back row (left to right) = Chris Harmer, Greg Stiffell, Tom Heaton, Joe Hutchinson

front row (left to right) = Tom Wingate, Alex Flett, Luke Dawson

The Lindsey School and Community Arts College boys Futsal teams will face a tough test this weekend when they travel to Sheffield to compete in the FA National Junior Futsal Finals.

Sunday 15^th June - English institute of Sport, Sheffield.

The Grimsby Achilles heel continues to be missed chances plus not be able to play 2 quality halves.  Yet again we led at half time (2-1) and did not finish off the opposition in the second period.

Mathew Bryant took a strong Harvest squad to Sheffield for a 3 team play off tournament with Middlesbrough Futsal and Sheffield & Hallam teams.  Both teams are experienced futsal teams playing in the FA Umbro National Futsal League.

Teams played a round robin format of 15 minute each way matches.

In their opening game Harvest was drawing with Middlesbrough 2-2 until a last minute unforced error cost them the game.

‘Boro then got thrashed by Sheffield & Hallam 8-0.

Harvest then pulled off a great 2-2 draw with Sheffield & Hallam.  From reports back, a superb performance against one of the top 3 futsal teams in the North of England.

The Harvest performance has to be measured against the fact that the opposition teams are clubs that train weekly to play futsal.  The Grimsby Monday Premier League is of a very high standard, confirmed by the Harvest performance. For Mathew Bryant and team Harvest it was an eye opener to play against organised clubs with set plays on a fast indoor wood surface in dehydrating conditions.

How did English football reach one of its lowest ebbs – is it merely a case of no home grown talent? Are our children technically inferior and not learning the skills enjoyed by the rest of the foreign players playing in the Premiership?

Wednesday night was a organisers nightmare, one team cancelling or not being available can cause havoc, on Wednesday night it did.

Congratulations to Rob Parry, Sports Centre Manager at Kent St. Resource Centre. Rob has initiated a Year 10/11 junior futsal league which will be one of the first in the country for this year group.New teams are welcome to join this professionally run league, be the manager of your own team, it’s not as easy as you might think.

Last 32 Cup update:

Grimsby Globetrotters (Kent St Tuesday) took tournaments first major scalp, beating Premier League table toppers Grimsby All Blacks 6-4.  A result that the bookies would not have opened the book on, well done Globetrotters.

In fairness to All Blacks 2 key players were called out to work on way to venue and goal keeper Leigh Graves was on holiday to compound  problems.

Grimsby Jets and fellow newcomers Futsal Warriors fought out a tight 3-2 encounter that just edged Jets Way.

Shamrock experience was too much for Le Osterals who kept the score to a credible 8-2 over vastly more experienced opponents.

HTS Eindhoven 7 vs. Gy Saxons 6 (CUP)
 
HT Eindhoven struggled with Gy Saxons strength & experience as many of the gy lads has played at the nationals in the junior qualifying group prior to the National Junior Finals. HTS went 3 nil down at one point before ''beal'' The 16 year old wonder kid who, I am reliably informed, left Grimsby Town because '' he didn't like the training!'' achieved his hat -trick with some silky skills & even a bullet from the centre circle that the keeper could only watch fly past him into the top corner. To follow up was a volley from HTS’s own halves, a spectacular goal that won them the game. A great come back for HTS to nick it 7-6.

The last time a referee told me he had a ' star' playing in his league I admit to doubting him; then I popped down to watch and he was spot on in his assesment. The player was Jon Higton, who we immediately gave a game to in the FC Grimsby team and he has not looked out of place against older more experienced players. 

Hull has a 15-17 team in training, do we have anyone who would want to manage an FC Grimsby youth team, the team could play in tournaments in their own right whilst acting as a feeder team for the senior FC Grimsby team?

Timothy Lowe (Harvest) pictured marking Danny O'Hare (Harvest II) has been honoured with selection to play for the England College; his next matches to look forward to will be a 9 day competition in Italy. 

The match ended a convincing 8-3 win for Harvest over their Saturdal League team mates (Lakeside).  It has to be mentioned Harvest II was without Beb Smith (working) and the goal machine Ryan Smith (suspended).

Harvest manager Mathew Bryant says his Lakeside team 'has reaped the benifits of using futsal for team training.'  The team 100% Saturday Cup and League record speaks for its self.

Next Saturday season Lakeside will change their team name to Harvest and expand to a first and second team in the Grimsby Saturday League.  Futsal players that are interested in playing 11v11 within a team of commited futsal players can contact myself and I will pass your details onto to team managers Mathew & Jon Bryant.

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