Nutfield Youth 1 Oakwood ‘B’ 0 27.04.03

It seemed that the best was left ‘til last for Nuts. A near faultless display completed the double over Crawley’s giants in a thoroughly deserved victory that made sure that the tractor boys left their mark on their last Crawley League match before they depart for the Epsom & Ewell League next season. Harvey Contreras-King was strong in midfield and linked up well with Tom Paul to provide numerous opportunities for Front Man Tom Berry, but a stubborn Oakwood managed to hold up the initial attack. Relentless waves of barrage were soon rewarded when a finely executed corner from Jack Bellars was only cleared by a deliberate handball. Bellars then stepped up and thumped the ball into the top left hand corner. Goalkeeper Simon Pickett then made a fine save from a one on one counter attack after the restart. After the break Oakwood pushed hard for the equalizer and only Captain Ben Donovan thwarted any attempt for a share of the spoils with another commanding performance at the back. Jack Potts tried numerous acrobatic attempts to increase the lead and should have sealed the game with five minutes remaining but a hasty long range shot saw the ball blasted wide.

Lad of the Match Jack Bellars

Nutfield Youth 2 Worth Park Rangers 3 16.2.03

This was a fine performance after last weeks effort. A well worked corner just before the break saw Jack Bellars set up Ben Donovan to make the score one all. After the interval Simon Pickett pulled off a great save only to see Donovan head the ball into his own net in the follow up clearance. Nuts then thought they were on their way to a draw when Tom Berry slotted the ball home from a cross pitch throw in from Bellars. But a super worked goal saw Rangers take the honours from a dazzling run down the left wing, pin point cross and the ball driven home.

Nutfield Youth 0 Horley Strikers 6 09.2.03

Nutfield slumped to their worst ever defeat but can take heart that it was just a bad day at the office for keeper Simon Pickett. But poor attitude in the second half did not help the situation.

Nutfield Youth 0 Ifield Cobras 1 02.2.03

On a very sticky pitch Nuts battled hard and deserved a draw but unfortunately conceded in the dying minutes of time added on

Nutfield Youth 1 Crawley Down Reds 0 26.1.03

A solid performance saw Nutfield maintain an unbeaten run for the whole of January without conceding a goal. From the kick off Nuts piled on the pressure. Harvey Contreras-King held firm in midfield despite a physical presence from the Reds aided by the ever solid Thomas Paul and Jack Potts who both had good chances on goal. The first real chance to break the deadlock came from Ben Donovan who just put the ball wide of the upright with a thumping header from a Jack Bellars corner. The only goal of the match was to come from a similar move; a great cross from the left by Potts was met by Bellars who sweetly tucked the ball away. A spirited counter attack by the Reds in the second half was to draw a blank. Samuel Belcher, in only his second appearance this season teamed up well with Donovan to gain the Lad of the Match, this duo proved so good that Goalie Simon Pickett only touched the ball at goal kicks. Only in the dying minutes did Crawley Down have their best chance but a super challenge from Donovan maintained the clean sheet.

Nutfield Youth 2 Pease Pottage Eagles 0 19.01.03

This win was dedicated to goalie Simon Pickett’s father, Richard who died suddenly last Sunday. Simon pulled off some great saves in difficult circumstances to maintain a clean sheet this year. In the early stages of the game he got down well to save a shot that came through a mass of bodies in the area. After this wake up call Nutfield were dominant for the rest of the game with Harvey Contreras-King commanding the mid field with terrific support from Thomas Paul. After the break Captain Ben Donovan led the charge with some vintage play from the defence, surging forward and nearly scoring on several occasions. Alex Smith played his part at the back with some important challenges to ensure the clean sheet. Only once was the rear guard penetrated but Keeper, Pickett made a great save when the Eagles were clean through on goal. At the other end the push to score was relentless, with Thomas Berry rattling the bar. The breakthrough was left to Jack Bellars, who had had a great game, picked up a looping clearance from the half way line headed for goal, skipping a couple of challenges and coolly slotting the ball home with his left foot. In the dying minutes of the game Lad of the Match Jack Potts was pushed up front for the chance of glory, which he duly accepted when he latched onto a through ball from Bellars and sealed the game with a super finish.

Nutfield Youth 1 Ifield Cobras 0 05.01.03

A below par performance still saw Nuts the victors on a freezing morning. Thomas Paul and Jack Potts linked up well initially with Jack Bellars and a fine string of passes between the trio which started in their own half was only scuppered by fine goalkeeping. Several more chances in the first half came and went but Nutfield just could not get into the game and even the normally dependable Ben Donovan and Alex Smith were finding it hard to get into the game. Fortunately poor finishing let the defence off the hook. After the break things remained pretty much the same with poor ball control from both sides in the chilly conditions. A proper football display was left for the last five minutes when a carbon copy build up this time saw Bellars lift the ball over the advancing keeper. This was the wakeup call Ifield needed and pushed hard for the equalizer and were unlucky as they won a string of corners but Nuts now fought hard to keep their lead. In the dying seconds a last gasp volley from 20 yards out looped into the area but a fine headed clearance from Donovan and then a top drawer save from Simon Pickett ensured a dream start to the new year.

Lad of the Match Jack Bellars

Nutfield Youth 0 Oakwood ‘A’ 1 15.12.02

Nutfield Youth 1 Oakwood ‘A’ 0 08.12.02

A faultless display by Ben Donovan in defence ensured Nutfield felled the mighty Oaks. With no previous wins against Oakwood, Nuts played their own game and within five minutes it was clear that they weren’t going to be a push over as several attempts were thumped in and only stopped by great goalkeeping. It was a set piece that was to prove the winner, Bellars executed a precision corner, only half cleared by a header that was pounced upon by Taylor who struck a glorious half volley into the back of the net. Oakwood then went looking for the equalizer but found only found a single attempt slip through before half time which was thwarted by the advancing Simon Pickett who watched the ball pushed wide. Nuts then absorbed initial pressure after the break and counter attacked well with good solo runs from Thomas Paul and Harvey Contreras-King. The defining moment was left to Lad of the match Ben Donovan who with seconds to spare covered ground at warp speed to put in a tackle that guaranteed Nutfield the victors.

Nutfield Youth 1 Maidenbower Whites 1 01.12.02

Ever improving Nuts should have won this game but a loss of concentration ensured honours were even. On a rain soaked pitch, Nutfield dominated play in the early stages but it was a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping that came back to haunt Nuts. Maidenbower did make good counter attacks but were unfortunate to lose their best player who never recovered after a heavy fall. Several long-range attempts from Contreras-King and Bellars failed to hit the target but the on-form Thomas Paul (Lad of the match), broke the deadlock with a great goal from the right. The whites upped their game after the break but good interchanging between Donovan and Contreras-King kept the danger to a minimum. But after a needlessly conceded corner the normally vigilant defence was caught napping. A quickly taken corner zipped across the front of the goal deflecting off Potts into the goal. With ten minutes remaining Tom Berry was introduced and Nutfield fought hard for the winner. Potts nearly redeemed himself with a bicycle kick that would surely have been contender for goal of the season but agonizingly went wide of the upright.

Nutfield Youth 0 Maidenbower Reds 0 24.11.02

This was a great game of football enjoyed by both sides. A few changes saw Captain, Ben Donovan given the responsibility of shoring up the defence, enabling Harvey Contreras-King to slot into a midfield role alongside Tom Paul and Jack Potts. Early pressure saw several chances squandered but good possessional play meant that Simon Pickett, in goal, was untroubled during the first half. The Reds then came out fighting after the interval putting Donovan and Pickett to the test but both oozed with confidence and kept the clean sheet. Some tough tackling ensured a competitive duel till the end. Deadlock was almost broken in the dying minutes when Bellars drove a left foot shot wide. Harvey Contreras-King was named lad of the match.

Nutfield Youth 2 Furngate 0 17.11.02

A solid display ensured Nutfield the victors in what was a scrappy game. Furngate’s obvious plan to get bodies behind the ball was to be their downfall when, after relentless pressure Jack Bellars fired across a corner from the left, which was deflected into the goal. Play was now confined to the oppositions half but the congested area was proving difficult to penetrate as a string of efforts from Potts and Donovan went unrewarded. In the second half the ball did stray into Nutfield’s half but went for a goal kick and goalkeeper Simon Pickett was still denied a touch as Harvey Contreras-King took the kick. He then pushed into midfield to link up well with Alex Smith. But it was Tom Paul that was to seal the game and lad of the match, when from several long range attempts found the back of the net with a fine drive from the right-hand side.

Nutfield Youth 0 Horley Jets 1 10.11.02

This was an enjoyable game of football played in good spirit. Nutfield dominated the first ten minutes with good long range attempts from both Potts and Donovan. This was Nutfield back to their best with good "pass and move" soccer, but in the dying minutes before the break Jets started their fight back having a goal disallowed as the ball was adjudged to have gone in straight from a throw. Nuts then seemed content to sit back and defend the draw in the second half but were duly punished as a great cross pitch ball was met with a half volley and drilled in from 20 yards out leaving the keeper no chance. Nutfield then started a fight back and again had some good attempts thwarted by some great goalkeeping, especially when Bellars thumped a cracker from outside the area only to see it tipped over for a corner. In their quest for the equalizer Nutfield pushed forward and left themselves exposed at the back and subsequently conceded a penalty but Simon Pickett stood tall and watched the ball pushed wide. Other notable performances were Alex Smith, The 2 Toms (Berry & Paul), well done lads one of your best performances of the season.

Nutfield Youth 1 Ifield Cobras 3 03.11.02

This was a good game of football ruined in the second half by very poor refereeing. Nutfield started well with good pressure and were unlucky not to take the lead with attempts from Jack Bellars, Jack Potts and Thomas Berry. Unfortunately for Nuts some poor defending at a corner saw a goal mouth scramble give Ifield the lead at their first attempt on goal just before half time. After the break Nutfield came out to dominate play again and were soon rewarded with a great worked corner, Bellars crossed the ball to Ben Donovan at the front post who coolly blasted the ball into the roof of the net. It was then the officiating decisions became contentious and on some occasions dangerous. It was to be another corner by Ifield that gave them the lead for the second time. The ball was crossed from the right and went straight into the top left hand corner. In an attempt to counter , Nuts pushed forward and were then punished by a fine solo effort that was this time no fluke. The ball was picked up in his own half and confidently skipped two challenges, placing the ball in the bottom left hand corner. This was a fine performance by Nutfield but this time had to concede luck just was not on their side!

Nutfield Youth 1 Worthpark Rangers 'A' 5 27.10.02

Nutfield Youth 2 Worthpark Rangers 'B' 5 13.10.02

Nutfield Youth 2 Horley Strikers 2 06.10.02

A stunning brace by Jack Bellars ensured Nutfield kept their unbeaten start to the season intact. With Harvey King missing, team Captain Ben Donovan was drafted in to the defence and proved to be a more than adequate stand in, with some magnificent control at the back along with Alex Smith. Early pressure paid off with good runs down both flanks resulting in a sweetly struck half volley being buried into the top left corner of the net by Bellars. Jack Potts then tried to get in on the act with a hard low drive but just put it wide. With minutes to go before half time and completely against the run of play, untroubled Simon Pickett in goal, fumbled his first touch of the game and was desperately unlucky, as the ball ended up in the net. Horley then looked a different team after the break making several attempts to break down a stubborn Nutfield defence. The game should have been over when Bellars put a tantalizing cross over from the left only for both Potts and Thomas Paul to miss the ball right in front of goal. Strikers then took heart from this, mounting a fine attack that produced fine passing and ball control that finally penetrated the defence ending with a great shot that tucked just inside the far post from long range.

The best was then left until last as Nutfield went looking for the goal they deserved, relentless pressure led to Lad of the match Bellars driving another volley, this time with his left foot into the roof of the net.

Nutfield Youth 1 Ifield Cobras ‘B’ 0 29.9.02

An awesome midfield performance in midfield saw Nuts the victors in a match that was always going to be tight as Cobra’s had won both of the previous encounters. From the start Nutfield took the play to Ifield and Jack Bellars was unlucky when he rattled the cross bar with a fine long-range shot. Thomas Paul made some great runs down the right but a somewhat crowded box and stubborn defending cancelled out the ‘Beckham style’ crosses. On the occasional break away attacks from the opposition, Harvey King produced sublime defending for the second week running, leaving goalkeeper Simon Pickett little to do again. After the break Nutfield piled on the pressure and were rewarded with five minutes remaining when ‘Lad of the Match’ Ben Donovan broke from his own area, skipped numerous challenges running the whole length of the pitch and slotting the ball home. Nutfield to their credit didn’t sit back and went looking for the second with the introduction of Thomas Berry and Alex Smith for Jack Potts and Thomas Paul but although play was confined to Ifield’s half, settled for the one nil victory.

Nutfield Youth 0 Crawley Down Reds 0 22.9.02

A fine opening performance to the season was only let down by poor finishing in a goalless draw with Crawley Down Reds. Captain Ben Donovan put in a fine performance commanding the midfield and was unlucky not to score mid way through the first half with a sweetly struck free kick from 20 yards as it hit the crossbar. Great ball skills down the left from Jack Bellars tied the opposition up in knots and a dual effort from Berry and Paul tested the Reds defence. Although Simon Pickett had little to do on his debut in goal, confidence was brimming and shows promise for the forthcoming season. Jack Potts meanwhile was struggling with the pace of the ball on a newly laid astro turf, but came close in the dying moments when a rocket of a shot destined for the roof of the net was deflected by an unwitting defender. The performance of the morning and Lad of the match went to Harvey King in defence who put in some fine tackles under pressure ensuring Nuts clean sheet.