FOOTBALL- GAMEWEEK 1

Mixed start for CHS including emphatic victory for Year 9

This week saw the opening week of the football season for most CHS teams with Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 starting their season and year 11 playing their first league game following last week’s cup victory.

Having beaten Alsager 5-1 at home last season CHS’ year 8 were hoping for a similar scoreline from their opening match of the season. Year 8 had a very successful season last year which saw them win their league.  Within 5 minutes it looked like it could be another successful season when Finley Jackson’s superb half volley, from outside of the area, went over the keeper's head into the top corner. 1-0 CHS. CHS looked a real threat every time they attacked. Finley Noakes’ shot from the edge of the area needed a good save from Alsager’s full stretched keeper to deny CHS extending their lead. Then it was the post who denied CHS after Logan Clowes rounded the keeper. Those chances would have put clean air between the two teams and CHS could have done with it as a perfect through ball split the defence and Josh Riley’s strong hand could not stop the ball from dipping underneath the crossbar to level the score at half-time. 1-1. Whatever Mr de Souza said at half-time seemed to do the trick as CHS looked much improved in the second half and were lucky not to have taken the lead again when Finley Jackson saw his shot drift just over from just outside the 6 yard box . CHS were then awarded a free-kick 30 yards out. Mr de Souza made the call that Jackson would take the free-kick. It proved the right choice as Jackson saw his  goal bound free-kick deflected off a head into the back of the net. 2-0 CHS. I am sure Jackson will claim it as his. Two brilliant goals from Jackson looked like they would be the difference and see CHS take all 3 points but the post had other ideas as a shot from the outside the area struck the foot of the post which diverted the ball across the goal face before crossing the line and finishing in the opposite bottom corner. This bit of luck meant that CHS had to share the points with Alsager after it finished 2-2.

The new year 7’s triumphed in their first match at high school when they impressively beat Tytherington 4-1 yesterday. But, they found out tonight that it isn’t always that easy when they lost 5-2 to Alsager. It looked like CHS were going to carry on their winning ways when Josh Clowes put CHS in front in the opening minutes. CHS' lead was doubled before half-time but CHS might have seen themselves as a little fortunate to lead by two at the interval. Perhaps playing two games in two days was a little too much for the new boys as they conceded 5 goals in the second half to experience their first defeat as a team. However, I am sure there will be many more victories to come for them.

Meanwhile, year 9 or the “Year 9 Dream Team” as manager Mr French called them after the game, were emphatic victors in an 8-2 win over Alsager. Evan Corless obviously was wearing his goal scoring boots as he scored 4 and Bradley Oliver and James Reid scored a brace each. From CHS’ performance this scoreline could become a normality!

Year 11 were back in action yesterday following their 3-1 victory in the cup last week. But after leading 1-0 at the break thanks to Max Berkeley CHS couldn’t see out the match and saw Alsager score two before the final-whistle.

Written by Adam Bailey