BASKETBALL: CONGLETON HIGH SCHOOL v HELSBY HIGH SCHOOL- 23rd October

Basketball: Congleton High School 47-93 Helsby High School

Congleton High School’s basketball team produced a valiant effort but fell to a 47-93 defeat to one of the best teams in the country in their first game in the England Basketball Dynamik National Schools Competition.

It was always going to be a tough test for CHS with Helsby reaching the semi-final’s of the national competition last year, losing to the eventual winners. The Helsby side also featured players who play for England and at a national league standard.

Helsby took the lead after just five seconds after successfully dispatching their two free-throws following a foul by CHS in the key and from this moment the away side were in total control. After twelve unanswered Helsby points, baskets from Matthew Finley and Jay McAleer put Congleton on the scoreboard. Helsby extended their lead to 22-4 at one stage but a basket and a free-throw from McAleer and a basket from Isaac Owen saw CHS’ deficit shorten to 24-9 after the first-quarter.

CHS managed to add just eight points to their total in the second quarter, compared to Helsby’s 33 points. Alfie Stone and Jay McAleer each scored a basket in the first half of the second quarter, but luck was against Congleton. Matthew Finley’s two free-throws hit the rim before CHS’ captain’s lay-up circled the rim and bounced down into the arms of Helsby’s defence. Jay McAleer then saw his lay-up go across the back of the hoop, after he did brilliantly to weave around the Helsby defence inside the key. However, CHS’ perseverance paid off as McAleer scored two baskets in the concluding minutes of the second quarter to make the score 17-57 at half-time.

Although Congleton had a mountain to climb, in true CHS spirit they were not going to give up without a fight and in the first minute of the third quarter Matt Jones shortened the deficit rounding off a great move by CHS. Jones scored three, Finley two and Alfie Stone, Harry Holland, Lewis Bent and Jay McAleer all scored baskets for CHS in what was a tight and end-to-end penultimate quarter. Helsby narrowly won the quarter 22-18, which gave last year’s semi-finalists a 79-35 lead heading into the final quarter.

Helsby added just four points to their total in the final quarter, whereas CHS added twelve to win the second-half by 34 points to 22. Matt Jones scored a basket in the early stages of the quarter before CHS enjoyed their best spell of the match, scoring five unanswered baskets. Alfie Stone scored three and Jay McAleer scored two to see CHS shorten the final deficit to 47-93.

Congleton High School principal and basketball coach Mr Hermitt said:

“I am very, very proud of the attitude of our players, they conducted themselves well, they worked hard, they didn’t stop running and despite coming up against a quality team they were able to maintain in the second-half a virtually even game.”

Written by Adam Bailey

THE CONGLETON COLLEGE FOOTBALL ACADEMY 4-4 STOCKPORT COLLEGE

The Congleton College 4-4 Stockport College

 

 The Congleton College produced a thrilling comeback to earn a hard-fought point after a 4-4 home draw with Stockport College.
 

The newly formed college have only been offering the BTEC Level Three diploma in Performance and Exercise course since September and they showed great character recovering from two goals behind on two occasions to gain their second point of the campaign.
 

Stockport took the lead after just five minutes when Kyle Clarke lifted the ball over Congleton goalkeeper Hallam Carslake from close-range.
 

Congleton came close to equalising in the 11^th minute after Liam Evans jumped the highest from Daniel Needham’s corner, but his header struck the foot of the post. The Bears continued to get into good positions but struggled to apply the cutting edge required.
 

The visitors doubled their lead halfway through the first half after Jack Fitzpatrick received a pass from a free kick and the Stockport midfielder half-volleyed the ball beyond Carslake at the near post.
 

Reece Carbutt showed great composure to pull a goal back for Congleton in the 27^th minute, sliding the ball across the goalkeeper and into the bottom right corner.
 

The Bears continued to press as they looked to go into half-time level and Stockport’s goalkeeper had to be on top form to maintain the Hatter’s advantage at the break. Ellis Connor-Davies was at full stretch to deny Daniel Needham, before the goalkeeper tipped Carbutt’s rising shot over the crossbar. Connor-Davies denied Congleton an equaliser again after he palmed the ball around the post with the last action of the first-half.

 

It was a slow start to the second-half and it took until the hour-mark before either goalkeeper was tested. Daniel Needham fired straight into the arms of Connor-Davies from close-range.

 

Congleton drew back level in the 67^th minute after Needham squared the ball to Reece Carbutt inside the area. Carbutt’s powerful shot produced a world class save from the Stockport goalkeeper, but Liam Evans bundled in the rebound to equalise.
 

Stockport scored two goals in the space of four minutes, leaving Congleton with a mountain to climb with only five minutes left of the match.
 

It looked like there would be no way back for Congleton, however, Liam Evans gave the Bears hope with four minutes to play. His curling free-kick found the bottom right corner after beating both the wall and goalkeeper.
 

A minute after the restart Congleton drew level, when George Archer scored from an acute angle to earn the college a hard-fought but deserved point.
 

Manager, Mr Donnelly said: “We have seen an improvement in each game this season. We were by far the better team; we dominated possession and played some great football in the process. The players were not satisfied with the draw, we wanted to win, which is a great attitude from the players, but I still think we need that win which the players deserve.”
 

Congleton College: Carslake, Laird, O’Gara, Guillon, Knapper, Archer, Reed, Evans, Hooper, Carbutt, Needham.
 

Written by Adam Bailey

THE CONGLETON COLLEGE FOOTBALL ACADEMY 2-2 THE ELITE ACADEMY- 7th October

The Congleton College gain first point of the season

The Congleton College gained their first point of the season in a 2-2 draw with The Elite Academy. The college have only been offering the BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Performance and Excellence course since September and the match on Wednesday was their first home match in the English Colleges category three league.

Congleton started well and took the lead in just the eighth minute following a quick break. Adam McHale received the ball on the left wing; a great first touch saw him go around one of Elite’s players, before he picked out Daniel Needham in the box. Needham produced a clinical finish, beyond the goalkeeper and into the right corner of the net.

It took 15 minutes until Hallam Carslake was tested in the Congleton goal. Carslake had to be alert to turn Elite’s shot around the post before the side from Liverpool hit the woodwork with a free-kick four minutes later.

Congleton continued to press as they looked to increase their lead. Needham saw his half-volley sail just wide of the far post from the left edge of the area.  Needham had another chance minutes later after he twisted and turned around four defenders but his shot was easily gathered by the Elite goalkeeper. Elite’s number one then had to make two good saves to stop Congleton extending their lead further on the half-hour mark.

At one goal behind, Elite were still very much in the match and Carslake produced a brilliant reflex save to deflect the ball with his legs behind for a corner. From the corner, Elite hit the upright at the near post. Congleton held firm and had a deserved one-nil advantage at the break.

The Elite Academy equalised ten minutes into the second-half. A long ball over the top of the defence fell to the striker, who appeared to be in an offside position, he rounded Carslake and his shot hit the inside of the post and bounced in.

Both sides struggled to create any real goal scoring chances after the equaliser.  Reece Carbutt went closest for Congleton with his shot from outside the area producing a fine diving save from Elite’s goalkeeper.

However, a moment of quality restored Congleton’s lead with 15 minutes left on the clock. Daniel Needham produced a great finish to score his and Congleton’s second goal of the match. He controlled the ball before firing into the roof of the net, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance of saving it.

It looked like Needham’s fifth goal of the season would be enough for Congleton to record their first ever win, however the Elite Academy equalised with just two minutes left. Carslake produced a great save to deny Elite’s striker from point blank range, but another Elite player reacted quickest to the rebound to poke the ball into the net to deny Congleton victory.

The side is still learning and adapting to college football, with the course in its first year. However, despite failing to record a win in their opening three matches, they have more than held their own and have been competitive in each game, with narrow defeats away to Macclesfield Academy (4-3) and Egerton (1-0).

Manager Mr Donnelly said after the match: “I think it is our best performance of the season. We could quite easily be at the top of the league with nine points or have no points at all. It has been fine margins but I am pleased with how we have been very competitive in each match.”

Congleton College: Carslake, Laird (Chadwick 45), O’Gara, Guillon, Lynn (Knapper 59), Reed, Evans, Archer, Hooper, McHale (Carbutt 45), Needham.

Written by Adam Bailey