DTS
The Business
On Sunday I went to watch Southend Under 11's (I think) in a match vs Brighton. I have been promising to go and watch Southend's number one (Lucky Luca) for a while but for the past two seasons it has been rained and then snowed off. Lucky enough though this Sundays game was on.
The Mrs had agreed to baby sit her sisters two kids so the only way I coud swing a pass was to take two of the four kids we had to baby sit. I of course chose my daughter altough at 18 months she didnt really understand what was going on. My son at 8 weeks was a bridge to far so I opted for my five year old neice.
Got there nice and early and met my mates from the south Upper Dan (D.O.L.L) and Dal both of who's sons pay for the side. Sadly the week before the game Luca got injured in a match vs Norwich so its was only little Dan I went to watch in the end.
I cannot say how much I enjoyed the game. I got so ****ed off last season watching a number of players that clearly didnt care to play for Southend and at times you almost become disallusioned with it but watching how much it meant to those lads to be playing football and playing for southend it kind of reawakens the passion inside you.
On to the game. We took the lead a low drilled shot by one of the midfielders was finished off by Emile our forward. 1-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Brighton stormed back into it 2-1 at the end of the second quarter. We brought on a few subs who I think if I am honest weekened the side a lot. I missed a lot of this half as the niece were playing up
Third quarter our lads came out and looked up for it. Brighton were awarded the most suspect penalty I have ever seen by the spotty oik of a home ref. His decisions made the ref from the film Escape to Victory look neutral. They scored but we kepy on fighting and little Dan from the back scored a header. Now baring in mind he is probably ten I am not talking a header - this was a HEADER. He rose like a salmon out jumped a kid half his size again and powered the ball into the roof of the net. 3-2 down but the fightback was on.
The final quarter our keeper (Not Luca of couse) made a few poor clearances as you expect at that age and gifted them a goal which was a shame. We scored again later on but it was too little too late and we went down 4-3 in a close game.
The one thing that impressed me most was the was these lads can play. Dan and a lad called Chad I think at the back were brave as it comes and made countless super tackles. Sonny in the midfield is like a little Lee Swayer without the attitude and drove forward like a player twice his age, a little midfielder called Alfie I think made tackles I havent seen since the days of Peter Butler and the number 7 whos names escapes me despite being tiny did more step overs and tricks that I have done in my life. Some really top quality lads on show.
Final word has to go to little Dan at the back. I am lucky enough to sit a few seats from him and he is a lovly lad. But to see him on the pitch was truely an experience. Super reading of the game, won everything in the air despite being tiny, tackled like a pro - Really cannot say enough how good he was. really didnt deserve to loose.
I would advise anyone who gets chance to watch these lads as it might just re-awaken some passion in you for football like it did for me.
DtS
The Mrs had agreed to baby sit her sisters two kids so the only way I coud swing a pass was to take two of the four kids we had to baby sit. I of course chose my daughter altough at 18 months she didnt really understand what was going on. My son at 8 weeks was a bridge to far so I opted for my five year old neice.
Got there nice and early and met my mates from the south Upper Dan (D.O.L.L) and Dal both of who's sons pay for the side. Sadly the week before the game Luca got injured in a match vs Norwich so its was only little Dan I went to watch in the end.
I cannot say how much I enjoyed the game. I got so ****ed off last season watching a number of players that clearly didnt care to play for Southend and at times you almost become disallusioned with it but watching how much it meant to those lads to be playing football and playing for southend it kind of reawakens the passion inside you.
On to the game. We took the lead a low drilled shot by one of the midfielders was finished off by Emile our forward. 1-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Brighton stormed back into it 2-1 at the end of the second quarter. We brought on a few subs who I think if I am honest weekened the side a lot. I missed a lot of this half as the niece were playing up
Third quarter our lads came out and looked up for it. Brighton were awarded the most suspect penalty I have ever seen by the spotty oik of a home ref. His decisions made the ref from the film Escape to Victory look neutral. They scored but we kepy on fighting and little Dan from the back scored a header. Now baring in mind he is probably ten I am not talking a header - this was a HEADER. He rose like a salmon out jumped a kid half his size again and powered the ball into the roof of the net. 3-2 down but the fightback was on.
The final quarter our keeper (Not Luca of couse) made a few poor clearances as you expect at that age and gifted them a goal which was a shame. We scored again later on but it was too little too late and we went down 4-3 in a close game.
The one thing that impressed me most was the was these lads can play. Dan and a lad called Chad I think at the back were brave as it comes and made countless super tackles. Sonny in the midfield is like a little Lee Swayer without the attitude and drove forward like a player twice his age, a little midfielder called Alfie I think made tackles I havent seen since the days of Peter Butler and the number 7 whos names escapes me despite being tiny did more step overs and tricks that I have done in my life. Some really top quality lads on show.
Final word has to go to little Dan at the back. I am lucky enough to sit a few seats from him and he is a lovly lad. But to see him on the pitch was truely an experience. Super reading of the game, won everything in the air despite being tiny, tackled like a pro - Really cannot say enough how good he was. really didnt deserve to loose.
I would advise anyone who gets chance to watch these lads as it might just re-awaken some passion in you for football like it did for me.
DtS
