split in to 3 periods of 35 minutes, giving both team's coaches plenty of opportunity to have some time with their squads to change ideas, players or simply allow the players time to recover & rehydrate, as despite the 7pm kick off, the temperatures were still in the high 20s (another nice reminder of the challenges our boys will be facing in 3 weeks, as they will be hoping for the temperatures to be in the high 20s whilst they are playing, compared to the mid to high 30s!!).

A steady start from both sides saw little in the form of clear cut chances. Realistically, both teams were simply getting used to the (very) long, sticky grass as many passes were short or cut out or players were getting the ball stuck under their feet & lost possession easily.

Sam Ansell had a tough job, playing the target man role up on his own against 2 taller & older defenders. however Sam didn't let this stop his efforts, as he chased down many lost causes & challenged the balls forward with great strength & endeavour. This often opened up opportunities for the 3 behind him (Ethan Maffia, Callum Hearmon & Ryan Taylor) to pick up the ball & look for a route forward. Many times in the opening 25 minutes we managed to get to the edge of their box, but maybe a combination of the sticky surface & taking too many touches, cost us as we lost the ball without testing their keeper. We learnt from this however with 10 minutes of the opening period to go when Hearmon & Maffia interchanged passes allowing Ethan a ran at goal, all be it from a rather tight angle. A lovely finish from Ethan saw the HGS USA team go in to the first break 1-0 up.

As was the plan before the game, a rotation of players happened at the break, allowing Coaches Walton, Stevenson & Chamberlain the opportunity to see different players & players playing in different positions & roles. What they hadn't bargained for was the need for all 3 of them to play some part in the game. Walton was the first to make his mark from the bench, coming on to allow Josh Donald a period of recovery from his midfield role. Having done very little for the first 10 minutes of being on, Walton then (from somewhere even he doesn't know) unleashed a left footed volley from all of 30 yards. The strike (maybe lucky) was one that as soon as it left his boot everyone knew it was a goal. Only made better by the keeper diving full length & still being unable to stop it.

From this point onwards, you could see our boys grow in confidence, now playing the ball a lot more intently along the floor, keeping possession but also looking threatening at the right times. Something that was a pleasure to see, as it has been a major part of our sessions so far.

2 more goals before the 2nd break (another unbelievable strike from Walton (literally no one could believe it!!) & a great curling finish from Ryan Taylor) meant that going into the 3rd period, we had a 4-0 lead & the opportunity for some more rotations & further changes of play. The aim of the last period was to keep the clean sheet & simply enjoy the game, whilst also making sure that everyone gets sufficient amount of time off the field to get rehydrated. A slight positional change saw Jake Hobbs pushed further forward into a right midfield role with immediate "impact" as he was taken out in the box by their defender. Brushing himself, he stepped up & slotted the penalty home. I say slotted. It was a poor penalty that the goalkeeper did his best to let go underneath him. In the centre of the goal. Trickling towards him. This would be the end of the scoring, with the final 10 minutes played out in a casual, relaxed manner, with both teams now struggling because of the heat.

A 5-0 victory against a solid outfit is a great start to our pre tour game schedule, but with games coming thick & fast before we leave on August 15th, our boys need to make sure they are carefully & mindful of their activities & adventures so as not to go too hard too soon. Our next game will be this Sunday against a representative XI of players of former tours. As this is the 25th anniversary tour, we had many boys from which to select, meaning that the opposition will be of a very good standard.

SQUAD - Roche, Hobbs, James, Davison, Brazier, Donald, Nelhams, Maffia, Hearmon, Taylor, Ansell, Walton, Stevenson, Chamberlain.

Man of the Match - Callum Hearmon

Scorers - Walton (2), Hobbs, Maffia, Taylor