The Pumas played Scholemoor on Sunday at home. Scholemoor are currently top of the league, winning all except for one draw, so the Pumas were facing a tough challenge. In very windy conditions, the Pumas played well but found it difficult to keep the ball moving forward as they faced a Scholemoor side that passed the ball well and often got behind the Pumas defence to create goal scoring opportunities. George Batty bravely collected the ball from the Scholemoor attackers and made some fine saves, but towards the end of the first half was unable to stop two well crafted goals from Scholemoor.

Facing the wind in the second half, the Pumas were put under increasing pressure from Scholemoor who used the wind to their advantage to score four further goals. It wasn’t all one way traffic as the Pumas battled hard to create chances with some fine individual skill from Sam McDonald and Thomas Bouchard especially towards the end of the game, but were unfortunately unable to score.

Although the final score was 6 -0, the Pumas did well against a very good Scholemoor side who showed with skill why they hold the top spot. The score could have been higher except for the team spirit and determination showed by all the Pumas.

14th March 2010
Myrtle Park   1-7   Pool Pumas

The Pool Pumas played Myrtle Park on Sunday. Although Myrtle Park are currently bottom of the league, they started well and prevented the Pumas from playing as well as they can. After a slow start the Pumas got going from the second period of the first half with good attacking moves and were unlucky not to score. Eventually a fine cross allowed Tom Dymond Brook to have time and space to put a well placed ball beyond the stretching Myrtle Park goal keeper.

Further pressure from the Pumas enabled Sam McDonald to make a run with only the goal keeper to beat but was brought down by a bad tackle from a lunge by a defender from behind Sam inside the penalty box, injuring Sam. Unfortunately the only person who did not think it was a penalty was the referee. Half time soon appeared with the Pumas leading one nil. (The Myrtle Park manager subsequently advised that he had told the referee that his penalty decision was wrong and that he had made a very bad judgement)

The second half started very well for the Pumas with immediate pressure on the Myrtle Park goal. Although defended well and only cleared to the oncoming Pumas defence, Daniel Greenwood produced a fine long range shot dipping over the goal keeper into the top left hand corner of the net. Myrtle Park responded well and created through some fine passing a well taken goal. From then on the Pumas did not look back creating many goal scoring opportunities. These were taken by most of the Pumas team, including the defence. Freddie Clarke took a great long distance shot at goal but was only beaten by the post. Towards the end of the match, positions were rearranged to allow the defenders to attack and the attackers to defend. From the last corner of the match, George Tyrell went forward and was rewarded with his first ever goal for the Pumas with a well placed side foot shot into the centre of the net.

The final score was 7 – 1 to the Pumas who played well especially in the second half, and could have scored many more. Myrtle Park were a stronger team than expected and did themselves justice by creating the Pumas many problems in the first half.

The Scorers were (in no particular order):

Tom Dymond Brook 1
Daniel Greenwood 1
Thomas Bouchard 1
Sam McDonald 1
Matty Llwellyn 1
George Robinson 1
George Tyrell 1

(Note! The only players not to score were George Batty and Freddie Clarke, both taking spells in goal.)

The Pumas played Burley B away on Sunday. In another good game, the Pumas were placed under pressure right from the first whistle but with some strong defending they were able to minimise Burley’s attacks and were able to produce some fine counter attacks. The Pumas were rewarded with a well taken goal by Sam Mc Donald about 10 minutes into the game. Good play by the Pumas mid-field kept the game going forward and helped out well to defend when necessary helping to limit the opportunities available to Burley. By playing some good passing moves, the Pumas created more scoring opportunities and took another four by half time, two by George Robinson and two by Sam McDonald. Unfortunately Tom Dymond Brook took a bad tumble late in the half, badly twisting his knee, side lining him for the remainder of the game.

Burley B started the second half very strongly and this caught the Pumas off guard. It took some fine goal keeping and some frantic goal mouth scrambles to deny Burley B from scoring. It was mostly on way traffic for most of the first period of the half but the Pumas got going following a substitution and were able to make some more probing attacks. However, more pressure from Burley resulted in them getting a well deserved goal. The Pumas carried on going forward and were able through Sam McDonald to score another goal. Further efforts by Matty Llwellyn and Thomas Bouchard were blocked by some fine defending and goal keeping by Burley. Daniel Greenwood also made some good attacking moves to help ease the pressure off the Pumas defence.

The final score was 6 -1 to the Pumas who deserved their win. This was a good result having played Burley twice before, losing one game 3-2 and drawing the other 3-3.

Goal scorers:

Sam McDonald 4
George Robinson 2

28th February 2010

The Pumas played top of the league Scholemoor on Sunday. As expected Scholemoor were very tough opposition, but the Pumas played well taking the game to Scholemoor with some good attacking moves, resulting in opportunities for Tom Dymond Brook and George Robinson, and excellent defending by James Humphries, Daniel Greenwood and George Tyrell . They were eventually rewarded by an excellent goal headed in by Matty Llwellyn from a great corner by Sam McDonald mid way through the first half.

Unsurprisingly, Scholemoor made even more attacks but the Pumas resisted well and continued to attack. Sam McDonald was unfortunate not to score the Pumas second with a well struck shot towards the top corner which was well saved by Scholemoor’s keeper. About 5 minutes towards the end of the half Scholemoor took a well taken goal. Honours even at half time.

The second half started a little slowly for the Pumas, but defended well and eventually got going with attacks on goal. Thomas Bouchard was unlucky not to score with a shot rising over the cross bar. Scholemoor started to take control the mid field especially from goal kicks. They were also to capitalise better on the break on three occasions allowing them to score. Even though the Pumas were losing, their spirit remained and continued to attack. Thomas Bouchard was able to place the ball low into the corner past an approaching keeper following a good pass.

It was an excellent game of football with the Pumas a bit unlucky not to get more out of the game, but were beaten by a better team on the day. All the Pumas had an excellent game with good passing, good individual skill, excellent tackling and determination. All contributed fantastically to both the attacking and defending aspects of the game.

Pumas Scorers:-

Matty Llwellyn 1
Thomas Bouchard 1