Hilltop U18s vs Windsor & Eton U18s

Match Report

“Our performance last night really showed me the intensity, mentality and the leadership within the squad. Again, we keep emphasising the need for 16 leaders on a match day and that was shown last night. I’d definitely say we needed to improve our press and remain disciplined, particularly in the first half. We also struggled in the first half with retaining the ball in the middle but that was rectified in the second half by players stepping up and being a leader.

Sometimes it can be easy to ditch the game plan when the opposition don’t want the ball and want you to play, but the lads kept their standards and remained disciplined to achieve the way we want to play, create chances and score goals.

I’m so pleased for Charlie getting his double hattrick. He’s been improving week upon week since we arrived back in December last year and last night just showed us his desire to score goals and help his team mates secure the three points.

Leo Godwin as well has been training excellently and deserved that goal. A comfortable finish and he done very well coming on in that number 10 role to work with our strikers.

Another huge congratulations to Henry for his debut goal for us. He’s a bright, talented lad, who’s been training exceptionally well since joining the group in January from our under 16’s. The goal was exactly what we wanted to see from him… working hard and getting at that back post.

We definitely saw some areas needed for improvement last night, but overall I am really pleased with the standard the players are setting themselves from the most senior player to the most junior. For a very open game of football and an opposition that want you to have the ball all the time to try and capitalise on your mistakes, we kept to the game plan and maintained our style and standards. But that is huge credit to the players and my excellent management team who have been working so hard with the group.

We’re hoping to take this momentum into the coming weeks and months to continue developing these players into the best version of themselves on and off the pitch.”

George Champion