Match Report: Ravenshead FC Red v Newark Town Titans (U9)

Win, Lose or Draw...We're a Team

Squad:

Jack Lebeter

Barnaby Podmore

Ridley Hall (C)

Freddie Pick

Davey Birtle

Kailum Cree

Arty Collier

Freddie Gee

Josef Pell

It was a tough day at the office for the Newark Town Titans.

From the very start of the warm-up, the boys didn’t seem fully focused. Vicki and Tom worked hard to keep morale high with words of encouragement and a fast tempo, trying to lift the team’s energy.

As kick-off approached, the lads appeared eager and ready to go. The first half began with the Titans pressing high, but we struggled to move out of our own half. Jack made several excellent saves to keep the score line level and maintain our goalless run.

After 16 minutes, Freddie Gee won a free kick. With the wind against us, optimism was low — but a great delivery and a deflection saw the Titans take a 0–1 lead. We went into half-time ahead, thanks to some determined defending and hard work across the pitch.

During the break, the focus was on staying calm under pressure — pressing from the back, using the wings, and keeping the ball on the floor rather than fighting the weather.

Unfortunately, the second half told a different story. With the weather still against us, heads began to drop. Ravenshead fought back strongly, exploiting our defensive weaknesses and turning the tide of the game. The Titans looked lost at times, with lapses in communication and concentration leading to costly mistakes.

Despite the struggles, Josef showed great determination — small in stature but big in effort, constantly pressing and trying to win back ground.

Ultimately, our lack of cohesion, strength, and motivation worked against us. The final whistle couldn’t have come soon enough, and we ended the day on the wrong side of the result.

A learning experience for the Titans — time to regroup, refocus, and come back stronger next match.

Manager's Player of the Match:

Josef Pell

Parent's Player of the Match:

Jack Lebeter