Lepton Highlanders U13 tour party meet up at Liverpool Airport ";
newsArray[0][1]+="at the ungodly (or should that be undigodlio) hour of 05:00. The Womersleys couldn't be bothered to show up but ";
newsArray[0][1]+="sent Josh and the suitcases.";
newsArray[0][1]+=""; newsArray[0][1]+="Despite the Easyjet lack of seat allocation policy, the entire party is gathered together at the rear of the plane on "; newsArray[0][1]+="flight 7203. Some regretted being in the vicinity of Michael Jessop but most people tried to catch up on their "; newsArray[0][1]+="sleep (Ann Robinson included)."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="The touchdown at Barcelona was a bit like Andy Murfin, that is incredibly smooth. We were met by the local "; newsArray[0][1]+="representative for Sports Tours and shown to our coach. How cool did it feel to see a coach with the name 'Lepton Highlanders' on "; newsArray[0][1]+="the front windscreen?"; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="The coach transfer to Salou took about 90 minutes, the last 10 minutes of which Happy Chappy Carlos (our bus driver) spent trying "; newsArray[0][1]+="to locate the hotel. When we found the Hotel Villa Romana, we were all very impressed (apart from with the chicken(?) baguettes). "; newsArray[0][1]+="Our rooms weren't ready so for some members of the party, this meant adjourning to the hotel bar. Still you might as well start as you mean to go on."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="The rest of the afternoon was free-time until a 'training session' on the beach at 5 o'clock. World War III might be a more "; newsArray[0][1]+="accurate description of events as even the Germans/Japanese never sunk so low as some of the tactics employed by the team in "; newsArray[0][1]+="orange bibs/red shirts. Gordon certainly set a precedent for dodgy refereeing on the trip and accusations of cheating were "; newsArray[0][1]+="certainly not far wide of the mark. The result of 5-3 to the Orange Bibs over the Whiter than Whites was the biggest miscarriage "; newsArray[0][1]+="of justice seen outside The Court of Appeal. Most of us weren't too hungry that night due to the amount of sand we'd been eating in the training game."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="The hotel restaurant offered a great choice of food and after dinner, surprisingly we adjourned to the hotel bar, although "; newsArray[0][1]+="some members of the party were already finding this room to be very familiar territory. There was a Kids Disco as our "; newsArray[0][1]+="entertainment and Adam Holt proved to be the best challenger from the Highlanders in the In/Out Competition. This went "; newsArray[0][1]+="to prove that Adam sometimes does listen to what he is told!"; newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Tuesday 24 October
";
newsArray[0][1]+="After the night before, it was probably a good job that breakfast was not served particularly early in the hotel. ";
newsArray[0][1]+="By this time our numbers had been swelled by the arrival of the remainder of the Womersley clan, who had travelled ";
newsArray[0][1]+="independently of the main party. Despite Nigel's navigational skills (he blamed Tom-Tom for the fact that they went ";
newsArray[0][1]+="to Tarragona, although it is a bit harsh blaming your youngest son for getting lost in the middle of the night), the ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Womersleys had finally made it to the Villa Romana at 2 in the morning. However, they were certainly looking fresher ";
newsArray[0][1]+="than some of the other members of the party at this stage.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Gordon won the prize for not turning up for breakfast in the hotel - he had to go to our good friend Buddys for a 'traditional English'."; newsArray[0][1]+="The morning was freetime so many of us ventured into Salou itself. At this early stage, it was becoming obvious "; newsArray[0][1]+="who were the 'most loved-up' couple on tour. Meanwhile, we were thinking of sending out a search party for "; newsArray[0][1]+="Richard Morley who had popped into the town but seemed to be having problems finding his way back to the "; newsArray[0][1]+="hotel - a lost soul in Salou?"; newsArray[0][1]+="Two o'clock and we were picked up for our trip to Barcelona. The size of the coach had shrunk "; newsArray[0][1]+="from yesterday but the size of the driver had increased considerably. We all just about squeezed on to "; newsArray[0][1]+="the bus (Elaine was missing as she was under the weather). The journey to the Camp Nou seemed to take for "; newsArray[0][1]+="ever but was broken up by some interesting songs from the rear of the bus. There were also a number of "; newsArray[0][1]+="interesting odours emanating from the rear of Ben Robinson."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Camp Nou itself is a pretty impressive stadium, which from outside does not look that special but "; newsArray[0][1]+="once inside, you cannot fail to be impressed by the size of it. The museum featured an impressive "; newsArray[0][1]+="array of trophies (perhaps exceeding even the haul that Lepton Highlanders has achieved over the years) "; newsArray[0][1]+="as well as a powerful set of football related photographic images from around the world."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="After the tour, we visited the Barcelona FC Megastore so that the kids could spend all their euros. For "; newsArray[0][1]+="some bizarre reason, the new home kit for this season was not to be spotted anywhere (they had sold out "; newsArray[0][1]+="the day’s allocation) so the boys would have to wait to secure a home shirt."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="We then boarded the coach and Francisco, our coach driver, appeared to lose his bearings as we seemed to "; newsArray[0][1]+="do a complete circle in the vicinity of the stadium such that we came back to the same junction "; newsArray[0][1]+="some 20 minutes after previously passing through it! Traffic was heavy so it was a good hour before "; newsArray[0][1]+="we eventually reached the district of Martotelles, the first game on tour."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="The stadium was an impressive little complex. The boys were allocated a dressing room whilst the parents "; newsArray[0][1]+="were sent up to the stand. No doubt it was Darren who helped to locate the bar to ensure that liquid "; newsArray[0][1]+="refreshments were available to all the spectators. We had to watch the last few minutes of an U12 match "; newsArray[0][1]+="between Martorelles and a team from Portsmouth with the home team winning the game by a massive margin."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="But before we knew it, the two teams were emerging side by side from the main stand tunnel and in Champions "; newsArray[0][1]+="League style were lined up by the halfway line, and exchanging handshakes. Then the two skippers exchanged "; newsArray[0][1]+="pennants, or Declan would have done so if someone hadn't forgot to bring the pennant with them! But don't worry, Gordon, we won't mention any names."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Then the game was underway. The pitch was an Astroturf surface so the bounce was true but high. Lepton were "; newsArray[0][1]+="quickly into their stride against what seemed skilful opposition but our boys were taking the game to our Spanish "; newsArray[0][1]+="opponents. The vocal backing from our supporters was very loud as the San Miguel helped to loosen a few tongues. "; newsArray[0][1]+="In particular, Gill W stood out from the crowd."; newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Then came a historic moment - Lepton Highlanders first ever goal on foreign soil. The honour went ";
newsArray[0][1]+="to Ryan Evans as the boy Evo turned in a near-post cross. Not long after Kerby McKenna hooked in a ";
newsArray[0][1]+="speculative effort from the corner of the penalty box. Easy-peasy this international game lark? ";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="However, Martorelles came back strongly as Lepton made a number of changes which disrupted the rhythm ";
newsArray[0][1]+="of the team. Either side of half-time the home team scored 5 goals in little over half an hour. We have ";
newsArray[0][1]+="to say that the quality of some of their finishing was of the highest order and Adam in goal had no ";
newsArray[0][1]+="chance with any of their goals.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="But our boys being our boys, they wouldn't give up and came back with a flourish in the final quarter "; newsArray[0][1]+="of the match. Despite much pressing our only reward was a penalty from Josh Womersley and the match ended 5-3 to the home team."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="The boys had acquitted themselves extremely well in what were strange conditions. There was no doubt "; newsArray[0][1]+="that the home team had an advantage in that they were used to playing on that kind of surface. "; newsArray[0][1]+="Our referee was very fair, although it was soon obvious that you could not raise your foot more "; newsArray[0][1]+="than a couple of inches off the ground (about Eddie Robinson's waist height) without being penalised. "; newsArray[0][1]+="Our opponents were also well-versed in the art of flinging themselves down on the floor and rolling around in apparent agony."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="All in all, a night that our boys should remember with pride, despite the scoreline. We were soon on "; newsArray[0][1]+="our way back to Salou and soon thoughts of the defeat had been replaced by thoughts of food as most "; newsArray[0][1]+="of us had not eaten much if anything since lunchtime. McDonalds seemed a popular choice but we needed "; newsArray[0][1]+="to get back to Salou. There seemed to be a clamour for a porn dvd to be shown on the TV but none "; newsArray[0][1]+="was forthcoming and, to be honest, we needed the erratic Francisco to concentrate on his driving. "; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="It was a long haul back to Salou and we eventually got to our resort by 10.45 pm. Francisco kindly "; newsArray[0][1]+="dropped us off on the front where the majority of the party headed for McDonalds and others for a "; newsArray[0][1]+="takeaway pizza. The latter group managed to make it back to the hotel with the pizzas still warm so "; newsArray[0][1]+="we can only surmise that they took a more direct route back in the dark than Richard Morley had managed earlier in the daylight!"; newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Wednesday 25 October
";
newsArray[0][1]+="This was a 'free day' for the majority of the day as we were not due to be picked up by coach until 4.30 in the afternoon.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="People spent the day either lounging by the pool (Andy Murfin was particularly adept at this), ";
newsArray[0][1]+="sleeping (Ann Robinson was particularly adept at this) or mooching round the town of Salou. ";
newsArray[0][1]+="For those who ventured out, Barcelona shirts seemed to be the order of the day and in Salou, ";
newsArray[0][1]+="they seemed to be more than a third cheaper than would have been the case in Barcelona itself.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Our second match was much more local, indeed the trip to Vilaseca took only 15-20 minutes. "; newsArray[0][1]+="At least Gordon remembered the pennant this time but Dave Godley forgot where his balls were "; newsArray[0][1]+="so we had to ask the opposition whether we could play with theirs. Vilaseca thought that we were "; newsArray[0][1]+="Scottish as we were the Highlanders but McKenna and McGivern come from mad Irish stock."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="This time the pitch was a clay surface. Not ideal for falling over on. With the exception of "; newsArray[0][1]+="George Saunders, all our boys were only kitted out with astro-trainers whilst the opposition "; newsArray[0][1]+="wore moulded boots. Strangely, a number of the Vilaseca lads were not wearing shinguards - this "; newsArray[0][1]+="would not have been allowed back in Blighty (that's Blighty not Brighty who wasn't with us on this trip). "; newsArray[0][1]+="This was a baking hot day so the warm-up was kept to a minimum as it was a big pitch. One of our "; newsArray[0][1]+="spectators, no names disclosed, managed to catch 40 winks on the terraces but I think she did wake up for the game."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="We very nearly did not have a referee and in someways we wish he hadn't turned up at the last minute."; newsArray[0][1]+="Ironically, on the one occasion that Gordon remembered to bring his pennant, we didn't get one back in "; newsArray[0][1]+="return from the opposition. A very different surface to the first match and the ball had a habit of "; newsArray[0][1]+="running away from the boys. Lepton dominated the early proceedings with Kerby in particular looking "; newsArray[0][1]+="dangerous on a number of occasions."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="However, half time came with the scores still blank. Lepton had run the show but had no score to show "; newsArray[0][1]+="for their efforts. Early in the second half, one of Vilaseca's midfielders waltzed through our defence "; newsArray[0][1]+="to score with Lepton appealing in vain for offside (there were players in an offside position but the "; newsArray[0][1]+="not the goalscorer who came from deep). Lepton continued to completely dominate the game but could not "; newsArray[0][1]+="find the right cross or the decisive finish. Backing from the touchline continued to be vociferous as "; newsArray[0][1]+="the parents continued to find a bar to help lubricate their throats."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Lepton continued to be frustrated by their inability to convert all their dominance in to goals and by "; newsArray[0][1]+="the antics of our opposition and their ability to fall down. This frustration started to show as we "; newsArray[0][1]+="began to lose our shape and started to question every decision made by the ref. This culminated in "; newsArray[0][1]+="the final minute of the game when cards to match the colours of the Spanish flag were shown to two "; newsArray[0][1]+="of our boys as things boiled over. The final whistle went and incredibly we had lost by that only "; newsArray[0][1]+="goal of the match. If the score had been 10-1 to Lepton Highlanders it wouldn't have been an injustice."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="So the match ended on a rather sour note. This was compounded by the fact that some local youths had "; newsArray[0][1]+="been throwing stones at Adam in goal. This led to a 'confrontation' between our group and these kids "; newsArray[0][1]+="who were told in good old Anglo-Saxon where they might find their bicycle pumps inserted!"; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="So our exit from Vilaseca was a little bit tasty. In all the excitement, Dave Godley forgot to hand "; newsArray[0][1]+="back the dressing room key - still I'm sure that they have locksmiths in Spain. As Vilaseca did not "; newsArray[0][1]+="give us a pennant, perhaps we can hang up their keys in the Highlanders clubhouse as a memento of our visit!"; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Back to the coach and the boys were downcast about the defeat for about 90 seconds. They then "; newsArray[0][1]+="treated us to an interesting song about Yogi Bear and friends."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="we returned to the hotel and after dinner, we just had to adjourn to the bar. It is difficult to say "; newsArray[0][1]+="whether the glass was half-full or half-empty on this tour. All we can say is that as soon as the "; newsArray[0][1]+="glass was empty it was replaced by a glass that was full."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Nigel treated us to a reminder of those memorable occasions of him slipping bottom over "; newsArray[0][1]+="chest (oh sweet visions of his escapades at Lepton United and Scissett in particular) as he took a "; newsArray[0][1]+="slight tumble at the bar. Meanwhile, Ann and Andy's drinking competition could only be decided upon "; newsArray[0][1]+="by counting the number of visits to the loo - a decision-making process that Ann won hands down."; newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Thursday 26 October
";
newsArray[0][1]+="After breakfast, we met up for our visit to the local theme park. For us peasants it was a stroll ";
newsArray[0][1]+="to (rather than in) the park whilst Lord and Lady Bareham hailed a local hansom cab. For some ";
newsArray[0][1]+="reason, Ann hadn't joined us this morning - she must have been trying to catch up on her sleep. ";
newsArray[0][1]+="We had to collect our tickets at Port Aventura - you should have seen everyone's faces when ";
newsArray[0][1]+="we told them that we'd come on the wrong day and that our voucher was invalid!";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="After that wind-up, it was time to enter the park. We knew that Darren wouldn't let us down and ";
newsArray[0][1]+="the first drinking outlet we came across allowed him to top up on the San Miguel.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="For the next 6 hours, we were free to go where we wanted within the park. I think that we would ";
newsArray[0][1]+="all agree that Port Aventura was a tremendous day out. The cost of admission was about 2/3rds of ";
newsArray[0][1]+="that for Alton Towers. The park was not particularly busy and there was only a brief period in ";
newsArray[0][1]+="the early afternoon when any length of time was spent queueing.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves even though one or two stomachs were probably left behind on "; newsArray[0][1]+="the odd rollercoaster ride. Special tribute must be paid to Nigel who stoically went on all the "; newsArray[0][1]+="rides which was a considerable achievement given the colour of his face at the beginning of the "; newsArray[0][1]+="day (nothing to do with bar activities the night before)."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="At about 5.30pm we left the theme park and walked back to the hotel. Lord and Lady B took the "; newsArray[0][1]+="easy option again. Somehow Evo managed to get in the taxi both ways so he must take the title "; newsArray[0][1]+="of the laziest boy on tour."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="After dinner, it was surprise, surprise back to the bar. Still it wouldn't be a late night "; newsArray[0][1]+="as we needed to be up early in the morning. Tonight it was karaoke night so Ed and Kerby "; newsArray[0][1]+="were terribly excited at this prospect. An enjoyable night was had by all with Ed, Elaine "; newsArray[0][1]+="and Darren starring among the elder members of the party. The boys sang several tracks as a "; newsArray[0][1]+="13 man ensemble and managed to get the audience on their feet (and walking out in to the lobby!)"; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Another great night and yet again we managed to be last out of the bar to maintain the fine "; newsArray[0][1]+="traditions we had established throughout the week. Congratulations to Ann for staying awake "; newsArray[0][1]+="throughout the evening's proceedings."; newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Friday 27 October
";
newsArray[0][1]+="It's an early start as everyone meets in the lobby of the hotel for 07:30. Even Nigel made the ";
newsArray[0][1]+="effort to see us off (the Womersleys are staying on until the Monday). A slightly anxious wait ";
newsArray[0][1]+="as the coach turns up 20 minutes late but eventually we are on our way and make good time back ";
newsArray[0][1]+="to Barcelona airport. Everyone is doggone tired and many snoozed during the journey (including Ann) and it was a very quiet coach.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Check-in at the airport was quicker than on the outbound flight and before we know it we’re all "; newsArray[0][1]+="on the plane for the trip home. Goodbyes had been said to Elaine and Gordon who were off to "; newsArray[0][1]+="Majorca to spend a few days in Palma. Again we were congregated at the back of the plane but "; newsArray[0][1]+="we were a very quiet group as events of the last few days caught up with us. Many dozed "; newsArray[0][1]+="throughout the journey (Ann included) whilst Darren introduced some of the boys to the delights "; newsArray[0][1]+="of pontoon and cleaned them out of their last few remaining euros."; newsArray[0][1]+="
"; newsArray[0][1]+="Surprise, surprise when we land at Liverpool it is raining and is about 10 degrees cooler than Spain. "; newsArray[0][1]+="Debby is there to greet us and the convoy is soon on its way back to Huddersfield. The only hiccup "; newsArray[0][1]+="was Dave Godley losing his credit card at the car park ticket barrier (those Scousers will nick anything) "; newsArray[0][1]+="but that eventually got sorted."; newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Mid-afternoon we were back in Huddersfield and a memorable venture was at an end. Many people ";
newsArray[0][1]+="were asking where we would go next time - who knows? However, on is certain is that everyone had ";
newsArray[0][1]+="a wonderful time and that there would be many great memories, particularly for the boys who conducted ";
newsArray[0][1]+="themselves extremely well over the course of the trip.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="VIVA LEPTON HIGHLANDERS!";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="TOUR AWARDS
";
newsArray[0][1]+="One of the traditions of being on tour is to nominate members of the party for awards to ";
newsArray[0][1]+="recognise their contribution to life on tour. Here are the details for the Lepton Highlanders tour party.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="DRINKER OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Possibly the most prestigious category of all. Many candidates and nominations were received ";
newsArray[0][1]+="for Elaine Bareham and Ann Robinson, but there could only be 1 winner. For his services to ";
newsArray[0][1]+="San Miguel and for coming up with the most feeble excuse for a hangover by claiming it was ";
newsArray[0][1]+="drinking tap water that was causing him to feel unwell, it has to be DARREN PARKINSON.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="SCORER OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Kerby McKenna came close with his attempts to fraternize with the senoritas. But this award goes ";
newsArray[0][1]+="to a lad who achieved a number of firsts on the trip, but will be remembered for scoring the first ";
newsArray[0][1]+="ever international goal for Lepton Highlanders, RYAN EVANS.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="FOULER OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Ben Robinson supplied many a foul smell during the course of the week. Nominations for this ";
newsArray[0][1]+="dirtiest tackle category were received for Andy Murfin, Andy Murfin and Andy Murfin. However, ";
newsArray[0][1]+="our winner is, for her disgusting scything down of Dave Godley in the beach game, is GEORGINA GODLEY.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="THE MOST SENSIBLE VERSION OF HIS FATHER
";
newsArray[0][1]+="This award goes to the boy that speaks just like his father, although with probably more ";
newsArray[0][1]+="sense! He is, the walking FC Barcelona encyclopedia himself, GEORGE SAUNDERS.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="TONY HANCOCK BLOOD DONOR OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="There were several candidates for this award as many of the boys gave blood on the pitches ";
newsArray[0][1]+="of Spain but our winner is, for managing to cut open his knee on his first day here, TOM WOMERSLEY.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="INSOMNIAC OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Nominations received for Michael Jessop and Declan McGivern (first boys to bed most nights) but ";
newsArray[0][1]+="there can only be 1 winner. She will sleep everywhere, be it on the plane, on the coach, on the ";
newsArray[0][1]+="terracing at Vilaseca. She probably doesn’t even know that she has been in Spain. Our overwhelming ";
newsArray[0][1]+="winner of the Insomniac Award is ANN ROBINSON.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="WORST BEHAVED GIRL ON TOUR
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Only 1 contender. This could only be BECKY JESSOP. Bizarrely, the committee also awarded ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Becky the title of Best Behaved Girl On Tour.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="SQUEAKY CLEAN AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Little did the boys know that we had a skeleton key to be able to access all their rooms to ";
newsArray[0][1]+="check up on their tidiness standards. Definitely NOT nominated for this category were the ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Robinsons, Kerby Mckenna & Mark Godley. Our winner has to be the guy who does not have a hair ";
newsArray[0][1]+="out of place and is more obsessed with tidiness even than his mother, and was under strict ";
newsArray[0][1]+="instructions to keep his dad in line - RYAN MURFIN.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="MULTIPLE TIMES BITTEN BUT NOT SHY AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Our most attractive person (and not just to mosquitos) on tour and winner of this category ";
newsArray[0][1]+="is ELAINE BAREHAM. Apparently, she has been itching to win something but we are only beginning to ";
newsArray[0][1]+="scratch at the surface of unearthing her talents.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="JOHN TERRY RUN THROUHG A BRICK WALL AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="His motto is 'The bigger they are, the harder they fall'. He just goes to prove that ";
newsArray[0][1]+="a good littl'un will always beat a good big 'un. Our winner is BEN MORLEY.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="DANCING QUEENS OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Adam Hoult received an honourable mention for being our In/Out Champion, but our Dancing Queens can only be :";
newsArray[0][1]+="KERBY McKENNA (juniors section)";
newsArray[0][1]+="ED ROBINSON (seniors section)";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="THE SMILING ASSASSIN
";
newsArray[0][1]+="The best smirk seen all week was on this lad's face when he came over to 'console' ";
newsArray[0][1]+="little Pedro, the Montarelles striker, who was writhing on the floor in 'agony' and ";
newsArray[0][1]+="had been brought to tears. It was never a foul Pedro so pick yourself up. Our 'Smiling Assassin' ";
newsArray[0][1]+="is MARK DI GODLIO.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="LOVEY DOVEYS OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Whilst there was strong support for the Daves (Godley & Jessop), this award can only ";
newsArray[0][1]+="go to LIZ & DAVE JESSOP. No doubt they will come up to collect their prize hand-in-hand.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="FRONT TO BACK CHAMPION
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Our next winner was one of the quieter but one of the happiest members of the party. ";
newsArray[0][1]+="He started the week at the front of the coach and has gradually working his way to the ";
newsArray[0][1]+="rear of the coach. On Friday his prize will be to sit on the centre seat on the back ";
newsArray[0][1]+="row of the bus - LUKE JAGGER.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="THE OTHER WOMAN OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="This next winner is also someone who we thought to be a quiet member of the party but has proved ";
newsArray[0][1]+="to be a bit of a dark horse. Not only was she nominated for the 'I'm going to bed now, but could ";
newsArray[0][1]+="still be found in the bar 2 hours later' award, but she scooped this particular title. ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Apparently she likes to service men's appliances in her room. Mrs Parkinson was somewhat ";
newsArray[0][1]+="taken aback when she phoned Darren's mobile and JULIE HOLT answered.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="ORPHAN OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="A number of boys have travelled alone this week. But our Orphan of the Week is the lad who, ";
newsArray[0][1]+="even when his parents eventually turned up at the hotel, they didn't want to stay with him - JOSH WOMERSLEY.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="SUNBED KING OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="In order to preserve his permatan, this award goes to ANDY MURFIN. Or as he prefers to be known, Andreas ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Von Murfin, was seen putting his towel out on the sunbeds at the crack of dawn (but then Dawn wasn't complaining).";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="THE STEVEN SPIELBERG AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="For services to cinematography, commended in this category was Ben Robinson for his crotch shot ";
newsArray[0][1]+="of the girl we were all trying to guess the age of. Definitely not commended in this category is ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Elaine Bareham after her filming efforts at the Vilaseca match. This award has to go to GORDON BAREHAM, ";
newsArray[0][1]+="who has pretty much filmed every single moment on tour. His recording, however savagely edited, will only ";
newsArray[0][1]+="just be longer than his normal end-of-season speech.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Gordon also won the following titles - Dodgiest Ref Of The Week (although there was some competition ";
newsArray[0][1]+="from a certain Spanish gentleman) and Idiot of The Week (for forgetting his pennant against ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Martorelles - his memory is showing signs of 'flagging').";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="HOOLIGAN OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="We thought he was repsonsible for smashing the poolside goal net with the strength of his shot (but this might have been Kerby), ";
newsArray[0][1]+="but he tried to instigate WW3 with some German kids over a dispute at the pool table - LEWIS PARKINSON.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="WIFE'S WARDROBE ON WHEELS AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Without doubt the largest suitcase on tour was brought along by STEVE EVANS.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="BEST PORTABLE WARDROBE OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Rather appropriately following on from the previous award, this title goes to MARGARET EVANS. ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Managed to change her entire oputfit after the Camp Nou visit in time for the game at Martorelles.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="THE CHRIS TARRANT AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Given to McGivern. Gameshow host of the week just had to be DECLAN McGIVERN for keeping the ";
newsArray[0][1]+="troops entertained with his various quizzes. Dec also pipped a number of worthy candidates for Most Talkative Kid of the Week.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="PORN KING OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="This could only be awarded to the the person caught with the lads mag on the plane - ADAM HOLT. Adam, ";
newsArray[0][1]+="together with Luke, also was nominated for the Spiderman Award for their balcony climbing efforts (don't try this at home, folks).";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="LAZY SOD OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Couldn't be bothered to bring his own luggage and used Ed Robinson as his mule in his drugs smuggling operation. ";
newsArray[0][1]+="This award goes to NIGEL WOMERSLEY if he can make the effort to come and collect it - or shall we take it to him.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Nigel also predictably took the Fall of the Week title after his tumbling display in the bar on ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Wednesday night. There was fierce competition for this honour from 22 Spanish 13 year olds. ";
newsArray[0][1]+="(ps after the awards were dished out, Nige also faced competition from the German(?) ";
newsArray[0][1]+="who managed to fall off his bar stool and on the stairs but Nige will always be our champion - it’s become tradition).";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="DRUG INDUCED SHRIEKING OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Highly commended in the shrieking stakes were Liz and Becky Jessop. She kept relatively quiet when I accompanied ";
newsArray[0][1]+="her on the Stampida rollercoaster, but our winner is, for outstanding performances in both the games, GILL WOMERSLEY.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="BIG MAC AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Came out of the closet (as apparently did his Dad) to reveal himself as a secret lover of McDonalds - much to the disgust of his parents - MICHAEL JESSOP.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Michael also nominated for Best Bags Under His Eyes Award (and this was when he was one of the first ";
newsArray[0][1]+="to retire for the night - he must like his beauty sleep).";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="THE TOM-TOM AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Perhaps one of the most fiercely contested categories of all.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Nominated were :
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Dave Godley - for attempting to drive to Manchester rather than Liverpool on the outbound journey";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Francisco the bus driver - for taking 20 minutes to take us back to same junction in ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Barcelona from where we started our journey from the Camp Nou.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Nigel - for driving to Tarragona not Salou in his hire car";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Nigel - for attempting to walk into the wardrobe rather than the bathroom for a pee.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="But our winner, for his navigational skills, is RICHARD MORLEY. Only Richard can take ";
newsArray[0][1]+="45 moinutes to get from the beach front in Salou back to the hotel.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="SKUNK OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Nominated were :
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Michael Jessop - for his efforts on the plane flying to Spain
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Francisco the coach driver (or was it Gordon) for the strange smells on the coach - who asked for ";
newsArray[0][1]+="the air conditioning to be turned off?";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="But our winner can only be BEN ROBINSON for repeatedly stinking out the coach.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="MR ANGRY OF THE WEEK
";
newsArray[0][1]+="A number of parents confronted the stone throwiing youths of Vilaseca, so commendations for Andy Murfin and ";
newsArray[0][1]+="Darren Parkinson. But this title goes to DAVE JESSOP.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="THE MARK BURRELL TOTALLY LOST IT AWARD
";
newsArray[0][1]+="Or the Mrs Angry of the Week. Rather appropriately, as they always like to do things together, this goes to ";
newsArray[0][1]+="LIZ JESSOP when breaking up the cushion fight on the coach.";
newsArray[0][1]+="
";
newsArray[0][1]+="BUT EVERYONE DESERVES AN AWARD FOR MAKING THIS THE BEST LEPTON HIGHLANDERS TOUR EVER.";
newsArray [0][2] = "Dave Godley"; //Author
newsArray [0][3] = "2009"; // Month and year
newsArray[1][0] = "RCD U16 LEAGUE DIVISION 1 : Sunday 13 September 2009
";
newsArray[1][0] +="GOLCAR UNITED 4 LEPTON HIGHLANDERS 'A' 2";
newsArray[1][1] ="The new season got underway with a visit to a new venue in the form of Longfield Avenue, Golcar. ";
newsArray[1][1] +="Our opponents were Golcar, a new team but they were Westend in every other guise as effectively they had ";
newsArray[1][1] +="transferred from one club to another en block. With a number of players unavailable this first weekend, ";
newsArray[1][1] +="this game saw debuts for the Martins (Ike and Natty - no relation). There was also a return in goal for ";
newsArray[1][1] +="George BURRELL who was roped in at the last minute with Jonny HOYLE still on cricketing duty. A late blow ";
newsArray[1][1] +="had been the loss of Declan McGIVERN who was trialling for Bradford City.";
newsArray[1][1] +="
"; newsArray[1][1] +="Lepton kicked-off adopting a 3-5-2 formation with the hardy trio of ALLOTT, JESSOP and LORD manning the "; newsArray[1][1] +="defences. Lepton got off to a tidy start and had most of the early play, rattling the composure of some "; newsArray[1][1] +="of the Golcar team with the Golcar no 10 being spoken to no less than 3 times in the first 10 minutes. "; newsArray[1][1] +="Lepton's early play was rewarded with a fine individual goal from debutant Natty MARTIN who anticipated "; newsArray[1][1] +="the goalkeeper's throw-out and then finished in great style to put the Highlanders a goal up. "; newsArray[1][1] +="Unfortunately, the advantage did not last long as Golcar soon equalised when a cross from the "; newsArray[1][1] +="left flank was met with a super looping header by the Golcar striker."; newsArray[1][1] +="
"; newsArray[1][1] +="However, Lepton went back in front a few minutes later as a good combination between GODLEY and "; newsArray[1][1] +="CLARKE sent in the new skipper ROBINSON to convincingly beat the Golcar keeper. But once again, "; newsArray[1][1] +="Lepton were unable to maintain the advantage for long before Golcar equalised "; newsArray[1][1] +="for a second time after some hesitancy in defence effectively gifted the home team their goal."; newsArray[1][1] +="
"; newsArray[1][1] +="So, all square at the interval. The second half was again quite even in terms of play but "; newsArray[1][1] +="Lepton's luck deserted them as they were unable to penetrate the Golcar defence again. "; newsArray[1][1] +="At the other end Golcar were breaking with some pace to cause Lepton some worries from "; newsArray[1][1] +="time to time. Despite a couple of good saves from George BURRELL, Golcar managed to score "; newsArray[1][1] +="2 without response in the second half as Lepton tired."; newsArray[1][1] +="
"; newsArray[1][1] +="Perhaps a lack of fitness showed in these last few minutes as Mark GODLEY, who produced a "; newsArray[1][1] +="fine performance, was let without much support in midfield. There were mitigating circumstances "; newsArray[1][1] +="as by the end of the game Ryan EVANS, Ben ROBINSON and Adam HOLT were all hampered by injuries. "; newsArray[1][1] +="
"; newsArray[1][1] +="Team : Burrell, Lord, Allott, Jessop, Godley, Holt, Evans, Martin (N), Clarke, Robinson (capt), Martin (I) Subs : Sommerville, Rammell"; newsArray[1][1] +="| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
"; newsArray[2][1] +="Games against Silkstone are usually good on the eye, if not so good on the ear. Silkstone have always "; newsArray[2][1] +="played a good brand of football, knocking the ball around well but the biggest drawback is one of the "; newsArray[2][1] +="parents in the form of Perry's mother! We must all remember to pack ear-plus next time as once she "; newsArray[2][1] +="had warmed up her shrieking vocals there was no stopping this woman!"; newsArray[2][1] +="
"; newsArray[2][1] +="Anyway, back to the match. Silkstone were the first on the board as they took the lead with midway "; newsArray[2][1] +="through the half. However, Lepton were matching their opponents stride for stride at this stage and "; newsArray[2][1] +="were soon back on level terms as a Lewis ALLOTT free-kick was headed on by Ben ROBINSON for Matty RAMMELL "; newsArray[2][1] +="to notch his first goal for the 'A' team."; newsArray[2][1] +="
"; newsArray[2][1] +="Silkstone regained their advantage a few minutes later when a series of ricochets on the goalline from a "; newsArray[2][1] +="corner saw the ball go in off the back of the Silkstone's player's head. A fortunate goal but it "; newsArray[2][1] +="emphasised our current vulnerability to the set-piece as McGIVERN's strength in the air is very "; newsArray[2][1] +="much being missed. The half-time whistle went with Silkstone holding a 2-1 advantage."; newsArray[2][1] +="
"; newsArray[2][1] +="In the second half, it is probably fair to say that Silkstone had much the better of things as "; newsArray[2][1] +="they dominated the midfield. Lepton's goal threats in the second half were few and far between "; newsArray[2][1] +="and there is no doubt that Silkstone were worthy winners in the end. Two goals without reply gave "; newsArray[2][1] +="the scoreline a slight harsh 4-1 verdict against Lepton, although we were never really in it "; newsArray[2][1] +="once a 2 goal margin had been established."; newsArray[2][1] +="
";
newsArray[2][1] +="Missing a regular keeper in our opening matches has not helped but as a team Lepton need to work ";
newsArray[2][1] +="harder and we have tended to fade towards the end of both the opening matches. ";
newsArray[2][1] +="
";
newsArray[2][1] +="Team : Beer, Saunders, Rammell, Lord, Allott, Jessop, Evans, Godley, Clarke, Robinson (capt), Matin (N) Subs : Bond, Womersley";
newsArray[2][1] +="
";
newsArray[2][1] +="Goal : Rammell";
newsArray[2][1] +="
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 0 |
"; newsArray[4][1] +="Not for the first time this season, Lepton were effected badly by injuries with keeper "; newsArray[4][1] +="HOLT ruled out the day before and key defender LORD, far from fully fit."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="So, once again the defence had a bit of a makeshift look to it with James BEER once "; newsArray[4][1] +="again bravely stepping into the breach as emergency keeper and Mark GODLEY moving to right-back."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="Good conditions for football and Lepton took the early initiative against a team, "; newsArray[4][1] +="that while not particularly big on stature, played some decent football during the "; newsArray[4][1] +="game. Lepton's early pressure paid off when Natty MARTIN crossed from the left side of "; newsArray[4][1] +="the box to present Ryan EVANS with a simple chance."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="However, Lepton were unable onto their advantage and before we knew it, they were 2 goals to 1 "; newsArray[4][1] +="down as the visitor struck back. Then back came Lepton and when Josh WOMERSLEY was tripped on the "; newsArray[4][1] +="edge of the area, it was MARTIN who smashed home the penalty. Lewis ALLOTT, once again showing "; newsArray[4][1] +="outstanding form, marauded forward from his defensive duties to smash a piledriver from the "; newsArray[4][1] +="best part of 30 yards out but the Thorne keeper plunged to his left to make an outstanding diving save."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="The topsey-turvey nature of the game continued as Thorne retook the lead only for parity to "; newsArray[4][1] +="be restored by skipper Ben ROBINSON after a super run down the right flank by GODLEY. However, "; newsArray[4][1] +="Lepton were not defending as a team and remarkably by the half-time break, Thorne had added a "; newsArray[4][1] +="further two goals to their tally to lead 5-3 at the interval."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="Stand-in keeper BEER received a dead leg conceding that last goal right on the half-time whistle "; newsArray[4][1] +="and was forced to take a rest. Taking over the goalkeeping duties for the second half was "; newsArray[4][1] +="Mark GODLEY, who had been the outstanding player on the pitch in the first period in his unusual "; newsArray[4][1] +="position of right-back. For the start of the second half, Will LORD made a brief appearance but "; newsArray[4][1] +="lasted barely 2 minutes as he took another blow on the leg and was forced to come off again."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="With the open nature of this game, there was likely to be more goals in the second half and so it "; newsArray[4][1] +="proved as Lepton forced their way back into contention with two fine goals in the first 20 minutes "; newsArray[4][1] +="of the second period. Firstly, Joe SOMMERVILLE finished in great style as he battled his way through "; newsArray[4][1] +="the Thornes defence and a few minutes later strike-partner, Ryan CLARKE, also finished with some "; newsArray[4][1] +="aplomb as he latched onto a through ball from MARTIN."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="So, with the scores level again could the Highlanders take command of the game as looked likely as "; newsArray[4][1] +="they seemed the stronger side? The answer to that was ultimately no as Thorne Juniors kept pulling "; newsArray[4][1] +="goals out of the bag and they managed two goals in quick succession to restore their advantage."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="With just a few minutes to go, it looked all over but one thing about this Lepton team is that they "; newsArray[4][1] +="normally keep going to the end. As the game entered added-on time, came what will be surely the most "; newsArray[4][1] +="remarkable goal of the season. Second-half sub Jack GORING was making only his second appearance at "; newsArray[4][1] +="this level and had put in some good work in this period. Picking up a bouncing ball, fully 45 yards out, "; newsArray[4][1] +="GORING launched the ball into orbit. When it came down (possibly with snow on it), the keeper had "; newsArray[4][1] +="little chance with the bounce as the ball sailed over him for an incredible goal."; newsArray[4][1] +="
"; newsArray[4][1] +="Sadly, there was barely time to kick-off again before the whistle went and Thorne had triumphed by "; newsArray[4][1] +="the remarkable score of 7-6! This really was a game that Lepton should have won as they played some "; newsArray[4][1] +="excellent football going forward. However, the lack of a regular keeper did not help the cause but "; newsArray[4][1] +="the boys did not defend well as a team as the defence were often left exposed to the counter-attack. "; newsArray[4][1] +="Both in attack and in midfield we need to work harder in order to give the defence more protection."; newsArray[4][1] +="
";
newsArray[4][1] +="Whilst it was very disappointing to go out of the Cup, in which we have experienced good runs in the ";
newsArray[4][1] +="past, in the first round we will probably not see such an exciting game as this all season. Good luck ";
newsArray[4][1] +="to Thorne Juniors in the next round.";
newsArray[4][1] +="
";
newsArray[4][1] +="Team : Beer, Godley, Rammell, Jessop, Allott, Robinson (capt), Evans, Martin (N), Clarke, ";
newsArray[4][1] +="Sommerville, Womersley Subs : Lord, Goring";
newsArray[4][1] +="
";
newsArray[4][1] +="Goal : Evans, Martin (N) - pen, Robinson, Sommerville, Clarke, Goring ";
newsArray[4][2] ="Dave Godley";
newsArray[4][3] ="October 2009";
newsArray[5][0] ="RCD U16 LEAGUE DIVISION 1 : Sunday 11 October 2009
";
newsArray[5][0] +="LEPTON HIGHLANDERS 'A' 1 BRIGHOUSE 'A' 1";
newsArray[5][1] = "Once again unknown quantity in terms of the opposition as we welcomed Brighouse ";
newsArray[5][1] +="to Lepton as they haven't been in the top division for a couple of years, so hopefully ";
newsArray[5][1] +="a chance for the home team to get off the mark for the season. A rare luxury for the ";
newsArray[5][1] +="management in that we actually had a full squad to choose from - this hasn't happened ";
newsArray[5][1] +="for a long time. Jonny HOYLE was restored in goal, Jack GORING made his full debut for ";
newsArray[5][1] +="the 'A' team, whilst there was a big welcome back for Mitchell ELLWOOD-SPENCER as last ";
newsArray[5][1] +="year's skipper returned to the ranks after a spell of egg-chasing!";
newsArray[5][1] +="
"; newsArray[5][1] +="As so often was the case last season, the wind suddenly decided to pick up just as the "; newsArray[5][1] +="game was about to start. This certainly made for difficult conditions as the swirling "; newsArray[5][1] +="wind made it hard to play good football but both teams did their best to make the most "; newsArray[5][1] +="of the circumstances. At least the pitch had a little more give in it after some rain "; newsArray[5][1] +="during the week. The first half saw few chances for both sides and the interval was "; newsArray[5][1] +="reached with the scoreline blank. Most of the menace for Highlanders was coming down "; newsArray[5][1] +="the left flank where ELLWOOD-SPENCER and Josh WOMERSLEY were combining to good effect."; newsArray[5][1] +="
"; newsArray[5][1] +="The 2nd half continued the pattern of the first, being a closely fought contest but "; newsArray[5][1] +="without either side taking command of the game. However, the visitors took the lead "; newsArray[5][1] +="in slightly fortunate circumstances as Michael JESSOP made a fine covering tackle but "; newsArray[5][1] +="saw the ball fall nicely into the path of the Brighouse striker, who in fairness finished "; newsArray[5][1] +="neatly past the onrushing HOYLE."; newsArray[5][1] +="
"; newsArray[5][1] +="After this setback, Highlanders played with more urgency but without really establishing a "; newsArray[5][1] +="firm grip on the game. Indeed, had it not been for a superb one-handed save by HOYLE with "; newsArray[5][1] +="quarter-of-an-hour to go then it might have been curtains for the home team's hopes. However, "; newsArray[5][1] +="Lepton took heart from this escape and pressed for the equaliser. Their efforts were rewarded "; newsArray[5][1] +="about 5 minutes from time when good combination work from Ryan EVANS and Ryan CLARKE saw the "; newsArray[5][1] +="ball fall to Natty MARTIN who had plenty of time to pick his spot from close range for the equaliser."; newsArray[5][1] +="
"; newsArray[5][1] +="And that was how it finished, a point apiece for the two teams. Whilst, this represented our "; newsArray[5][1] +="first point of the season, the feeling at the end was one of disappointment as this was the "; newsArray[5][1] +="kind of game we should be winning. "; newsArray[5][1] +="
"; newsArray[5][1] +="Team : Hoyle, Lord, Ellwood-Spencer, Jessop, Allott, Godley, Goring, Martin (N), Clarke, Robinson, Womersley Subs : Beer, Rammell, Evans"; newsArray[5][1] +="| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 1 |
"; newsArray[6][1] += "The pitch at Woodfield Park looked in pristine condition and this patch of grass, whilst on "; newsArray[6][1] += "the short side but at the same time quite wide, allowed both teams to play some excellent "; newsArray[6][1] += "football in a very entertaining game to watch."; newsArray[6][1] += "
"; newsArray[6][1] += "Right from the start, Lepton had the initiative as they played with the advantage of the slope. "; newsArray[6][1] += "The new strike partnership of SOMMERVILLE and MARTIN worked really hard at closing down the "; newsArray[6][1] += "opposition, as indeed did the whole team with ROBINSON and GODLEY bossing the midfield whilst "; newsArray[6][1] += "the rejuvenated WOMERSLEY was buzzing around to great effect on the flank whilst on the opposite "; newsArray[6][1] += "wing EVANS showed a great burst of pace when given the opportunity. The defence played really "; newsArray[6][1] += "strongly, with a confident commanding display from HOYLE in nets whilst ALLOTT and JESSOP looked "; newsArray[6][1] += "really solid in the middle. Upperthong are very strong on the flanks with talented players in Wilson "; newsArray[6][1] += "and Holton but full-backs RAMMELL and LORD ensured that little threat came from either flank."; newsArray[6][1] += "
"; newsArray[6][1] += "It was Lepton who had the bulk of the chances in the first half and the one they did take was a "; newsArray[6][1] += "tremendous goal. Good work from SOMMERVILLE and MARTIN took the ball from the Lepton penalty area "; newsArray[6][1] += "into the Upperthong half whereupon Josh WOMERSLEY sprung into action. Taking the ball a few yards "; newsArray[6][1] += "off the touchline, he weaved his way across the pitch on a diagonal run before pulling the ball "; newsArray[6][1] += "back from beyond the far post to beat the Upperthong keeper convincingly. A really great finish from Josh."; newsArray[6][1] += "
"; newsArray[6][1] += "Lepton continued to dominate proceedings but perhaps did not take enough shots for all the play they had. "; newsArray[6][1] += "MARTIN went close with a shot from just outside the box but just on half-time whistle, literally seconds "; newsArray[6][1] += "before thw whistle for the break went, Upperthong mounted a rare attack and equalised. A sickening blow "; newsArray[6][1] += "for Lepton who had bossed the half to be pegged back."; newsArray[6][1] += "
"; newsArray[6][1] += "For the second half, reinforcements arrived in the shape of BEER, CLARKE and LIGHTOWLERS with the latter "; newsArray[6][1] += "making his debut after signing recently from Skelmanthorpe. With a side of the quality of Upperthong, who "; newsArray[6][1] += "now had the slope in their favour, it was going to be a tough half ahead. And so it proved as Upperthong "; newsArray[6][1] += "had most of the possession but Lepton defended as a team with tremendous spirit and for the most part "; newsArray[6][1] += "dealt well with the questions asked by the opposition."; newsArray[6][1] += "
"; newsArray[6][1] += "It was not one-way traffic by any means and Highlanders also did their share of pressing in the second "; newsArray[6][1] += "half. The minutes ticked slowly away and eventually the referee blew the whistle for full-time with the "; newsArray[6][1] += "score level at one apiece."; newsArray[6][1] += "
"; newsArray[6][1] += "Whilst on the balance of the game, this was a fair result, somehow one point did not seem enough reward "; newsArray[6][1] += "for such a great performance from the Lepton boys. Still this was an improvement on last season when, "; newsArray[6][1] += "especially in the away game, Lepton were the better team but ended up with nothing to show. We need to "; newsArray[6][1] += "take forward this kind of performance into other games and with this kind of showing, we will not go far wrong."; newsArray[6][1] += "
"; newsArray[6][1] += "A mention also for the parental support on the touchline - they really got behind the boys and this "; newsArray[6][1] += "really was a team effort. Every member of the team can be pleased with their contribution to our best "; newsArray[6][1] += "performance of the season so far. "; newsArray[6][1] += "
"; newsArray[6][1] += "Team : Hoyle, Lord, Rammell, Jessop, Allott, Godley, Evans, Martin (N), Sommerville, Robinson, Womersley Subs : Beer, Lightowlers, Clarke"; newsArray[6][1] += "| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 2 |
"; newsArray[7][1]+="With this being the beginning of half-term week, Highlanders were missing JESSOP, LIGHTOWLERS and "; newsArray[7][1]+="SOMMERVILLE from the team but they got off to a rapid start in the difficult conditions. A terrifically "; newsArray[7][1]+="weighted ball over the top from GODLEY set Nathan Martin free and he showed his paces to outstrip the "; newsArray[7][1]+="defence and finish coolly pass the onrushing Warley keeper."; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="So, a goal in a couple of minutes - this cracking start gave the Lepton boys some confidence and they "; newsArray[7][1]+="built on this as they dominated the early proceedings. Both WOMERSLEY and EVANS looked dangerous down "; newsArray[7][1]+="the flanks whilst ROBINSON and GODLEY worked like trojans on the centre of midfield. Warley were causing "; newsArray[7][1]+="some problems down their right flank but full-back RAMMELL stuck to his task well with excellent support "; newsArray[7][1]+="from the covering WOMERSLEY. "; newsArray[7][1]+="It was no surprise when midway through the half Lepton, playing with the advantage of the wind in the "; newsArray[7][1]+="first half extended their lead. Latching onto a pass from strike partener CLARKE, Natty MARTIN took "; newsArray[7][1]+="aim from 25 yards and beat the goalkeeper all ends up."; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="Warley had their moments and central defenders ALLOTT and BEER had to be on the alert to repel the "; newsArray[7][1]+="opposition. ALLOTT was having another tremendous game and was winning most of the aerial challenges, "; newsArray[7][1]+="he took a heavy blow to the temple on one occasion and came off dazed for a couple of minutes."; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="A few minutes before half-time, Lepton extended their lead when after a corner was only half-cleared, "; newsArray[7][1]+="Ryan CLARKE struck a crisp volley from 15 yards to give the keeper no chance. This advantage was no more "; newsArray[7][1]+="than Lepton deserved as goalkeeper HOYLE had been largely untroubled in the first half apart from at corners."; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="Into the second half and it got off to a cracking start as both teams could have scored a couple of goals "; newsArray[7][1]+="in the first 5 minutes alone. Twice Lepton managed to scramble off the line thanks to top-class covering "; newsArray[7][1]+="from LORD and BEER. Lepton were also causing the home defence some problems with the pace of CLARKE and MARTIN "; newsArray[7][1]+="whilst ROBINSON and GODLEY both went close with efforts from outside the box."; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="Then came a penalty for Warley as the ball came down from a height and rolled onto WOMERSLEY's arm. "; newsArray[7][1]+="A harsh decision perhaps as there had been absolutely no intent but a penalty was the decision. However, "; newsArray[7][1]+="it was a poorly struck penalty which gave HOYLE the chance to smother. HOYLE was showing his prowess at "; newsArray[7][1]+="this stage as he needed to be at his best to keep out Warley who had their tails up at this stage."; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="A few minutes later Warley were back in the game in controversial circumstances as HOYLE appeared "; newsArray[7][1]+="to be bundled into in an aerial challenge and then the referee adjudged the ball to have crossed the "; newsArray[7][1]+="line. The Lepton team to a man were adamant that the ball had not crossed the line but the goal stood."; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="By this stage, matters were getting a little heated on the pitch with some strong challenges from both "; newsArray[7][1]+="sides and tempers becoming a little frayed. Josh WOMERSLEY had to come off midway through the second-half, "; newsArray[7][1]+="victim of a heavy challenge. Warley then got a second goal back with the ball tucked in by their "; newsArray[7][1]+="left-winger to reduce the deficit to a single goal. "; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="However, Lepton were still looking very dangerous on the break and went close on a number of occasions. "; newsArray[7][1]+="They managed to see out the last few minutes as the game continued to 'simmer' away and it was a great "; newsArray[7][1]+="relief when the referee blew for full-time. Whilst the winning margin was only a single goal, Lepton "; newsArray[7][1]+="were worthy winners on the day and thoroughly deserved their first 3 pointer of the season as they "; newsArray[7][1]+="turned round the result from just a few weeks ago when Warley had triumphed at Lepton. It was great "; newsArray[7][1]+="to see the boys playing with the same commitment they had shown against Upperthong the week before – "; newsArray[7][1]+="if they carry on in this manner then the results will come for sure."; newsArray[7][1]+="
"; newsArray[7][1]+="Team : Hoyle, Lord, Rammell, Beer, Allott, Godley, Evans, Martin (N), Clarke, Robinson, Womersley| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 5 |
"; newsArray[8][1] +="Certainly in the first half, Emley belied their league standing as they gave as good as they got "; newsArray[8][1] +="against their higher league opponents and came close to scoring on more than one occasion in this "; newsArray[8][1] +="period. With many of the players from both teams attending Shelley College it was certainly a very "; newsArray[8][1] +="competitive game, particularly in the centre of midfield with plenty of hard and generally fair "; newsArray[8][1] +="tackles going in from both sides. "; newsArray[8][1] +="
"; newsArray[8][1] +="After a slightly sluggish start Highlanders gradually started to impose themselves and took the "; newsArray[8][1] +="lead midway through the half when from a WOMERSLEY corner, the ball broke in the box for the "; newsArray[8][1] +="art-poacher himself, skipper Ben ROBINSON, to turn and fire in the first goal. Despite this setback, "; newsArray[8][1] +="Emley continued to play their part in the game and Lepton keeper HOYLE had to be alert on those "; newsArray[8][1] +="occasions when Emley threatened to break through."; newsArray[8][1] +="
"; newsArray[8][1] +="So, at the halfway point the game was still wide open but Lepton effectively sealed the game in the "; newsArray[8][1] +="opening exchanges of the second half. Almost from the kick-off, GODLEY, who gave another inspired "; newsArray[8][1] +="performance in midfield, went on a driving run from his own half before releasing MARTIN whose shot "; newsArray[8][1] +="beat the keeper and was followed in by fellow-striker CLARKE to make sure . Soon after, ALLOTT picked "; newsArray[8][1] +="up the ball well inside his own half and embarked on another tremendous run before finding WOMERSLEY "; newsArray[8][1] +="on the left-hand edge of the area and our little winger notched his second of the season in good style. "; newsArray[8][1] +="Certainly, ALLOTT's ability to run with the ball is a great asset and he is very difficult to stop when in full flight."; newsArray[8][1] +="
"; newsArray[8][1] +="These two quick goals pretty much killed off the game as a contest as the Highlanders dominated the "; newsArray[8][1] +="second half with some really good interplay as the confidence flowed through the team. Next goal to "; newsArray[8][1] +="arrive was another from WOMERSLEY as this time it was Will LORD who make good progress down the right "; newsArray[8][1] +="flank. LORD and GORING were enjoying a productive partnership on the right flank at this time. LORD "; newsArray[8][1] +="was again heavily involved in the next goal which resulted in a sharp turn and finish from the edge of the "; newsArray[8][1] +="area by Joe SOMMERVILLE."; newsArray[8][1] +="
"; newsArray[8][1] +="In fairness to Emley, they never gave up despite the Highlanders superior strength showing through in the "; newsArray[8][1] +="second period. Emley's endeavours were rewarded when they pulled a goal back 10 minutes from time to deny the "; newsArray[8][1] +="Highlanders a clean sheet."; newsArray[8][1] +="
"; newsArray[8][1] +="Howver, the scoring was not quite complete as another slick Highlanders move ended in WOMERSLEY being brought "; newsArray[8][1] +="down as he made inroads in the box. It was WOMERSLEY himself, who having dusted himself down, took the "; newsArray[8][1] +="resultant penalty to complete a well-merited hat-trick for a player who has really hit the heights - if "; newsArray[8][1] +="Josh ever could be described as hitting the heights - with his performances this season."; newsArray[8][1] +="
"; newsArray[8][1] +="So, ultimately a fairly comfortable win for Lepton as they continued their recent good form. However, "; newsArray[8][1] +="fair dues to Emley for their spirited display particularly in the first half of the match. Bit it will "; newsArray[8][1] +="be the Lepton boys who will have bragging rights when they go to school the next morning!"; newsArray[8][1] +="
"; newsArray[8][1] +="Team : Hoyle, Lord, Rammell, Jessop, Allott, Godley, Evans, Martin (N), Clarke, Robinson, Womersley