ALBURY EAGLES Football Club

Our U11s have been successfully promoted in their first season on a full size pitch, coming second in Div D of the Horsham League.

Our U14s are also chasing promotion out of Div C and have a crunch decider on 18^th April at home to Heron Olympic.

U13s are safe in Div A after a string of good results, whilst U12s can make their season safe in Div B by getting at least a point against Roffey

Sadly U15s season came to an end during the second half of March. Running out of fit players and unable to fulfill their remaining fixtures, they have already been relegated from the A division.

Manager John Caley hopes they can gather sufficient squad numbers together to participate at U16 level.

In the Tadworth League, our teams have been doing well, headed by the U10 Griffins side, who have won their league again, staying unbeaten.

With one or two games left to play elsewhere, it seems as though final finishing places for U10 Eagles are third, U10 Lions 2^nd, U9 Eagles 3^rd and U9 Griffins 4^th.

With promotion already assured Albury Eagles turned on the style to complete their ninth successive league victory and finish the season just a point behind league winners Maidenbower United.

Top scorer Eliot Cozens topped 40 goals for the season as he netted six times, including four in a ten-minute spell in the first half.
Tom O’Neil had opened the scoring for the home side after ten minutes, opening the floodgates for Albury.
Although the visitors pulled a goal back shortly before half time, the visitors failed to muster a shot after the break. Instead, Albury’s midfield, driven forward by Ned Hussey, took full control of the game and launched wave after wave of attacks. Cozens added two, O’Neill grabbed his second and William Potts, George Thompson and Tom Hartley all appeared on the scoresheet.

A match played on the Heath at a kick - off time of 6.15 pm suited both players and supporters as over 30 home supporters came to watch a fantastic game of football played by the Eagles under 13s. A quote from manager John Duff said " This match showed what a good team they are with yet another win, this time over high flying Northchapel a result which should take us further up the League Table. An enjoyable game to watch with some excellent goals. Neil and myself thought this performance rates as one of our better wins this season and as a side, in what was a hard fought match with every one playing to their potential ".

Christopher Brooks opened the scoring, latching on to a through ball from Harvey Marshall which he then sweetly struck into the top left hand side of the goal from just outside the 18 yard area. With constant pressure from Northchapel, the Eagles managed to guard their goal thanks to Colby Silver’s and George Duff 's tireless efforts.

The second half saw Albury go further into the lead when Nathanael Farrant cut through the Northchapel defence to race towards the goal, and as the advancing keeper came out to block his attack Nathanael sent the ball high over the keeper and just as some in the crowd seemed to think that the ball had sailed too high over the bar the ball dipped down to gain Albury's second.

Northchapel then came back with a goal which rocked Albury until Philip Smith's run from the right hand side of the pitch ended with a superbly struck shot into the bottom left hand side of a diving Northchapel keeper that was hit with so much power and accuracy that it was impossible to stop the ball hitting the back of the net for a third time. In what seemed to be an endless second half, Northchapel pulled another goal back but when the whistle finally blew it was Albury that came off the pitch worthy winners.

Albury Eagles under 13s confirmed their place in next season’s A league thanks to a George Duff " text book" training ground rehearsed header in the first half. An in- swinging corner from Christopher Brooks saw George rise like a gazelle above the Steyning defenders and power an unstoppable header past the Steyning goalkeeper and into the net. Steyning grew stronger in the second half but with Alex Dangerfield and Tom Gill remaining steady at the back the Eagles gained the points needed to be part of the premier division next season.

Albury Eagles under 13s inability to score from the chances they created cost them the game in this Horsham league match. Having had the run of the match in the first half Albury conceded the goal that was to decide the game just before the break. The second half followed the same pattern as the first but with goal- keeper Jonathan Pennock making two or three outstanding saves to keep Albury in the match. A good shout for a penalty late in the match could have handed the Eagles the chance to level the game and possibly give them the point that they dissevered but this was not to be.

Last football for the season on Albury Heath

will be played on Saturday 18^th April.

Albury Cricket Club will thereafter

be preparing for their season.

The following Saturday

25^th April

will see the

Albury Cricket and Football Club

Annual Dinner

on the Heath.