It is the intention that the friendly will for one half at least be mixed teams, where the Alligators defence will play against the Alligators attack.

It is hoped that this will help the Crocodiles to develop a passing game and also test both the Alligators attackers and defenders.

Given that both teams have a game on Sunday the friendly will probably be around twenty minutes each way.

After an hours shooting practice drills last Monday evening, I hope that come Sunday, when we get around the Ludgvan penalty area, we get some purposeful shots on target.

I will consider the team line up over the next few days and how I want us to try to play. Hopefully if I can find the time I will post a weekend review on Friday.

With regards to the outcome of the decision regarding our recent match against Culdrose, although an observation made by the County F.A. has been sent via email to myself by the Kernow League secretary. I have made the league secretary aware of my feelings regarding that initial observation and informed them that I have now passed the details to Chris and Shirley Nash, along with my own observations and they are today drafting their opinion as the teams managers, in response to the leagues observations.

As I understand it, their response will be emailed to the league today. As soon as Chris has a reply, or there is any relevant news I will post it upon this site.

WHAT IS QUITE INTERESTING IS THAT BOTH CHRIS AND I INDEPENDENTLY HAVE SPOKEN TO VARIOUS COACHES AND MANAGERS WITHIN THE KERNOW LEAGUE REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. NOT ONE HAS SAID THAT THE PLAYER SHOULD HAVE STAYED UPON THE FIELD HAVING DELIBERATELY HANDLED WITH TWO HANDS UPON THE GOAL LINE !!!

IN ADDITION CHRIS HAS SPOKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REFEREEING ASSESSOR, SEEKING HIS OPINION AND ADVICE, WHO ALSO HAS TOLD HIM THAT THE REFEREE HAS MADE A DEFINITE  MISTAKE IN USING HIS OWN INTERPRETATION OF THE LAWS AND NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES OF THE GAME AND THE FACT THAT THE BOYS ARE ELEVEN YEARS OLD SHOULD HAVE NO INFLUENCE OVER ANY DECISION.

Hopefully we as clubs in the Kernow League will soon get an answer to the question of whether or not we play by F.A. rules, or whether these rules are in fact in the Kernow League, open to the interpretation of the home referee.

What we do now know is With up to 140 hits a day, there are a lot of clubs  coaches and managers, as well as our own players/parents etc, watching this web site to find out what the leagues stance on enforcing discipline within our league will be.

See you all Saturday,

Danny.

See you all there.
Danny.

It is intended that we shall for the next few weeks whilst the schools play their inter school games, that we shall change our training night to Mondays. This will start this Monday 23rd, the times to be confirmed by Chris after this Fridays club meeting.

Also we have no league game this weekend, as this would have been our fixture against Hayle, who have now dropped out of the league.
Chris was last night trying to contact a number of clubs to try to arrange a friendly for Sunday. Again, Chris will no doubt include this information in his training text to let you all know if we do have a game and if we do what time etc…

Danny.

The matter has now been passed by the Kernow League to them and we mus now await their advice upon the issuing or non issuing of red and yellow cards.

Purely a personal opinion, although I am aware it is an opinion shared by many, if yellow and red cards were not to be part of youth football and therefore there is no deterrent to back up the F.A. rules, what would be the point of playing league football for points ?
All games may just as well be deemed to be friendlies and then if the home referee wishes to interpret the rules in his own way, for the benefit of his team or an individual or for any other reason, then no one should feel to aggrieved as its only a friendly !!!

If we all agree however that we would like to play within a league structure for points, then we must also agree that there have to be rules that are applied consistently across every game, by every teams home referee.

Anyway as said above the matter relating to the issuing of yellow or red cards in Kernow League games will hopefully become clearer after the Cornish County F.A. pass down their ruling.(s)

The rules are as I expected and with the exception of roll on role off substitutes, exactly the same as mens/adult football.
THIS INCLUDES THE ISSUE OF YELLOW OR RED CARDS IF AN OFFENCE HAS OCCURED IN THE OPINION OF THE MATCH OFFICIAL WHICH CONTRAVEANS F.A. RULES.

In seeking proper clarification of the rules, I am in no way looking to see referees running around waving yellow or red cards at every or any contentious incident.

I am in total agreement that each referee should use sensibility as one of their main tools of judgment, particularly in youth football, where everyone is still learning. However where any team could receive an advantage by the F.A. rules not being applied then we must all understand and play by those rules, even if unfortunately from time to time this means the issue of a yellow or red card.

With this in mind and having spoken with the Kernow League secretary I have prepared a match incident report relating to Sundays game at Culdrose. This is now with the Kernow League.

I have been instructed by the league secretary for our team manager not to register the match result on the Kernow League website whilst the league officials meet to discuss and consider the match facts, its incident relating to the non-issue of a red card for hand ball upon the goal line, its relationship to the matches outcome (did either side gain an advantage by the card not being issued) and perhaps most importantly clarification for all clubs and their officials in the Kernow League with regards to as when yellow or red cards are to be issued.

The matter is now with the Kernow League and we await their comment and judgment.

Coach, Danny Everard.

CHEATED NOT DEFEATED… That was how one of the Alligators parents described this game. Unquestionably it was a feeling felt by all Alligators parents, which included TWO F.A.REFEREES, but the score was 3-2!

As the Alligators coach I have to be more diplomatic, however there can be no disguising the fact that the home referee has employed his own interpretation of the F.A. Rules of play and his interpretation has had a direct impact on the outcome or any possible outcome of this game.

With twenty minutes to play in the second half and the score 2-2, an evenly balanced game took a bizarre twist which centered around a refereeing decision. The Alligators looked to have retaken the lead with a Sam Young shot. However a Culdrose player, not the goalkeeper, standing on the goal line jumped AND WITH TWO HANDS saved the ball !!

Now no one wants to see a young player sent off, but the rules are the rules and as the last man and a deliberate hand ball, preventing a goal, he had to go.

The referee, a very pleasent person, said that because the boys were only learning the game it would be unfair to send a player off.
Had the score been 5 or 6 -0, or we were not playing for points, I would have whole heartedly understood that the team winning would not receive any advantage by sending a youngster off.

However this game was poised at 2-2, with the Alligators playing up the hill against a fierce wind and the player staying on the field DID give the home side a distinct advantage.

To add insult to injury the penalty awarded was missed and Culdrose went up the other end and scored themselves.

Effectively the referees decision to add his own interpretation of the laws of the game would mean that two footed challenges, fighting, deliberate handballs etc, all punishable by a sending off, would also come under the banner of, “they are only learning”, so no punishment?

The Alligators continued to look for a way back but in truth after that decision they looked very demoralized.

After discussion, Chris Nash (team manager) and myself have decided that on behalf of the team amd the unhappy parents that the kernow league secretary should be made aware of the facts and then await their guidance.

Coach, Danny Everard.

An excellent fun and training session indoors at Carn Brea was arranged and enjoyed by everyone between xmas and the new year and we have managed to train most weeks in the cage at Wendron, even if our games were called off.

What we are desperately short of are games, or match practice.
I feel the boys are becoming frustrated with just training. It’s a bit like a boxer that can only hit a punch bag, but needs a real opponent to hit in order to prove himself and actually put into practice everything he’s been training for.

For me I am also really pleased that we can at last play a proper match again and I know the feeling will be the same for the whole squad. A chance to really let off some steam, work hard with a combined team purpose and hopefully enjoy playing a passing game of football.

Early in December Jordan Lawry suffered quite a worrying knee injury in training, which was a big blow to him, to me and the squad. Fortunately he has now fully recovered, has been training for a few weeks and returns to the team tomorrow. A massive boost to the team and great news for Jordan.

Max Pattle, who has also had problems with his knee, also returned to training this week for the first time since early December. His knee appears to be quite a bit better, although I’m told it will for a little while be an ongoing growth problem.
With Max I shall, along with his parents, have to keep a close eye on him to make sure he does not over do it. With his parents permission I shall look to use him more as an impact player over the next few weeks, as with all my players my number one priority has to be their well-being.

The first half of the season is now officially behind us and the Alligators find themselves in second place in the league, having played the same amount of games as the teams around them. A very good start to their eleven aside football. If we can do as well in the second half of the season I shall be very pleased. Well done Alligators, now try to keep it up.

CULDROSE V ALLIGATORS…….
THE HELSTON AREA LOCAL DERBY.

We have had some interesting matches against tomorrows opponents, Culdrose, over the years. Nearly always tight games, Culdrose are a well coached and disciplined side.
Last season we beat them 2-1 at their place on a bitter winters day that is most memorable for a ten minute snow blizzard where at times it was hard to see where the game was being played. The team really seemed to think it was great fun and no doubt the three points kept them warm all the way home.
In pre-season we lost 4-3 to Culdrose at Wendron on the banana pitch, having been 3-2 up with a minute to go !
This season’s league game up at Rame was a similar story.
The Alligator’s held the lead, scoring early in the first half, had dominated most of the game, but not put away a number of good chances. In the last couple of minutes, two extremely soft goals gifted Culdrose the three points.
That defeat was the lowest I have ever personally felt after any game of football, be it playing, watching, coaching or managing. I felt totally robbed. The boys must have felt the same way and this was the game where Sam Young as he walked off the pitch commented to his Culdrose opponent and schoolmate,”YOU WON, BUT YOU KNOW WE WERE THE BETTER TEAM”. There was no bad sportsmanship in his comment, just real disapointment. Yes that game hurt everyone, coaches, players and parents.

The beauty of football is of course that you can dust yourself off, pick yourself and each other up and remember that there are always two league games to a season and tomorrow the Alligators can try to reverse that defeat and thereby regain the bragging rights, particularly in the Helston school playground on Monday.

So another tough game ahead, but nothing to fear if we stay disciplined and all do our individual jobs and remember to give everything throughout the game and particularly in the last couple of minutes..

GOOD LUCK ALLIGATORS. ENJOY YOURSELVES.

See you all at 9.30 sharp.

Coach, Danny Everard.

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