Unusually the award goes to a league.  Anyone who has been watching the progress of the Novartis Under 10/11 league has to be impressed. The standard improves week on week. 

Asking young players to play the ball out from the back is not easy when the teams have been brought up on mini soccer which demands a long ball game, but these lads are starting to show for the ball, eventually they will make the long ball punt from the goal keeper redundant.

It's a real treat to watch them, made all the more enjoyable thanks to the number of supporting parents.

09/11/2009
Report from Iran

Courtesy: Payvand

Iran's futsal team claims title in Asian Indoor Games

07/11/09

HANOI, Vietnam, Nov. 7 (Mehr News Agency) - Iran's futsal team defeated Thailand and won the championship of the 3rd Asian Indoor Games on Saturday. Iran was temporarily held to a 3-3 draw by Thailand but beat them 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

Iranians had also won gold medals in the last two editions.

Iran team coached by Jurandir Dutra de Azeredo defeated Turkmenistan (two times), Malaysia, Macau and Thailand in the tournament.

4,500 athletes from more than 40 countries have taken part in the event. Iran has participated in the event with 131 athletes in 16 events. The competition started on October 30 and continues to November 8.

Comment: English Futsal is just touching the surface, Iran plays a national September tournament that starts with 20.000 teams!

The Monday night Grimsby Institute Premier League only had 2 matches so I took the opportunity to watch both. I was not dsapointed.

The first game saw Youngs' Seafoods' mix effort, skill and commitment in the perfect balance to beat a highly talented Harvest FC 6-5.  Hardly a foul in the game, both teams tested each other to the limit when they had possession. Shane Garvey missed a last kick 'tap in' at the back post  that would have equalised for Harvest.

After the game my thoughts was that the Youngs' performance was going to be the performance of the week, or maybe Jamie Dickinson (Youngs') was player of week, and the week had only just started.

Mathew Payne altered that thinking in the next game.

Willows Valiant looked the stronger team in the first half, that said Fulstow had tested them taking an early 2 goal lead, wiped out before half time as Mason and Emmerson looked uncontrollable, taking Valiant to a 3-2 lead.  Last minute of half Fulstow took a free quick before Valiant had set their defence, 3-3 and the break.

Second half everything changed, Fulstow changed to a 'flying' goal keeper, went man to man with Danny Hornigold on Mason and Emmerson, tactically it worked a treat as they ran out 11-5 winners.

Mathew Payne scored 9 goals, most of which were top drawer power shots that gave Ryan Milson no opportunity to save.

The best two back to back games I have watched.

Giorgia Silvester, the first girl to play in the Grimsby Institute Junior Futsal Leagues.

Giorgia plays for Grimsby Soccer Club under 9's at both futsal and mini soccer.

My contacts tell me she is being watched by Lincoln Ladies.

I have seen Miss Silvester play mini soccer, she can more than hold her own in boys' football One to watch in ladies football.

The team lost its first game 4-10 to Barca but to their credit reduced the loss deficit in the second period.  Even more to their credit the players have added an extra training session to regain that lost fitness and to give the futsal uninitiated in the team a chance to gain more experience; a thing opponents Barca do not lack, having played well over a 100 games.

The team GSC o/40's is the result of parents watching their protegees train futsal and deciding they want a game as well.

Helvecia 7 Tranmere Victoria 2

Helvecia are now for the 2nd year in succession cup and league champions.

Read the full story and the chaos the play finals decended to at www.yourfutsal.org

GRIMSBY SOCCER CLUB ARE LOOKING TO START A FUTSAL FOR TODDLERS WHICH WILL HAVE THE FOUNDER OF FUTSAL IN GRIMSBY KEV BRYANT INVOLVED,EVERY CHILD WILL HAVE A FUTSAL TO TRAIN WITH SO THEY HAVE MORE TIME WITH A BALL THAN ANY OTHER JUNIOR CLUB CAN OFFER,THE CHILDREN NEED TO BE AGED 5 TO 6 YEAR OLD,PARENTS CAN RING MATT 07793307197 FOR MORE DETAILS.

Monday night witnessed a superb game of futsal played to a very high level by two of the counties most experienced teams Young's Seafoods' and El Dogos'.  The game was played with great intensity from the opening to final whistle.  Players were dripping with sweat, a stone in weight was left on the court.

Adam Cooper's El Dogos' asked all the questions in the first half, with a smaller squad they were helped by having to make fewer substitutions needed to give all players equal match time.  Young's experience kept them in the game first half, although they were not aided by accumulative fouls.  El Dogos' twice lead only for Youngs' Craig Norman to equalise.  With seconds off the half left Youngs' committed a 6th foul.  'Burger' stepped up to the 10 meter mark and dispatched his 'free shot.'  The last kick of the half.

The second was nip and tuck until the final stages, when with 5 minutes to play Young's equalised.  This goal did mental damage to El Dogos', they had done so much, played so well, and now needed to do it all over again; unfortunately Young's extra players on the bench was now paying dividends, Youngs' had energy to burn whilst El Dogos' had an empty tank.  Two more goals took Youngs' to a 5-3 victory that did not appear possible from the early passages of play.

I had 'Burger' as player of the week until reminded Craig Norman had netted all 5 Youngs' goals.

Performance of week:

Youngs Seafoods' Craig Norman

Full match reports and vidio clips www.thefa.com