Today's postponement

Just apologising for the late postponement of today's match against Parkhall. At 1pm following a phone call to the opposition, the match was on.

At 1.45pm I received a message that they would be unable to come. Hopefully this match will be rearranged, but if the deadline for completing matches is still Easter, AFC TPS will be claiming the points.

Thursday's match away to St. Joseph's in Antrim is still on, as is Friday's against Straid at home.

Thanks for your understanding, hope the late notice was not too much bother.

onwards and upwards
Mr Alcorn
director of football
AFC TPS

Season's stats (10)

Following delicate negotiations, the executive committee of AFC TPS has ruled that the final score in the recent victory was 12-2.

AFC TPS records have been amended to show the following :

most goals in a game : 12
largest margin of victory : 10

most goals in a game by one player remains at 7.

Michael has now been credited with 3 goals in the 12-2 game, an increase of one on the previously reported total.

Can everyone now please leave me alone and stop nagging?

Thank you!

PLEASE NOTE : these records are all there to be broken!

The season's stats now show

Antrim Area 11 a side league

P2 W1 D1 L0 F7 A4 Pts 4

Antrim Area 5 a side tournament

P4 W2 D0 L2 F11 A 8 Pts 6

Ballyclare & District 7 a side league

P4 W3 D0 L1 F27 A 10 Pts 9

Friendlies

P3 W2 D0 L1 F9 A 3 Pts 6

Overall

P13 W8 D1 L4 F54 A 25 Pts 25

Scorers

Daniel D : 17
Michael : 14

Adam M : 8

Gerard : 8

Brook : 5

Adam I : 1

Jordan : 1

Player of the match

Daniel D : 3

Gerard : 2

Michael : 2

Brook 1
Jack : 1

Jordan : 1

Philip : 1

I hope it is clear to all that while attack is always the best form of defence, as shown by an amazing total of 54 goals in 13 games, we still need to tighten up at the back, as we are leaking almost two goals per game.

Onwards and upwards
Mr Alcorn
director of football
AFC TPS

Thompson PS 2 AFC TPS 11*

AFC TPS came out with all guns blazing today, with captain Jack having won the toss and elected to play down the hill in the first half.

Within 20 seconds Daniel had put his team ahead, and in a half in which AFC TPS put their downhill advantage to good use, he added 5 more goals, with Brook adding one of his own.

The second half was a different story, with Thompson showing they knew their hill very well themselves. They pulled one back early in the half, and while AFC TPS came back with four of their own, 2 (*) from Michael, one from Adam, and a beautiful lob from Daniel, it was Thompson who had the final say with a goal in the dying seconds.

This match broke several records for AFC TPS. Firstly it was our highest winning margin (9 goals*), secondly it represented the most goals scored in one match (11*) and finally it also represented the most goals in a match by one player (7 by Daniel).

We have now played all the teams in our group. To qualify, we must ensure that we beat them all again in the return fixtures, which must be completed by the Easter break.

Thanks again to the many parents who have turned out to support us, not just in this match, but throughout the season. We intend to keep you cheering!

(you may have noticed some little stars* in this report. There is a little confusion over the exact score and scorers, it may have been 12. We shall have a team meeting on Monday and sort this out.)

Onwards and upwards.
Mr Alcorn
director of football
AFC TPS

Season's stats (9)

Antrim Area 11 a side league

P2 W1 D1 L0 F7 A4 Pts 4

Antrim Area 5 a side tournament

P4 W2 D0 L2 F11 A 8 Pts 6

Ballyclare & District 7 a side league

P3 W2 D0 L1 F15 A 8 Pts 6

Friendlies

P3 W2 D0 L1 F9 A 3 Pts 6

Overall

P12 W7 D1 L4 F42 A 23 Pts 22

Scorers

Michael : 11

Daniel D : 10

Gerard : 8

Adam M : 7

Brook : 4

Adam I : 1

Jordan : 1

Player of the match

Daniel D : 2

Gerard : 2

Michael : 2

Brook 1
Jack : 1

Jordan : 1

Philip : 1

AFC TPS 4 Straid 2

AFC TPS director of football Mr Alcorn tried out a new formation today against Straid and watched in horror as Straid took an early but well deserved lead with a great finish from a corner. AFC TPS had already had several chances before they went behind and they fought back quickly to level at 1-1 with a goal by Brook from a corner of their own. The horror show coninued however as Straid almost immediately regained the advantage to lead 2-1 as half time approached. However just before the interval captain Michael got his team back on level terms with a super header from yet another corner.

Mr Alcorn abandoned his bold 2-3-1 experimental formation at half time, reverting to the more familiar 2-2-2. If he had had any tea cups handy, he may have thrown a few of them around the dressing room, if there had also been a dressing room to hand. Lucky for the players that there was neither a dressing room nor any tea cups about. He did however deliver the first "rocket" of the season as he told the team in no uncertain terms that the first half performance was quite simply not acceptable. He asked if the team believed they were good enough to make up for their early showing and asked them to go out and prove it.

And prove it they did!

Out they came with Jonny taking over in nets and Matthew and Jack taking up the defensive duties. Straid continued to press throughout the half, with their outstanding captain - possibly the best visiting player we have been up against this season - instrumental in most of their moves. However they found it much harder to break down the AFC TPS defence, and with Michael continuing to urge his team on, AFC TPS got the goal that put them in front for the first time in the match. It came from - yes - another corner, with Brook swinging it in dangerously from the left. It may have taken a touch off a defender on the way in, but Brook claimed it immediately, and after the controversial goals panel had viewed the evidence, it was awarded to him.

AFC TPS kept it tight in defence and began at last to string a few moves together, with a quick break resulting in a fourth goal from Daniel D to give the team a bit of breathing space. Straid continued to play good football, but their balls into the box were expertly - and occasionally desperately - dealt with, as AFC TPS ran out 4-2 winners in the end.

Straid will be back again later in the season and will be full of confidence that they can turn today's result around. We must play like we did in the second half if we hope to get another 3 points off them.

Lessons have been learnt today - both by the director of football and the players. The director of football will stick to tried and trusted formations from now on, and the players will show the pride and determination that they showed to drag themselves back into this game - AT ALL TIMES!

A tough call for player of the match today, with Michael's sweetly headed goal being the only highlight of a disappointing first half for AFC TPS. However, when the three defensive substitutions were made at half time, the whole team looked much more solid and seemed to gain in confidence. Player of the match therefore goes to Jack who never lost his man for one moment during his time on the pitch and made some vital tackles. Well done Jack! And well done everyone for battling back and showing what you are ALL made of.

Onwards and upwards

Mr Alcorn

director of football

AFC TPS

Season stats (8)

Antrim Area 11 a side league

P2 W1 D1 L0 F7 A4 Pts 4

Antrim Area 5 a side tournament

P4 W2 D0 L2 F11 A 8 Pts 6

Ballyclare & District 7 a side league

P2 W1 D0 L1 F11 A 6 Pts 3

Friendlies

P3 W2 D0 L1 F9 A 3 Pts 6

Overall

P11 W6 D1 L4 F38 A 21 Pts 19

Scorers

Michael : 10

Daniel D : 9

Gerard : 8

Adam M : 7

Brook : 2

Adam I : 1

Jordan : 1

Player of the match

Daniel D : 2

Gerard : 2

Michael : 2

Brook 1

Jordan : 1

Philip : 1

5 a side results

AFC TPS took part in the Antrim Area 5 a side tournament today. For the third year in a row, we were knocked out at the semi final stage, having also been beaten in the group stage by eventual winners Parkhall.

This was a very young AFC TPS team today, with 4 of the 6 players on duty in P5 or P6. I am sure these players are already looking forward to improving on this performance next year - if selected!

The results were as follows :

AFC TPS 4 Crumlin PS 0

(Michael 2, Daniel, Gerard)

AFC TPS 6 Round Tower PS 2

(Gerard 3, Michael, Brook, Adam)

AFC TPS 0 Parkhall PS 2

semi final : AFC TPS 1 Antrim PS 4

(Brook)

The team were well organised today, and the concentration was good, but they learned just how important the first goal is in these short matches. A little more aggression - and to be honest just a little more luck - and things could have been very different. I didn't think we did very much wrong, Johnny kept us in the matches with some great saves, but sometimes it just isn't your day, and today was one of those days!

Very hard to decide on the player of the tournament, so I will split it for the first time this season. Gerard gets the nod for his great goals and composure, and he shares it with Michael for his non stop determination, and his goals as well!

Onwards and upwards

Mr Alcorn

director of football

AFC TPS