Oadby Owls

Oadby Owls 1 Anstey Swifts 8 – 29th January 2012 (League)

The Owls kicked off and played some good attacking passing football. Good play down the left from Alex Morris and Cam Harcourt created a shot from Jack Fallows which found the top corner. Anstey were rattled resulting in 3 bookings and their manager asked to view the match from the car park! Anstey came more into the game and equalised when their forward found the top corner, Nathan Jones went close firing straight at the keeper when played in by James Owers. 1-1 at half time.

Anstey came out at the start of the second half a totally different team (the 15 minute team talk must have done the trick!). They created a chance in the opening minute and were awarded a soft penalty (Ben Walsh adjudged to have fouled their lively forward, who seemed to go down very easily), Ricky just failing to stop the spot kick. Anstey pressed on and were first to the ball resulting in a 20 minute spell where they scored a further six goals. The Owls had their chances a strong appeal for hand ball in the area turned down. Ed Parton went close from a corner heading over from a free header. Man of the match Muhammad Khonat had an excellent game in midfield winning virtually all his tackles and laying the ball off well. A good performance today but NOT an 8-1 result.

Player of the Day: Muhammad Khonat

Goals Scorers: Jack Fallows

Birstall United 2 Oadby Owls 4 – 22nd January 2012 (League)

The Owls kicked off against a strong gale force wind but weathered the storm and were unlucky not to go ahead, James Owers having a header cleared off the line and Alex Morris going close after a good run. Liam Davy thought he had put The Owls ahead with a good header from a free kick only for the lineman’s flag to deny him. More pressure from a corner led to a scramble with the Owls hitting the post and crossbar and another goal line clearance. Then you’ve guessed it after all that pressure and chances Birstall score!! A through ball over the top latched onto by their forward whose shot gave Ricky no chance. 1- 0 at half time.

The Owls came out the second half with the wind at their backs and laid siege to the Birstall goal. Good runs from Alex down the left and even more pressure from corners created chances, The Owls just failing to take them. Nathan Jones finally equalised after good passing had created the chance for him. He went close again his shot rising over the bar from a through ball from Liam. Chance after chance was created with Ricky in The Owls goal a virtual spectator. Can you guess what happened next? Yes that’s right direct from a contentious free kick Birstall score! 15 minutes left to play and The Owls went for it. Nathan again finishing off after good work from Alex and after more hard work pressing the ball Alex shot in after a fine run, phew! 3-2. From the final play of the match a corner was headed onto the bar by Steven Corrigan and James finished the rebound. Good play today from The Owls with numerous chances created, crossbar hit twice, posts hit twice and two goal line clearances!!, enough chances to win three games, well done!

Player of the Day: Alex Morris

Goals Scorers: Nathan Jones (2), Alex Morris and James Owers

Oadby Owls 3 Shepshed Dynamo 2 – 8th January 2012 (League Cup)

The Owls kicked off the New Year playing some excellent passing football and were well on top in the first 20 minutes. James Owers, Jack Fallows, Conor Wilde, Alex Morris and Nathan Jones all going close, with the Shepshed net minder in fine form. The deadlock was broken when Nathan Jones was on the end of a fine passing move taking his chance well. Muhammad Khonat had a fine game in midfield breaking up play and feeding the forwards. Liam Davy also showed up well putting some excellent through balls into dangerous areas, 1-0 at half time.

The second half started the same as the first with The Owls looking dangerous from every attack. Shepshed equalised with a long ball over the top and their forward lobbing the advancing Ricky. Worse was to follow when The Owls failed to clear and the clearance wrong footed Ricky to allow the Shepshed forward to score. The Owls kept at it and Alex Morris had a great run and found himself with only the keeper to beat but his finish lacked power and the keeper saved. Alex was not to be denied and from another chance tucked his shot away for his first goal of the season. The Owls were now on top and went for the winner. Conor Wilde received the ball on the right and smashed his shot into the top corner giving the excellent Shepshed keeper no chance.

This was a fine result from The Owls who thoroughly deserved the victory but we must be more ruthless in front of goal, well done.

Player of the Day: Muhammad Khonat

Goals Scorers: Nathan Jones, Alex Morris and Conor Wilde

Oadby Owls 1 Countesthorpe Athletic 5 – 18th December 2011 (League Cup)

The Owls kicked off on a thawing pitch and were first to show with good passing moves. Countesthorpe scored from a long ball over the top with their forward finishing well. Back came the Owls, Jack Fallows going close with a free kick destined for the top corner but excellently saved by the Countesthorpe net minder. From the resulting corner Liam Davy went close, Conor Wilde went closer resulting in a penalty for hand ball? Jack stepped up and shot at the net minder, from the corner Liam nosed the ball over the line 1-1. Countesthorpe then scored 3 quick goals all from long balls over the top (2 had a suspicion of offside about them). Then more drama Liam adjudged by the referee to pull back and foul the Countesthorpe player resulting in a penalty, yellow card (should have been red per the letter of the law-last man and all that), oh and a yellow card for the Countesthorpe forward, eh?? And smashed in by the Countesthorpe player. (I thought Liam played the ball as did a lot of our parents). Anyway 5-1 down incredibly 20 minutes played!! The Owls then settled down and played some football creating a few half chances.

The second half started with the Owls determined to at least win this half and to their credit the 14 man squad tried their best. Again they had far more possession and a few half chances. Countesthorpe then earned another penalty but Ricky in The Owls goal made a great save. It was just not the Owls day today and the 5-1 score line was not a reflection of the whole game.

Player of the Day: Cam Harcourt

Goals Scorers: Liam Davy

Oadby Owls 2 Kirby Muxloe ’88 6 – 11th December 2011 (League)

The Owls started well creating chances and from a corner James Owers finished well after a Steven Corrigan assist. The Owls nearly increased the lead, Jack Fallows hitting the crossbar from a free kick. Kirby equalised with a good headed goal from a corner, they then went ahead with 2 quick goals both scored from unlucky ricochets off Owls defenders, 3-1 at half time. The second half started with Kirby getting more into the game resulting in more goals scored from poor marking at a corner and another ricochet. The Owls pulled a goal back when Vedanta Menezes bundled the ball over the line after the Kirby keeper had flapped at a free kick. There was to be no grand stand finish as Kirby completed the scoring with a well taken shot. The 6-2 score line was a little harsh on the team today.

Player of the Day: Ben Walsh

Goals Scorers: James Owers and Vedanta Menezes

Glenfield United 2 Oadby Owls 5 – 4th December 2011 (League)

The Owls kicked off the first half against a strong wind with Glenfield regularly playing the ball over the top for their fast forwards to latch onto. Ricky in the Owls goal was on top form producing 3 or 4 excellent saves to keep Glenfield at bay. When he was beaten from a corner the referee came to his rescue awarding a free kick for a foul against him. The quick Glenfield forward then managed to break free of the covering defence and place his shot low into the net passed Ricky. The Owls responded well with a good passing move down the right and a shot from Conor Wilde which just evaded the Glenfield defender on the line who could not clear, 1-1 at half time.

An excellent start of the second half saw Muhammad Khonat (Mo) burst down the left and gain a free kick, Jack Fallows curled it into the top corner. More pressure from The Owls again from another free kick resulted in a penalty awarded after a spot of pinball in the Glenfield box, up stepped Jack and calmly dispatched it, 3-1 Owls. The Owls then survived a bout of pressure from Glenfield, Ricky again making good saves. The Owls then broke with good passing again and top scorer James Owers shot across the keeper for a fine finish. The Owls were not done and Nathan Jones finished well after another fine passing move. Glenfield pulled a goal back with a cross from the left headed in by the forward. Overall this was a great team performance from The Owls who kept the ball moving with simple passes and finished their chances well.

Player of the Day: The whole 12 man squad

Goals Scorers: Jack Fallows (2), Conor Wilde, James Owers and Nathan Jones

Oadby Owls 1 Houghton Rangers 3 – 27th November 2011 (League)

The Owls with a depleted side (3 players away and 3 injured) took on the league leaders and put in an inspired performance. Calum Day, Charlie Patel and Jack Fallows all showing up well with good positive passing. From one of these passing moves Calum went close with a shot, from another Vedan after a good turn tested the keeper and then just before half time The Owls thought they had taken the lead from a through ball from Jack with Muhammad applying the final touch only for the linesman’s flag to rule it out. 0-0 at half time and a great half from Oadby. The second half started with Houghton more prominent but good covering and commitment from Ben Walsh and Steven Corrigan stifled the threat. Excellent play on the right from Liam Davy and Mo put James Owers in who placed his shot into the top corner.

Ricky Odedra in the Owls goal then made a string of excellent saves, diving to his left and right to keep Houghton at bay. The Owls thought they had weathered the storm but Houghton’s forward managed to get the last touch on the ball after a suspicion of a foul on Ricky had not been seen by the referee. Then a freak goal direct from a contentious free kick near the halfway line saw the ball sail into the top corner. The Owls to their credit kept going; another excellent run and cross from Liam gave Calum a half chance with a header which was saved by the Houghton keeper. Direct from the keepers kick Houghton’s forward poked the ball past Ricky to finish the scoring in the last minute. Great effort put in today form all the players, especially those drafted in at the last minute well done.

Player of the Day: Ricky Odedra

Goals Scorers: James Owers

Oadby Owls 2 Rothley Imps 1 – 20th November 2011 (League Cup)

The Owls were on league cup duty today and were fortunate to be awarded a penalty for a dubious hand ball. Liam Davy took the spot kick and smashed it against the foot of the post. Conor Wilde controlled the rebound and saw his shot brilliantly saved by the Rothley keeper. Rothley then took the lead from an unchallenged header from a corner. The Owls responded straight from the kick off with a good passing move which Nathan Jones finished with another tap in. James Owers then tested the keeper again with a fierce shot which was well saved, 1 1 at halftime. The Owls never really got going in the second half the only real chance came in the last minute Nathan just failing to curl his shot into the far post and so into extra time. The first period saw the Rothley keeper make another tremendous save from Nathan with the rebound falling to Omar who shot against the post, was it going to be one of those days?

The second period started with The Owls on top, Jack Fallows going close with a free kick, Nathan, James and Omar all threatening with their pace. Jack Fallows then finished well with a good shot. Nathan went close again his shot coming off the cross bar and James thought he had sealed the win when his shot appeared to cross the line only to be cleared. The Owls back four of Liam, Ben, Steven and Cam held firm at the end to deal with any danger that Rothley could muster. The Owls just shaded the game and will have to improve if they are to progress further.

Player of the Day: Liam Davy

Goals Scorers: Nathan Jones and Jack Fallows

Oadby Owls 4 Thringstone Miners Welfare 0 – 13th November 2011 (League)

The Owls made a great start, from the kickoff Thringstone conceded a corner and Jack Fallows scored direct from it. Liam Davy was next to go close from a header from another corner which scraped the cross bar. James Owers just failed to curl his shot into the bottom corner as the Owls continued to press with Thringstone rarely threatening. Nathan Jones increased the lead from a simple tap in after a shot had been deflected into his path 2-0 at half time. The Owls continued to pressure Thringstone, Jack Fallows again going close with a left foot shot (yes LEFT foot!) which struck the post. Second half substitutes Omar and Muhammad added more pace to The Owls attacks, Jack again benefiting from a slip to tap in. The best move of the game saw Jack complete his hat trick with a cool finish after 5 or 6 passes from the back, through the midfield and out wide, a great team goal.

Player of the Day: Jack Fallows

Goals Scorers: Jack Fallows (3) and Nathan Jones

Lutterworth Athletic 2 Oadby Owls 3 – 6th November 2011 (League)

The Owls made a fantastic start, Conor Wilde with a great run down the right wing crossing to Nathan Jones who passed to James Owers who finished well 1-0 after 5 minutes. More good wing play this time from Alex Morris down the left who cut in placing his shot a fraction wide of the far post. Lutterworth against the run of play equalised with a long distance shot which eluded Ricky in The Owls goal. The Owls continued to work hard and a good cross from Liam Davy was converted by James. Lutterworth were awarded a penalty for a push inside the box after a free kick when the ball was going nowhere, 2-2 at half time.

Lutterworth started the second half strongly and Ricky was called upon to make 2 important saves. Lutterworth were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men when their last defender deliberately handled the ball with James going through. To everyone’s amazement the referee waved play on!  Strong defending by Cam Harcourt, Steven Corrigan and Ben Walsh kept Lutterworth at bay. Another fine cross from Liam was met by James, who headed in what proved to be an amazing hat trick and the winner. This was a great team performance from all 12 players and a deserved win.

Player of the Day: James Owers

Goals Scorers: James Owers (3)

Wigston United 3 Oadby Owls 1 – 30th October 2011 (County Cup)

The Owls were on County Cup duty today against a team in a higher division. Wigston started brightly with their midfield passing the ball well. Some last ditch defending and saves from Ricky kept The Owls in the game. Owls’ only real chance came from a break away with a Conor Wilde snap shot going wide, 0-0 at half time. The Owls took the game to Wigston in the first 10 minutes of the second half with Jack Fallows, Nathan Jones and Alex Morris all going close. Liam Davy had a shout for a penalty when he appeared to be pushed in the back with the goal begging from a well worked corner. Then Wigston took control after a move down the right was converted with a good finish, shortly after they increased their lead another right wing cross found the head of a Wigston forward who headed in. The Owls came back strongly and after good link up play from Alex and Nathan, Jack Fallows was played in and finished well. The Owls pressed for the equaliser but if anything Wigston looked the more likely to score, Ricky again in great form to pull off two great saves. Wigston rounded off the scoring with a through ball over the top for the attacker to race onto and score. Overall a good performance from The Owls with plenty of hard work put in by all 14 players on a pitch surface which was not conducive to passing football.

Player of the Day: Jack Fallows

Goals Scorers: Jack Fallows

Oadby Owls 3 Leicester Bharat 0 – 23rd October 2011 (League Cup)

The Owls were in League Cup action today and started off quite brightly, the two wide players Conor Wilde and Alex Morris showing up well. A couple of half chances were created with James Owers and Liam Davy going close. Half way through the first half Nathan Jones latched onto a through ball and calmly lobbed the advancing keeper 1-0 at half time. The Owls started the second half better. Good hold up play by Nathan allowed Ed Parton to put a ball down the channel, James Owers applied pressure to the keeper who spilled the clearance for James to tap in. Omar came off the bench with 30 minutes to go and used his pace well to go close with 2 blocked shots. Muhammad also came on for his debut and showed up well in midfield, competing and passing the ball well.  Liam Davy finished the scoring with a good first touch from a free kick and an even better second touch, an angled shot finding the bottom corner. The whole 13 man squad played their part in a good win in windy conditions and an extremely hard, uneven surface which made passing difficult.

Player of the Day: Liam Davy

Goals Scorers: Nathan Jones, James Owers and Liam Davy

Oadby Owls 3 Birstall United 1 – 9th October 2011 (League)

The Owls kicked off in blustery conditions at Coombe Park and took a while to settle. When they did Jack Fallows tested the keeper with a shot from distance which was destined for the top corner only for the keeper to tip the ball over. More good play starting from the back with good passing enabled The Owls to go close, 0-0 at half time. The Owls started the second half brighter and Nathan Jones calmly lobbed the keeper after latching onto a flick from James Owers. The lead lasted a few minutes Birstall equalising when their attacker was allowed to advance and break free from a tackle and shoot past Ricky. The Owls then had a good spell of play with Jack Fallows prompting play well. After a quick break Liam Davy finished well from the edge of the area to restore the lead and with Birstall pushing forward for the equalise the Owls broke with good passing involving Conor Wilde and Jack Fallows who crossed for James Owers to tap in. A good result today with The Owls not at their best but still managing to grind out a win.

Player of the Day: Ben Walsh & Conor Wilde

Goals Scorers: Nathan Jones, Liam Davy and James Owers

Oadby Owls 2 Mowbray Rangers 4 – 25th September 2011 (League)

The Owls kicked off and showed up well in the opening exchanges. Somewhat against the run of play Mowbray scored when the Owls defence who had done well to clear 3 goal bound efforts but the fourth ricocheted off Ben Walsh and into the net. Improved play from Alex, Jack, Nathan and James saw the Owls go close. Then Liam equalised after been put through. The Owls then conceded a second by not closing the opposition down allowing Mowbray to pass through the defence and their striker finishing a good move, 2-1 down at halftime. The Owls needed to start well in the second half but the exact opposite happened, Mowbray scoring from a free kick after 2 unchallenged headers in the first minute. Mowbray added a fourth after persistence from their forward. Credit to the Owls who kept at it with the pressure paying off with Conor Wilde scoring after a good passing move. The Owls then enjoyed their best passage of play with Alex a constant threat down the left and James Owers showing up well but they could not force their way back into the game.

Player of the Day: James Owers

Goals Scorers: Liam Davy and Conor Wilde

Friar Lane 4 Oadby Owls 0 – 18th September 2011 (League)

The Owls kicked off against the league leaders and had a real go at them, playing some good football in the first ten minutes. Gradually the Lane got into the game and scored 2 goals in the first half, Ricky was on top form keeping them at bay. The second half started with the Lane scoring with a fiercely hit shot, the Owls kept going with Ricky again in superb form to keep the score down. The Lane added a fourth after a short back pass, but the Owls had two good chances in the last five minutes Alex Morris just failing to round the keeper and James Owers going close. Another good performance from The Owls against a team that will surely challenge for the championship.

Player of the Day: Ricky Odedra

Goals Scorers: N/A

Oadby Owls 2 Glenfield United 1 – 11th September 2011 (League)

The Owls played some good passing football in a match which was affected by a strong wind blowing across the pitch. Nathan Jones, James Owers and Alex Morris all had half chances in a good competitive first half, with Glenfield looking dangerous with quick players on the counter attack. The Owls controversially scored after a good free kick was delivered into the box by Steven Corrigan, Liam Davy challenged the keeper strongly and the ball fell to James Owers who tucked his shot away 1-0 at half time. The second half was a repeat of the first Glenfield were unable to find the final pass and were always a constant threat with their pace upfront. They equalised with another controversial decision Ben Walsh adjudged to have handled a shot which was blasted straight at him, the Glenfield striker smashed the spot kick away to give Ricky no chance. The Owls really dug in and found a second gear, working hard for each other. They were rewarded when Jack Fallows found the top corner of the net from a 25 yard free kick, which dipped and swerved, David Beckham would have been pleased with that one!! The Owls ended the game stronger a credit to all 11 players who all gave their best, well done!

Player of the Day: The whole team

Goals Scorers: James Owers and Jack Fallows

Kirby Muxloe 88 0 Oadby Owls 0 – 4th September 2011 (League)

The Owls kicked off their season on a pitch that resembled a bowling green, flat with plenty of grass on it!! It wasn’t long before the Owls passing game threatened Kirby’s goal, Nathan Jones and James Owers going close. More good play from Jack Fallows and Alex Morris followed with the final pass just going astray. Ben Walsh and Steven Corrigan held firm at the back as Kirby pushed forward, Ricky Odedra the Owls keeper had little to do as half time approached. The second half saw Kirby come more into the game but the Owls had good opportunities to break the deadlock Liam Davy’s shot cannoning off a Kirby defender onto the bar. The Owls had a series of corners which piled more pressure onto Kirby but they could not find the final touch. The Owls then had a let off as the Kirby forward went down in the box only for the referee to wave play on. Kirby continued to press but the Owls held on for a well earned point. A good team performance from the Owls with 4 players making their debut Liam Davy, Conor Wilde, James Owers and Steven Corrigan who all played their part in a good team performance, well done!!

Player of the Day: The whole team

Goals Scorers: N/A