BAC/EE v Ladybridge Pumas

Following our hard fought narrow victory at home against early season front runners BAC both clubs were licking their lips in eager anticipation of this return match. Conditions were perfect on a crisp, cold, calm morning with the game being played on a large flat pitch.

Pumas lined up with Conor, Caleb, Callum, Sam, Lewis, Ben, Jack, Tom, Robert, Dion and Elliot. Eddie was on the bench together with Tyler who was unlikely to be able to be called on because of a painful knee problem.
Pumas kicked off and were immediately on the attack, winning a couple of challenges. The ball was cleared out of BAC's penalty area to Elliot on the edge of the area. He spotted the BAC keeper off his line and hit the ball first time into the top of the net for what must rank as the quickest goal of the season after only 25 seconds! Very quick thinking and a great opportunist goal. 0 - 1.
This early goal allowed the Pumas to settle into a nice rhythm and they enjoyed a high percentage of possession for the next ten minutes looking especially strong down the left. BAC's defence and especially their keeper were working hard to keep the Pumas forwards at bay and Conor only got his first touch of the ball after 11 mins. Ben and Lewis were feeding some lovely through balls for Dion to run on to and he used his pace to good effect to create several one on one situations with their keeper who was up to the job every time, coming off his line quickly and bravely to smother the attempts. Jack and Elliot were backing up well ready to pounce on any fumbles which never came.
Robert was looking increasingly confident down the right wing and was beating defenders consistently with his dribbling skills. He made a lovely cross which was skilfully cut out by the keeper when it looked like Jack would have an open goal at his mercy. All of this possession and attacking meant that the game was being played in BAC's half of the pitch with the result that Pumas could be vulnerable to a long ball down the middle. Sam and Caleb were alert to this kind of danger and dealt with these situations with coolness and skill. Tom was also called on and made some timely powerful clearances.
Pumas won several corners on the right over the course of a few minutes and each time Jack delivered the ball right into the heart of the 6 yard box but on each occasion no Pumas forward could get a boot or head on the ball and each time BAC were able to scramble the ball clear. From one such clearance after 22 mins the ball was booted upfield for Conor to be faced with a one on one which he dealt with very competently having had little action. Another Pumas corner led to a goalmouth scramble which looked certain to result in a goal till the ball was hooked over the bar from short range. Just before half time a snap shot by BAC from 30 yards out on the left tested Conor's alertness and he saved well.
Half Time 0 - 1

With Eddie starting for Robert the second half started as the first had ended with a breakaway by BAC again testing Conor. A scrappy period followed with Pumas struggling to keep possession or create any significant chances. After 36 mins a half clearance by Pumas defence came to a BAC player fully 35 yards from goal. He punted it straight back with great power and the ball flew over the crowded penalty area and Conor's outstretched arms for a shock goal completely against the run of play. 1 - 1
This set-back seemed to put more determination into the Pumas play as they continued to dominate their opponents. Ben was a powerhouse in mid-field breaking up attacks and creating attacking raids. Dion's speed and control were causing havoc and he and Elliot combined well after 43 mins to set up a chance which Elliot took by coolly sliding the ball past the BAC keeper with the outside of his boot. 1 - 2
Further chances fell to both sides as BAC tried to step up their efforts for an equaliser. Scrappy play at the edge of the Pumas area saw the final shot going just over the bar and then both Lewis and Ben had long range shots. A dangerous BAC break down the left was broken up by a brilliantly timed tackle from Sam who had been alert to the danger and had come all across the pitch to deal with the threat. Good defensive work by Callum released Eddie on a run down the right with Elliot in support looked promising until good BAC defending broke the move. BAC's dangerous looking No 11 made a great run down the left and as Conor came out to cut his angle down he slid the ball across the face of the goal but none of his forwards were backing up for what would have been a simple tap-in. The remainder of the game was played in BAC's half with Dion creating another couple of one on ones with their keeper who again excelled.

Final score BAC/EE 1 Ladybridge Pumas 2

This was an outstanding result for Pumas considering the absence of Tyler and Matt against a well organised BAC team who had high expectations before the game. The scoreline flattered BAC whose keeper had an outstanding game foiling Dion on at least five occasions when he looked certain to score. Pumas also failed to capitalise on the excellence of Jack's corner taking when two or more goals could easily have resulted from his dangerous deliveries.

Bill

Ladybridge Pumas v Penwortham St Teresas

Once again there were no reporters available for this home fixture. With the league leaders, Bamber Bridge, match postponed, it was an opportunity for the Pumas to go top of the league if they could win by more than 4 goals - a big ask, but with the Pumas recent performances, not impossible.

We didn't have to wait long for the Pumas first goal from Robert. The ball was bouncing and bobbling more than usual and the boys were struggling to keep hold of the ball. Further goals from Lewis and Elliot took the score to 3-0 when the half time whistle blew.

The second half opened with a quick goal from Dion, followed 10 minutes later by 2nd goals from both Robert and Elliot to take the score to 6-0. PST managed to break away and have their first real shot at goal which went high out of Conor's reach into the back of the net to make it 6-1. A further 2 goals from Elliot and a well earned goal from Jack took the score to 9-1 when the final whistle blew. The Pumas had many other chances to score during the game which the PST goalkeeper did well to save.

A great result from the Pumas to put them top of the league for the first time - well done boys!

Ladybridge Pumas v Cadley

Unfortunately there were no reporters available for this home fixture on a sunny morning on a fairly wet pitch.

A couple of cracking goals from the Pumas in the first half with Jack scoring the first and Tyler the 2nd. Many more chances from both teams in the first half with good defending and good keeper skills from both sides. The second half was end to end football and another goal from Dion late on, took the score to 3-0 and it looked like a clean sheet for the Pumas until the last kick of the ball, well into injury time, beat Conor for the final score of 3-1.

Well done Pumas!

Baby sister for Sam

Congratulations to the Baird family on the safe arrival of a baby girl Ava Rose on Wednesday 4th November

From all your friends at Ladybridge Pumas

Ladybridge Pumas v BAC/EE Preston

This was the most eagerly awaited game so far this season between the two undefeated table-toppers. Could Pumas' solid defence (4 goals conceded in 3 games) hold out against BAC's prolific attack (21 goals scored in 3 games)? A good crowd turned out on a cold autumn morning to watch this intriguing encounter.
Pumas had a full strength squad with Tyler back from injury and the starting line up was:- Conor, Caleb, Matt, Callum, Sam, Ben, Lewis, Robert, Jack, Dion and Tyler. Eddie, Tom and Elliot were on the bench at the start.
The first half started with Pumas playing up the slight slope and the early exchanges were a bit scrappy. Ben looked dominant in mid-field and after 4mins he fed a lovely ball through to Robert on the right wing which BAC's defence did well to smother. Then Robert and Dion combined well on the right flank to force a corner taken expertly by Jack who has the ability to put the ball in the danger zone every time. After 6mins Dion was released by a great through ball from Lewis and he used his pace to beat the challenging defender but his shot went just wide. BAC weren't able to put any meaningful attacks together until after 8mins they broke down the left and the cross bounced dangerously in the Pumas penalty area and Sam had to be alert to block a powerful shot. Then seconds later BAC attacked again, this time down the right and a powerful low shot found the corner of Conor's net. 0-1.
Pumas responded positively to this set-back and played with great determination, winning most of the 50/50 challenges and working hard in every position. Tyler put pressure on BAC in their own area and skilfully set up a chance for Jack who coolly found the net after 10mins. 1-1.
Matt was busy on the left side of the pitch and was called into action to make a goal-line clearance following a BAC free kick from near the centre line. After 15mins Ben won the ball in mid-field and slotted a beautifully weighted through ball to Dion whose speed again beat the defence but the final shot was a carbon copy of his earlier attempt and went the wrong side of the post. BAC won a corner on the right which was delivered into the danger area but good work by Callum gave Matt the chance to run down the left wing and show his skills. Tyler was giving the BAC defenders a hard time and they couldn't deal with his speed and dribbling skills. After 21mins he kept possession on the BAC goal line and delivered a great pass from the left to Dion who prodded the ball home gratefully. 2-1.
Pumas were looking good at this point and were just about edging possession but BAC looked dangerous on the break and Caleb and Sam in particular had to defend desperately at times. One such break by BAC resulted in a powerful shot going just wide after 24mins and then 2mins later we saw a moment of sublime skill from a BAC forward when he took the ball on the edge of the Pumas area and in one fluid movement turned, controlled the ball and smashed it past Conor's diving fingertips. 2-2.
The final action of the first half saw Robert release Dion down the right from where, under great pressure he managed to get the ball to Tyler on the penalty spot but the defenders closed him down before he could shoot. HT 2-2.

In the second half Pumas had the advantage of the slight downhill slope and right from the kick off they played the best football of the game. Their passing and movement off the ball were excellent with the whole team contributing and working hard. This paid off after only 2mins when Robert kept possession on the right wing before turning the ball inside to Dion whose long range, high looping shot gave the keeper no chance. 3-2.
After 6mins the ball broke from the right to find Jack in space but his shot went just wide. Lewis was catching the eye with some solid work in mid-field and Sam was heavily involved, breaking up attack after attack with his trademark beautifully timed tackles and powerful heading ability. Callum and Ben were also heavily involved and were effectively controlling midfield. After 11mins Dion bravely went for a 50/50 ball and picked up a painful shin injury which meant he couldn't continue. This prompted a spurt of changes with Elliot, Tom and Eddie coming on for Dion, Matt and Robert. This could have upset Pumas rhythm but in fact they continued just as before with Jack especially rising to the occasion. He was like a terrier and his work rate and energy helped to set up several chances for himself and others.
Eddie and Elliot were also combining well down the right and forced a good save from the BAC keeper. Tom was looking comfortable at left back and after breaking up a potentially dangerous attack he fed Tyler with a good through ball which the BAC keeper had to be quick to smother. He was again called into action when Jack, having won two challenges, gave the ball to Tyler on the edge of the area. Eddie made a good run down the right and passed to Jack who crossed superbly for Elliot to head just wide. Then after 27mins Elliot reciprocated and delivered a lovely cross to Jack who saw his shot go agonisingly over the bar. With the clock ticking down to full time Pumas won three successive corners on the right each one delivered perfectly by Jack and keeping the BAC's backs under pressure. The final corner resulted in a goalmouth scramble ending in a goal kick.

Full time Ladybridge Pumas 3 BAC/EE Preston 2

The game lived up to the hype and was a great advertisement for junior football. Players on both teams showed skill, speed, courage, fitness and commitment and can be proud of their conduct. I imagine that BAC will be itching to play us at their place and unfortunately we remain in 2nd place due to Bamber Bridge's superior goal difference. This was Pumas first home game in the Premier League campaign and will be followed by several more consecutive home league fixtures. If the boys continue to work hard for each other like they did today it's hard to see anyone stopping them. Well done Pumas.

Hoole United v Ladybridge Pumas

This match against Hoole United was our third successive away fixture since the start of our Premier League campaign. A blustery day saw the lads play on a very uneven surface which made playing conditions extremely tricky for the Pumas who are used to better pitches. The Pumas starting line up was Conor, Caleb, Matt, Callum, Sam, Ben, Lewis, Robert, Jack, Dion and Eddie with Elliot on the bench. Tyler was injured and Tom was away on holiday. A bright start saw a couple of early efforts from Caleb and Robert from distance, test their keeper in the first five minutes. Hoole seemed very comfortable with the surface and coped better with the uneven bounce. Ben made a great run down the right and was unfortunate that his ball across their area was cut out well by the Hoole defence. Jack was operating down the left and was looking particularly dangerous going forward making a couple of great runs and tested the keeper with shots on both occasions. Robert was looking lively and was unlucky with a good shot saved well by their keeper on 5 minutes. Jack was like a terrier up front and was being ably assisted by his strike partner Dion whose pace was causing the Hoole defenders all sorts of problems. Hoole’s first attack of the game came after 15mins with a shot just going wide of Conor’s left hand post. Puma’s dominance territorially would surely force a goal and further efforts from Lewis, Jack and Dion kept their keeper busy. A substitution after twenty minutes saw Elliot on for Eddie and it would be a pass from Elliot that created the goal as he found Jack in space out on the right and from 15 yards out he smashed a left footed effort past their keeper for a well deserved goal. 0-1. The Pumas seemed to relax a little after the goal and their passing game started to improve. However, Hoole came forward on a couple of breaks that were effectively dealt with by Callum and Sam. Dion and Jack were looking hungry up front for another goal and a superb cross by Dion to Jack was parried well by their keeper for a corner which unfortunately didn’t come to anything. Pumas really dominated the last 10 minutes of the half with Robert and Callum looking impressive. Pumas forced another corner on 25mins which was taken by Jack which found Ben ten yards out, unfortunately his header just went over the bar. The pressure was building in the last 5 minutes of the half and the Pumas were finally rewarded with a goal when a great run and pass from a gazelle like Dion found Robert in space and he duly finished it off to make it 0-2. Matt made a fantastic run into the Hoole area with a minute of the half left but his shot was blocked bravely by a Hoole defender who was injured in the tackle. Half Time 0-2.
The first couple of minutes of the 2nd half started as the 1st ended with the Pumas dominating possession and territory. A corner taken by Jack found Elliot whose shot just went wide. However Hoole would enjoy their best spell of the match for the next 20 minutes and smart work by Sam and Caleb at the back in the early part of this period kept Hoole at bay but they threatened more as this period progressed. Dion was really unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet after a clever run and shot just went wide. Hoole pressure was still building and unfortunately Conor would have to wait a little longer for a clean sheet as Hoole scored after 45mins. The Pumas defence were unable to clear from a fairly innocuous attack. 1-2. The Pumas defence were sitting very deep and seemed to be inviting the Hoole attack on, Hoole couldn’t believe their luck. Constant pressure was eventually relieved by a fantastic darting run forward by Ben, whose snapshot went just wide. Hoole nearly drew level after 50mins when another attack ended in a shot that hit Conor’s crossbar. Pumas were really living on the edge and a goal for either team would be crucial at this stage of the match and Hoole looked more likely to get it until out of nowhere a clearance out of the Pumas defence found Jack who raced forward with just the keeper to beat. The keeper rushed out of his area and tried to push Jack off the ball, but Jack was far too smart and he swept past a despairing keeper to fire home a left footed shot into an empty net for his 2nd - superb stuff Jack. 1-3. The tide definitely turned after this goal and Robert made the game safe with a shot/cross which fooled the Hoole keeper into thinking it was going wide- wrong, it found the back of the net 1-4. The Pumas needed the 3 goal cushion as Hoole forced three late corners with minutes to go, fortunately the defence were able to cope and no damage was done. Sam ended the match with a powerful 80 yard run out of defence that typifies his determined character, unfortunately a defender eventually stopped him. I’m sure he’ll get a goal that his all round play deserves, sometime soon. The ref blew for full time shortly after Sam’s run for another away day win. Final Score 1-4.Three games played and three wins for the Pumas. A simple statement of fact but considering that all these games have been played against new opposition, away from home, it is a real achievement for the team so early in the season. Today’s game has been the most satisfying win I believe as we were pushed very hard for most of the 2nd Half when we only had a slender 1 goal advantage. Our defence looked in trouble on numerous occasions and the game could have ended a draw. Our players showed real character to have come through this period of pressure and score a couple of quick goals to kill off the opposition. Our first home game next Sunday is against the early pacesetters in the league BAC/EE, another unbeaten team that were above us only on goal difference before the start of the fixtures today.

Longridge Town v Ladybridge Pumas

Our 2nd away fixture in the Premier League was against Longridge Town. The game was played in calm bright conditions on a lush playing surface. The starting line up was Conor, Caleb, Tom, Matt, Sam, Ben, Robert, Lewis, Dion, Jack and Tyler with Elliot and Eddie on the bench. Callum was away.
A quick opening by the Pumas seemed to take LT by surprise and an effort within a minute by Dion went just wide. An opportunity then presented itself to Tyler shortly afterwards and he unleashed a fantastic shot which their keeper had no chance with 0-1.
This early goal seemed to help the lads relax and the tempo of the game was dictated by the Pumas with good early runs by Robert and Jack who combined well to create a number of openings. One of these resulted in a vicious corner taken by Jack which caused the LT defence major problems. LT occasionally ventured out of their half only to be thwarted by an industrious Sam at the back who was right on his game in the early stages. A great passage of play by the Pumas saw Jack direct a great header into the net only for it to be chalked off for an offside decision. Caleb made a rare trip out of defence to direct a shot towards goal which their keeper dealt with well. The Pumas defence looked very solid throughout the half and dealt with rare attacks from the LT forwards with ease. The 2nd Pumas goal was a real team effort with a smart pass from Caleb finding Dion who threaded an inch perfect ball through to Jack who finished the move with a clinical strike past their keeper 0-2.
Another fantastic move by the Pumas saw another effort by Jack hit the back of the net but this was disallowed for offside. Tyler was operating well out on the left wing and out of nowhere he unleashed a ferocious shot which would have beaten any keeper at this level to make it 0-3.
Pumas where in cruise control at this stage with Lewis commanding the centre of the midfield and a great through ball by him to Dion saw him make no mistake with just the keeper to beat 0-4.
Pumas at this juncture must have thought that this would be the half time score but a smart attack by LT saw a cross/shot beat Conor all ends up 1-4.
Apart from this goal the Pumas first half performance was easily the best we’ve seen this season with Sam seeming to head every ball and Jack scrapping for anything loose in the box.

Half Time 1-4
Robert and Tyler made way for Eddie and Elliot at the start of the 2nd half but this did not disrupt the Pumas game or dominance at all. Dion had an early effort disallowed for offside after a couple of minutes and the attacks kept coming with Tom and Dion linking up well to cause the LT defence all sorts of problems. Pumas defensive quartet were operating really well with Tom looking assured, Sam tackling and heading with gusto, Caleb’s positioning was a joy to behold and Matt looked comfortable in any defensive situation. The midfield was not to be outdone and a great move involving Captain fantastic Ben and Lewis saw Lewis shoot just wide. The passing at times was an absolute joy to watch and a move started by Tom found Dion in space and his inch perfect cross was met by Jack to claim his 2nd goal of the game 1-5.
Dion worked tirelessly up front and was substituted after 45 mins for a deserved rest to allow Tyler back on. A rare foray into the LT half by Matt saw him unleash an excellent effort from 30 yards which just went wide of the right hand post. Elliot and Eddie looked very comfortable in their respective positions and the team were keeping up the pressure and dominating possession and territory throughout the half. Our final goal of the game was scored by Matt who was fed a ball 30 yards out by Lewis and unlike his earlier effort which went wide, this thunderbolt went high and right of their keeper 1-6.
A couple of personnel changes saw Rob and Dion back on for the rest of the game. Tyler and Dion had opportunities late in the half to add to their tally but good goalkeeping kept these efforts out. LT never gave up and provided a sterner test than the scoreline suggests and they grabbed a late consolation goal after a weak right footed clearance from Conor ended up with an LT player placing the ball past him to make it a final score of 2-6.

The Pumas performance today was excellent and a real pleasure for all their supporters to watch and will certainly make a few teams in the league sit up and notice us. Well done boys. A special mention must also go out to the coaching team of Wayne and Karl whose enthusiasm and commitment to getting the boys to play the game in the right spirit and treat the opposition and referee with respect is to be commended.

Gordon

Penwortham St Teresas Blues v Ladybridge Pumas

The opening fixture of the Premier League campaign saw Pumas drawn away to a very competent Penwortham team. We've watched Pumas develop over the past three years into a very capable side but could they cut it at this level? This was a bench-mark test which would tell us a lot about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the team at this new level.

With the exception of top goal scorer Elliot, who was unable to play, Pumas had a full strength squad and the initial line up was:- Conor (1) Caleb (4) Callum (15) Sam (2) Matt (5) Lewis (12) Ben (8) Tyler (14) Dion (9) Jack (11) and Eddie (3) with Robert (6) and Tom (7) ready to come on as subs.

The first 5 minutes saw Pumas dominating possession with Tyler, Lewis and Caleb all having shots at goal which the Blues keeper handled very well. The play was a bit scrappy and Pumas were not looking as fluent as usual even though they were winning all of the individual tussles. The Blues first attack came after 5mins with Conor dealing comfortably with their effort. Jack was put through on his own but the Blues' keeper came quickly off his line to save bravely. Then it was Eddie's turn again when the ball broke to him after a scramble and his shot went narrowly wide of the RH post. After 9mins Ben and Callum combined well before Callum set up another Pumas attack finished by Jack shooting over the bar. Sam was looking in full control of the Blues right wing and was timing his tackles to perfection. Matt was also prominent and was linking play together well down the left side of the pitch.
A minute later Tyler made a strong run down the right wing and delivered a good cross forcing a Blues defender to head towards his own goal which their keeper managed to save. Pumas were so dominant that there was a danger of being caught by a counter-attack and Caleb had to be quick to track back to deal with such a break. Ben was powerful in midfield winning every 50/50 ball as usual and he slipped a lovely pass to Lewis after 13mins. Lewis controlled the ball well and fed a perfect through ball to Dion who finished the move with clinical precision. 0 - 1.
Soon after Matt fed Jack who worked the ball down the left and produced a great cross for Eddie to force another good save from the Blues keeper who was keeping his side in the game. After 16mins Ben and Lewis combined in the middle before releasing a perfectly timed through ball to Dion which beat the off-side trap. Unfortunately with only the keeper to beat from 8 yards the ball 'bobbled' just as he shot and the ball went harmlessly wide. The next few minutes were a bit scrappy again and Caleb had to be sharp to deal with another Blues break and then Tyler made a good run down the right wing crossing for Eddie to make no mistake this time from short range only for his effort to be judged to have been off-side!
Tom came on for Eddie and after 22mins came the most controversial incident in the match. The Blues made a rare attack and following a bit of a scramble in the Pumas penalty area Blues hit a shot which hit the bar and came out and immediately shot again which hit the post. It seemed a fortunate escape for the Pumas but the Ref, from a position inside the centre circle and without a linesman on that side ruled that the ball had crossed the line and awarded a goal to the Blues!! 1 - 1.
After 26mins Tyler made a great run down the right wing using his skill and strength to beat 3 defenders before shooting just wide. Then Callum did some great defensive work making a last ditch tackle to break up a rare dangerous Blues attack just before half time.

Half time Blues 1 Pumas 1
The second half started with Robert coming on for Tyler and Pumas now had the advantage of a slight slope and a light breeze. It quickly became apparent that this made a big difference to the Blues' ability to clear the ball out of defence giving Pumas more attacking opportunities. Caleb, Robert and Dion combined well on the right but the final cross was miss-hit for a goal kick. Another controversial incident happened after 6mins when a Pumas attack down the right was flagged for off-side by the linesman which the ref either didn't see or chose to ignore. From the resultant scramble the ball came loose to Robert just inside the box and he coolly beat the keeper with a quick shot. 1 - 2.
Pumas were dominant without really threatening to increase their lead and with only a one goal advantage they had to be careful of being caught on the break. Lewis came forward several times and had powerful long range shots which either went wide of the target or were dealt with easily by the keeper. Robert showed good dribbling skills before setting up a shooting chance for Ben whose shot was also comfortably saved. After 17mins came a rare shot from the Blues, confidently saved by Conor who had not had a lot to do. Then he was in the thick of it as Blues won their first corner on the left which brought Conor into action a few more times. Jack, Eddie and Tyler were working well together and after 22mins Tyler crashed a beauty against the bar and Blues were glad to scramble the ball clear. 3mins later Tyler was again on the attack with a goal bound effort headed away for a corner which was taken on the right by Robert from which Tom shot just wide. Another corner on the right was taken this time by Tyler and Tom, Jack and Eddie were queuing up to knock it in but it just wouldn't fall right for them.
A minute later a quick throw was nudged on to Tyler who controlled it well near the penalty spot before beating the keeper with a fine shot. 1 - 3.

This relieved the pressure on Pumas who looked more relaxed as full time approached. Robert made a good run down the right and delivered a perfect cross for Eddie to slot it home skilfully only to be denied by the off-side flag for the second time.

Full Time Penwortham St Teresas Blues 1 Ladybridge Pumas 3

Pumas safely negotiated a potentially tricky debut in the Premier Division. This wasn't their most fluent performance and the lads were probably understandably a bit nervous with the big build up to this game and the weight of expectation on their shoulders. However, a win's a win and this is a great start to the season proper. Hopefully the lads can now relax and enjoy their football in this league in front of their ever growing band of supporters.

League Table U11 Green

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Ladybridge	3	3	0	0	19	2	9
2	Euxton Villa	3	2	0	1	12	10	6
3	Brinscall Village	3	1	0	2	11	9	3
4	Charnock	3	0	0	3	4	25	0

Ladybridge Pumas v Charnock Richard

This was the Pumas final match in the mini leagues to decide which league they would be playing in for the rest of the season. A win would surely seal a place in the Premier League, after two convincing wins against Euxton Villa & Brinscall Village.
Both teams arrived for the 11am kick off to an immaculately prepared pitch in perfect weather conditions. The Pumas lined up in a 4 - 2 - 4 formation with Conor (1), Caleb (4), Callum (15), Sam (2), Matthew (5), Lewis (12), Ben (8), Robert (6), Dion (9), Tom (10) and Tyler (14). Subs Eddie & Elliot
The game started off well for the Pumas with excellent early pressure which resulted in a shot at goal from Tyler, followed soon after by a corner taken by Robert which fell to Caleb’s feet whose shot hit the post. Pumas forced another corner shortly after, taken again by Robert, which was headed wide by Sam. Dion was looking sharp and troubled the defence on numerous occasions during these early exchanges. Charnock Richard’s first foray into the Pumas half ended in a shot wide after 5 mins. The next passage of play saw Dion make a great pass to Tom whose shot was saved brilliantly by their keeper. Another penetrating run and shot by Dion tested their keeper who made another sharp save. Pumas were dominating possession and territory at this stage with their best effort a cracking shot from Tyler which crashed against the crossbar. A corner by the Pumas after 9mins resulted in a goalmouth scramble which was somehow kept out by their keeper. The Pumas defence was dealing effectively with the few attacks Charnock mounted with Callum looking very assured at the back. After 10mins a good clearance from Conor resulted in Dion running through and shooting against the post, surely the Pumas would break the deadlock soon. Sam was as industrious as ever and was trying to get forward as often as possible without forgetting his defensive duties. Matt snuffed out another attack from the visitors and from a resulting throw in he found Dion who ran powerfully through the defence to slot a goal home off the inside of the post for a richly deserved goal. 1-0.
This opening goal seemed to relieve the pressure on the Pumas offensive efforts and two further goals from Tom and Lewis put the Pumas into a comfortable 3-o lead.
Shots from Matt and Tyler from distance were again saved well by the impressive Charnock keeper who was by far the busiest man on the pitch. Ben was marshalling the boys well in the centre of the field and was trying to cover every blade of grass as usual. A good clearance kick from Conor found a tireless Dion who ran the ball into the area and his shot found the top of the net out of the reach of their keeper. 4-0
More great pressure from the Pumas saw Matt pass to Dion who hit the crossbar, fortunately the rebound found Tyler in space who made no mistake from 5 yards out. 5-0.
Just before the end of the half a great through-ball from Robert found Dion whose attempt at goal on his weaker left foot went wide of the mark. The half closed with another smart move started by a mazy run by Tom who passed to Caleb who shot just wide from distance. Half time 5-0.
Substitutions at half time saw Elliot on for Dion and Eddie on for Robert. Another great start from the Pumas saw more excellent efforts on goal with Tom unlucky to be caught offside after finishing well. A good run and a shot from Tyler went just wide followed closely by a couple of shots from Elliot which failed to hit the target. An excellent move on the halfway line started with a pass from Sam onto Matt who found Eddie who crossed into their area for Tyler to shoot narrowly wide. Eddie looked busy and was certainly making an impact out on the right wing. A corner after 38mins from Tom found Ben in space, his shot going just over the crossbar. A further substitution took Tom off and Robert on, switching Eddie to the left and Robert to the right. After 42mins a beautiful passing move that involved Lewis and Matt linking up well for a final ball into Eddie whose fierce shot went in just under the crossbar 6-0
Substitution 45mins Dion on for Tyler. Charnock Richard battled hard in all areas of the pitch and enjoyed their best period of play in the next five minutes and a good low shot from their forward went through Conor’s legs for their only goal. 6-1. No clean sheet for the “Cat” this week!
The rest of the game was pretty much played in Charnock Richards half with their keeper pulling off some fantastic saves from Matt, Eddie, Elliot, Ben and Dion. Tom came on for Callum in our final substitution. In the final few minutes a penetrating run and powerful shot by Lewis was only pushed out by their keeper to Dion who popped it in for his hatrick. 7-1

Full time 7-1

Another satisfying win for the Pumas against a plucky Charnock Richard side that never gave up. This was epitomised by their keeper’s outstanding play that kept the Pumas score in single figures.
The new league will start on 27th September and the new league will be published here as soon as we know.

by Gordon and Lorraine (Bill is away).

Ladybridge Pumas v Brinscall Village

The pitch was in pristine condition on a bright and breezy Autumn day for Pumas first home fixture in the Central Lancs League. The starting line up was Conor (1), Caleb (4), Callum (15), Sam (2), Matthew (5), Lewis (12), Ben (8), Robert (6), Dion (9), Jack (11) and Tyler (14). They lined up in a 4 - 2 - 4 formation with Ben and Lewis in mid-field.

After an untidy first few minutes Pumas settled down and started to string their passes together and Tyler looked especially dangerous with his strength, skill and speed down the left flank. He released a lovely pass for Dion who was narrowly offside. After 4 mins Dion ran onto another fine through ball but was injured in a clash with the defender as they both challenged for the ball which ricocheted to the keeper. Robert and Dion exchanged passes down the right wing before forcing a good save from the Brinscall keeper. A high clearance was headed cleverly by Ben to Jack who controlled the ball expertly before feeding a good pass to Dion whose shot skimmed over the bar.
It was all Pumas until suddenly Brinscall broke rapidly down the left in numbers forcing Conor to come quickly off his line and Caleb had to put the ball out for a corner to relieve the pressure with the defence spread-eagled. After 10 mins came the best move of the match so far with Pumas midfield and forwards combining well to put tremendous pressure on Brinscall but the ball came clear to set up another Brinscall counter attack which was brilliantly broken up by Sam who fed a perfectly weighted pass to Jack who in turn set up Dion for yet another goal attempt which went just over. A minute later Jack gained possession again to the left of midfield and played the most beautiful pass inside the defender to Dion threatening on the right flank. He cut inside and his shot gave the keeper no chance. 1 - 0.
Pumas were dominating possession with Brinscall restricted to the occasional breakaways which were comfortably dealt with by Caleb and Sam with Callum getting into the game more and more. Matthew was also prominently involved in supporting attacks down the left. Tyler and Dion both had near misses then Jack made a brilliant dribbling run through midfield before releasing a superb through ball which unfortunately caught three Pumas forwards off-side! After 17 mins Tyler found himself in possession on the edge of the penalty area with three defenders in attendance. He powerfully shrugged off several challenges before beating the keeper from short range. 2 - 0.
After 20 mins Eddie and Tom came on for Tyler and Robert. Another dangerous break from Brinscall was snuffed out by a perfectly timed tackle from Sam on the penalty spot. Top goal scorer Elliot was brought on for Dion who had been working very hard. Another good attack from Brinscall was broken up by Caleb who was looking in full control and distributing the ball intelligently. Matthew had a good run down the left and produced a great cross into the area which frustratingly was missed by everyone when a goal looked certain. Then it was Lewis' turn to impress with good work in midfield to set up a lovely passing move involving Matthew and Tom whose shot went narrowly wide of the target. Eddie also showed good dribbling skills down the right forcing a corner which Jack delivered into the danger area. Following another Brinscall break Pumas were awarded a free kick on the half way line which Sam took feeding Matthew on the left who delivered an inch perfect cross with Pumas forwards queuing up to score but the keeper managed to bravely claim the ball. The resultant clearance came straight to Jack whose quick-thinking shot forced a good save from the keeper. Half time 2 - 0.

On the resumption Pumas were quickly on the attack again with Caleb and Elliot linking well to force a corner which Jack again delivered perfectly into the danger zone. The high partial clearance came out to Sam pressing forward with great confidence but his header was well blocked. A scrappy period lasted for a few minutes with neither side able to string together a few passes but normal service was resumed when Jack broke down the left. Sam was also working hard and looked keen to get on the scoresheet with two shots in quick succession. After 8 mins the ref mysteriously stopped the game and called the managers and coaches onto the pitch for a meeting!! It turned out that someone was taking photographs and he was worried that his theatrical poses were going to appear on YouTube! (just kidding ref)
A better period for Brinscall then ensued with some good possession. First they had a free kick which was well intercepted by Callum then another free kick from 20 yards was headed out by Sam and then Callum was again involved in foiling another attack. The ball came loose in the Pumas penalty area and Conor had to be alert to kick it clear. Brinscall substituted their keeper which must be a rarity to have two keepers. He was quickly in action and was forced to make a good save. Dion was brought back on for Ben who had worked tirelessly in midfield linking the back four to the forwards with great presence. He received a well deserved ovation. Tyler and Lewis were combining cleverly down the left with two consecutive moves causing trouble for Brinscall defence. A counter attack by Brinscall broke down when one of their forwards was inches off-side when it looked like their best chance of the game. For all their dominance of possession Pumas were only winning by a narrow two goal margin but they set up another attack and overpowered Brinscall with their weight of numbers until the ball came to Elliot to tap home after 20 mins. 3 - 0.
A timely clearance by Sam gave Dion a long range chance which was well saved then Callum joined the attack causing Brinscall to concede a corner. Jack once again produced the goods and Eddie headed home accurately for what looked like a great goal. However the ref had seen some infringement which eluded everyone else and didn't allow the 'goal'. Lewis played skilfully before releasing Dion who forced another corner on the right again delivered accurately by Jack causing panic in the Brinscall defence before Elliot was again able to tap it home. 29 mins 4 - 0.
Another corner on the right was cleared out to Callum poaching on the edge of the penalty area and with his left foot he shot powerfully only to see his shot crash against the bar in what was virtually the last of the action.

Full time Ladybridge Pumas 4 Brinscall Village 0

Another very satisfying performance from Pumas with excellent contributions from every position. The defence is looking especially strong and in 120 mins of football so far they have restricted their opponents to just one meaningful attempt at goal!

Euxton Villa v Ladybridge Pumas

This was Pumas' debut in the Central Lancs League and they had to play away at one of the most respected clubs in the district. With several new players in the squad and new rules and other factors to cope with this was a potentially difficult fixture.

Pumas 13 man squad consisted of:- Conor (1), Caleb (4), Sam (2), Tyler (16), Ben (8), Callum (15), Lewis (9), Matthew (5), Robert (6), Eddie (3), Jack (17), Dion (9), Elliot (10).

The pitch had a pronounced slope and Pumas played uphill in the first half in calm and dry weather. The early exchanges were even with Villa showing some nice passing moves and good skills. After 4 mins Pumas attacked down the right and Dion crossed accurately for Eddie to miss making contact by inches with an open goal at his mercy. After 6 mins a good shot from Dion was well saved and the ball came out to Jack who quickly fired in a high shot well out of the keeper's reach for Pumas first goal at this level. 0 - 1. On 10 mins a clever throw in from Matthew caused panic in the Villa defence and in the mad scramble one of the Villa defenders was hurt.
Pumas were dominating possession and their forwards in particular were scrapping for every 50/50 ball. During this phase they were especially dominant down the left wing with Ben, Eddie and Matthew linking well. From one of these attacks after 14 mins the ball came loose to Tyler whose long range powerful shot was well out of the keeper's reach. 0 - 2. Caleb and Sam looked in control at the back and linked up well with Ben and Callum who were dominating midfield. Lewis made a well-timed tackle to break up a rare Villa attack and then fed a lovely through ball for Dion to run on to but the move broke down with some desperate defending from Villa.
After 17 mins Villa won a throw in on the right in Pumas half. The ball was beatifully crossed for a Villa forward to head powerfully goalwards only for Conor to be brought into action with a flying full length save only for the ball to drop at a forward's feet for a tap-in goal. 1 - 2.
This set-back stung the Pumas into action and a period of Pumas dominance followed. There was a sustained attack after 20 mins with Pumas forwards queuing up to score with Villa defenders trying to scramble the ball clear. This move broke down when a Pumas forward accidentally handled. Robert and Elliot came on for Tyler and Eddie and soon after another great cross from the right by Dion just failed to find Robert in front of a gaping net. The ball came out to Caleb who was poaching upfield and fired in one of his trademark long range shots which agonisingly crashed against the post and bounced to a defender. Then it was Ben's turn to try to get on the score sheet with another long range effort which went narrowly over the bar. A minute before half time came the best move of the match so far with Robert and Ben exchanging passes before feeding the ball to Matthew who made no mistake with a powerful long range shot. 1 - 3 Half time.
Playing downhill in the 2nd half Pumas immediately attacked down the left and Ben's strong run forced a corner which was cleared. Then Dion crossed from the right setting up a long shot from Ben which the keeper managed to fumble away. Pumas persistence won another corner taken by Robert which the defence could only partially scramble away to Elliot whose snap long shot after only 2 mins found the corner of the net. 1 - 4.
After 7 mins Pumas were clearly enjoying their downhill advantage and Villa were having to work very hard to keep in the game. Jack cut in from the left and fired in a cross/shot which flew across the face of the goal then after a scrappy bout inside the left side of the Villa penalty area the ball came to Elliot who prodded it home from short range with typical poacher's instinct. 1 - 5.
2 mins later Dion broke through the defensive wall and opened up a 5 yard gap with only the keeper to beat when the ref blew his whistle late judging him to have been offside. Very close thing. Pumas weren't to be denied for long though and Tyler showed great strength and skill in his own half before releasing a lovely pass for Dion to run on to and with the keeper coming out fast he shot quickly. The ball would have missed the right hand post but Elliot was backing up to pounce and turn the ball home to complete his hat-trick. 1 - 6. The Villa keeper was hurt as he came out and had to be substituted.
Villa were only attacking rarely but when they did they looked dangerous. Callum did good work to contain these breakaways but Sam and Caleb were called into action too. After 16 mins Dion made a fantastic run down the left wing beating several defenders as he bore down on the goal only to be foiled by a brilliant last ditch tackle which would have been worthy of Sam. A minute later Caleb had to be alert to break down a Villa attack. All credit to Villa for keeping trying when they must have been shell-shocked at the beating they were getting. The ball was worked out and came to Dion who was hungry to get on the scoresheet and he made no mistake with a great shot to give the replacement keeper no chance. 1 - 7
Villa continued to be under pressure and were forced to pass back to the keeper who tried to dribble the ball out only to lose it to Jack whose good shot was well blocked. On 27 mins Pumas were awarded a free on the left edge of the Villa penalty area and Caleb strode up to take it. Pumas supporters have seen Caleb score many great goals from similar positions but on this occasion the Villa keeper made a good save from a well struck shot. Villa were not finished and made a determined attack down the right which looked dangerous for a time until the Pumas defence gained control again. Then as the clock ticked down Jack made a good run down the left then passed to Eddie who flicked it inside to Elliot who turned it just inside the post for a beautifully worked final goal.

Full time: Euxton Villa 1 Ladybridge Pumas 8

This was a brilliant team performance with every player in every position making a positive contribution. Pumas have announced their arrival in the Central Lancs League with a BANG!!