Peter Brown Craven Minor League

Match Reports Week Ending April 22

Under 16
Southport FC Juniors 3 Holborn 1

On a somewhat poignant day when the SFCJ U16’s played their last Craven Minor league match, the team, who had been in place for 9 seasons since their U8 start and still fielding 5 players from that 1st tentative game, hosted a challenging Holborn team at the old venue, Bankfield Lane.  The SFCJ side, missing 5 regular starters through injury and illness, gave a good account of themselves against a good Holborn team which have played a vast amount of matches recently to catch up the season. A generally decent competitive match went early to the home side’s favour when a precision through ball allowed Billy Sutton to challenge one on one with the visiting keeper, a moment’s hesitation allowing the home side striker to calmly chip the ball into the net.

A good flowing end to end match ensued with the ‘Port team carrying their advantage into the interval. Similar play resumed after the break until the vital 2nd home goal was carved out by some good passing play on the left flank, Tim Roberts giving full attention to the cross before calmly placing the ball past the Holborn keeper. The visitors piled the pressure on seeking the comeback and were unlucky on several occasions not to reduce the deficit, but some dogged defending kept them at bay and with 9 minutes to go, the ‘Port team, always dangerous on the break with the visitors trying to get forward, got a throw in on the left flank. Lee Tunney’s long throw was nodded back across the 6 yard box, the bounce beating the defender and allowing Tim Roberts to smash the ball into the net. In the dying minutes with Holborn, much to their credit, still trying for a goal, a slip, mid tackle, by a ‘Port defender brought down the visitor, Holborn duly converting the penalty for a late goal leaving the result, and timing, very reminiscent of the Cup Final at Burscough 13 months ago.

So it is fond farewell to the Craven Minor as the team gird their loins for the fresh challenge of the LEP Youth League next season.

Under 9
Southport FC Juniors “B”

Southport under 9 B have ended their 1st season together as a team in 2nd place in their division. They are the only Southport 7 a side team to be placed this season and as this is the 1st season playing in a team for most of these boys it is a great achievement.  They also reached the semi Finals in the Jim Rourke Cup competitions only to be knocked out by Southport Trinity in a close match which ended with Trinity winning 1-0.  They have had a great 1st season and their last few games have shown just how much they have improved over the season.

With Tom Clarehugh (whose Dad played for The Port in his footballing days) excelling on the right with his pacy runs and ever increasing crosses into the box for Nathan Prendergast and Ben Booth to find the net. Along with Joe Hamilton whose strong right has found the net from 10 yds out on several occasions, they are becoming a formidable strike force.  Strong in defence, twins, Luke and Alex Robinson reading each other like a book, along with Carlos Sherran, Callum Banks in Goal and team members Will and Brad, they are proving to be a strong little team.

Good luck for next season and well played boys

VODAFONE LIFE SAVERS AWARDS:

THE closing date to receive nominations for the 2007 Vodafone Life Savers Awards is just a few weeks away - Friday May 18, 2007.  If you know someone who has saved a life, there is still time to nominate them, either by contacting the Awards hotline on 0870 902 3333 or via the Vodafone website www.vodafone.co.uk/lifesavers.  Nominations that make it into the final 10 will result in an invitation to a special reception at 10 Downing Street and personal congratulations from the Prime Minister. Award winners also receive a state of the art 3G mobile phone.

“The Awards are open to anyone who has been instrumental in preventing the loss of a life during the past 2 years,” explains Vodafone UK’s Julien Cozens. “They could be members of the emergency services, who have gone far beyond the call of duty, or they could be your next door neighbour, a member of your family, a colleague or a friend who has acted heroically to save a life. A personal crisis or a national disaster – whatever the circumstances, we want to hear their stories,” he added.

Since creating the Awards 6 years ago, Vodafone has been instrumental in raising awareness of the extraordinary commitment of our emergency services and the role they play in dramatic rescues on land and at sea. At the same time, the Vodafone Life Savers Awards honour ordinary citizens who have found themselves in a life or death situation and have perhaps put their own lives at risk to save another.

“All too often people who have acted heroically tend to avoid the limelight,” said Julien Cozens. “We want to make sure that the acts of exceptional courage and bravery receive the recognition they truly deserve. That means encouraging people all over the UK to speak up and let us know about the untold stories behind daring rescues and narrowly averted tragedies.”

A panel of distinguished judges, including Adrian Gilbert from the Royal Humane Society, as well as TV personality Neil McAndrew and actor Martin Kemp, will consider all nominations and select the 10 most outstanding stories of selfless courage.

Vodafone’s continuing commitment to the Life Saver Awards has been inspired by the number of stories where mobile phones have been a vital life-line in potentially fatal situations. Phone contact with the emergency services can also impart vital support and advice to inexperienced people trying to handle an emergency on their own.  Research recently undertaken by Vodafone shows that nearly 75% of the adult population cannot administer basic first aid and 77% would like to know more. These findings, along with its experience of the Awards, has prompted Vodafone to launch a new free service that lets Vodafone UK customers download life-saving first aid tips from St John Ambulance direct to their mobiles.

“By making this information available we hope many more people will have instant access to the kind of basic first aid advice that can make the difference between life and death,” continued Julien Cozens. “Even a little knowledge can go a long way when every second counts.”

The information can be accessed by following the link http://live.vodafone.co.uk/sja on the Vodafone live! portal or, for non-Vodafone customers, via the website www.vodafone.co.uk/lifesavers.