Bulls 5 Slough Central United 1

The Bulls lined up for their last league game of the season knowing that they were just 40 minutes away from ending the season as unbeaten champions.

Have seen off Holyport and Burnham Yellows in recent matches, the Bulls had good reason to be confident, but not complacent. No team (including Burnham) had scored more than two goals against Slough Central during an impressive recent eight-game run and the visitors had clocked up a couple of good six goal wins themselves during that time.

With three key players missing, the Bulls were down to a squad of seven. Everybody would have to work hard to earn one final victory.

The Bulls dominated the early play with new striking combination Luke and David linking up well together. David had a super debut, chasing everything and never giving the defenders a moments rest. Luke has been on fire since joining the Bulls, and always looked ready to add to his impressive scoring record.

It was debut boy David who got the Bulls on their way. A brilliant piece of play from MOTM Ollie on the left led to a cross being whipped into the Slough area. David controlled the ball calmly and picked his spot. A super start.

Within minutes the Bulls were two up as Luke slotted home his eleventh of the season.

It was looking like plain sailing, but, with players missing, the Bulls were looking less secure than usual at the back. A series of errors led to a Slough free-kick right on the edge of the box. Despite a brave effort by Jack to keep it out, the free-kick blasted through a gap in the wall and into the net. Half-time : 2-1 to the Bulls.

The Bulls have performed superbly in the second half of many games throughout the season, but this was the first time that the boys had been asked to play 40 minutes without any subs. Would they tire in the second half? Would the visitors seize the initiative and grab an equaliser? Would the champions lose their unbeaten record on the last day?

No way!

Within a couple of minutes of the re-start it was 3-1. Again it was Ollie Pritchard who created the goal, weaving through the Slough defenders and firing a fierce effort on goal. A deflection off Luke saw the shot fly past the Slough keeper.

With Max switched into defence, the Bulls regained their shape and bombarded the visitors goal throughout the second half. Callum went close several times, Ollie and Max were unlucky not to score. Eventually David grabbed his second and the Bull's fourth.

Fittingly, it was down to Bulls skipper Callum to round off the scoring. Bursting through from midfield, Callum struck an unstoppable stop from outside the box into the roof of the net. A suitable finish to a fantastic season from the team captain.

And so, seven months after the season had started with a draw at Upton Youth, the Bulls finished the season 13 points clear at the top of table. The Bulls scored more goals (82!) than any team in their age group and achieved the equal lowest number of goals conceded (10). A great all round team effort.

Well done Bulls. Enjoy the World Cup and keep practising your skills over the summer.

Burnham Juniors Yellows 1 Bulls 2

A terrific, gutsy fight back from the champions to complete the double over Burnham Yellows.

Having led the division for most of the year, Burnham were hoping to finish their season by taking away the Bulls' unbeaten record. As the game began it was clear that Burnham's recent 4-1 win over Holyport was no fluke and that the Bulls would have to be at their best to get a result.

The first half saw few chances. Some super dribbling skills from Ollie and Jack almost created clear opportunities for the Bulls and at the other end Burnham played two up front in a bid to break down the Bulls defence.

It was the home team who took the lead midway through the half, breaking away from defending a corner. The bumpy pitch played a part in the goal, with Bulls players being caught out by a bobbling ball at vital moments. 1-0 to the Yellows.

As we would expect, the Bulls responded by pressing hard for an equaliser. Despite rattling the Burnham goalpost near the end of the half, the Bulls couldn't quite find a way through. As half-time loomed, substitute Luke predicted confidently that he would get the goal that the Bulls needed in the second half!

At half time the Bulls were determined not to lose their unbeaten record.

The second half was a great contest between two very evenly matched teams. Early in the half it seemed that Luke's prediction would come true, as Ollie broke out of defence and played a clever through ball for Luke to run on to. The pass was a bit too heavy and the Burnham keeper managed to claim the ball just before Luke could get to it, but it was an encouraging sign that chances would come...

Hardly a few minutes later and there was an action replay. Ollie broke out of defence and played an excellent through ball through to Luke. This time the pass was perfect and left Luke one-on-one against the Burnham keeper. Deadly! 1-1!

A draw was enough to salvage the Bulls unbeaten record, but the champions pressed for a winner. As the game entered the last quarter, the Bulls took the lead. Quick thinking from Max released Ollie with a short corner. Ollie headed for goal and unselfishly picked out Callum unmarked on the edge of the Yellows penalty box. A cool, confident finish from Callum gave the keeper no chance. "Good goal," said the sporting Burnham coach, quietly. "Yeeeeeesssssss!!", said the Bulls coach, much less quietly.

(Well done to Ollie for creating both of the Bulls goals).

Burnham gave everything to try to rescue a draw, but the Bulls were solid. Congratulations to Lewis, who picked up MOTM for the latest in a series of excellent performances, and to Jack who had kept a crucial second-half clean sheet for the second week running.

Burnham away was always likely to be the hardest fixture of the season. To give Burnham a goal start and to emerge as winners took a great fighting spirit. The Bulls have completed the double over both of their nearest competitors, showing that they have the determination and character to win the hard games against other good teams.

Well done Bulls. Only two games away from recording an unbeaten league season!

Bulls 2 FC Holyport 1

The (non-alcoholic) champagne flowed at Farnham Park as the Bulls wrapped up the league title with an epic victory over nearest challengers, FC Holyport.

A large Holyport squad arrived early and were already warming up as the Bulls arrived. As the only team that could still deny the Bulls the title, Holyport were clearly in no mood to go down without a fight.

The first half was a close, hard fought tussle as neither set of players conceded an inch. Time and again, Ollie, Jureme, Jack and Luke worked their way into the Holyport area only to be crowded out by a determined and well-organised defence. At the other end the Bulls were grateful to MOTM Dan for his quick thinking in goal to keep the Holyport strikers at bay.

It was the visitors who eventually made the breakthrough, with a well taken goal that even Dan could do nothing about. The Bulls surged forward after that in pursuit of an equaliser, but found it hard to convert good possession into clear goalscoring opportunities.

Half time : 0-1 to FC Holyport.

As the half-time Jaffa cakes were passed around, the Bulls knew what they need to do to become champions : stop Holyport from scoring again and find a way through the visitors' defence. A draw would be good enough to win the league and confidence was still high. After all, the Bulls had scored at least once in every single game - league and cup - this season!

It was going to take something a bit special to unlock the stubborn Holyport defence. Step forward Oliver Pritchard, with his 29th, most important and most spectacular goal of the season (so far). Collecting the ball near to the halway line, Ollie weaved his way past two, three, four opponents and found himself on the edge of the penalty box. As the pack of Holyport defenders crowded in yet again, Ollie unleashed a scorching shot high into the net. Unstoppable!

The goal seemed to rock the visitors who had been playing with great confidence. Within a few minutes the Bulls were ahead. Fox-in-the-box Luke maintained his impressive scoring record (11 goals, so far), seizing on a half chance to fire a crisp, accurate shot inside the post. 2-1 to the Bulls!

The remaining 15 minutes or so were keenly contested as both teams gave their all. A word in particular for Callum Button who played every one of the 40 minutes in central midfield - no mean feat on such a warm day - and didn't stop running, tackling and encouraging his team-mates from the first minute to the last. A fantastic effort.

The Bulls defence were superb too. Holyport are a good side who fought desperately to salvage a draw, but they hardly had a shot at goal in the second half. Lewis played with discipline and maturity, keeping an eagle eye on the speedy Holyport strikers and always being in the right position; Dan was fast, strong and took no chances. Well done lads.

It was a great performance all round. Jack, Jureme, Josh and Max all made important contributions, showing the strength of the Bulls squad.

Both teams were exhausted at the end. Holyport had pushed the Bulls all the way, but the Bulls had fought back from behind to earn the title of champions.

Well done Bulls. An excellent performance by a team to be proud of. You are the champions.

Sunday 11th April

RAMS 1 NW Falcons 1

Match report to follow.

Bulls 6 Golden Eagles 1

A bruising encounter at Farnham Park as the Bulls clashed with a very physical Eagles team.

The Bulls have developed a good habit of starting matches like a rocket and they stunned the visitors with the fastest goal of the season. Straight from the kick off Jureme and Max linked up to create a chance for Ollie. 1-0 in the first minute!

The Eagles were in no mood to give up without a fight. The first half was peppered with crunching tackles, off the ball pushes and heavy challenges, but the Bulls played like champions. By half-time it was 4-0, as Jureme, Ollie and Callum added to the score.

After a brief break to compare bruises, the battle continued throughout the second half. A freak spinning cross midway through the half cost the Bulls their clean sheet (hard luck on Jack who had made some good saves to keep the Eagles out), but two well taken goals from Luke ensured that the Bulls had the better of the second half.

After his late, late goals against Holtspur and Holyport, Max almost rounded off the victory with another last gasp effort, as a half-volley from Jureme's corner thudded against the Eagles bar moments before the final whistle.

The Bulls can play better football than this (and this probably wasn't the most enjoyable game to play in for most of the lads), but the Bulls showed that they can win a physical battle. Callum picked up MOTM for a super captain's performance, ensuring that the Bulls were never outfought.

We have a rest now until after Easter. Hopefully the Bulls will return from their break ready to play their best football, win the league and enjoy every minute of what remains of the season.

Take it easy with the Easter eggs!

Saturday 27th March

Training Cancelled

FC Holyport 0 Bulls 4

An excellent away win for the Bulls against one of their main championship rivals.

The Bulls started like a rocket, with Ollie's cool finish and Callum's well-struck lob putting the Bulls two up in the first five minutes. After that the Bulls were always in control and threatened to add to their lead throughout the first half.

The Bulls finally grabbed a third shortly before half-time. Another Bulls goal had been on the cards, but the manner of the goal surprised everyone...

Striking the ball as crisply as a Tiger Woods drive, Lewis launched a shot from inside his own half which flew over the heads of both teams and dipped in between the bar and the stunned Holyport keeper. The parents in the crowd might have recalled another youngster scoring a similar goal against Wimbledon 14 years ago :

Hmm, I wonder whatever happened to him.

Holyport threw everything at the Bulls in the second half. They have some quick, skilful players and it is easy to see how they have scored five or more goals four times already this season. However hard they tried, the home side could not get past the Bulls, who became the first team to keep a clean sheet at Jubilee Park with a fantastic defensive performance.

Lewis, Josh and Dan in defence played with great concentration and determination throughout, never giving the Holyport strikers any space.

The Bulls midfield were awesome: sprinting back whenever we lost the ball to join in the defence. Holyport play on an unusually big pitch, but the super-fit Bulls never stopped running from the first minute to the last. The home side were restricted to a couple of long range efforts (which Jack coped with confidently). A superb effort Bulls!

The Bulls always seemed the more likely team to score in the second half but we had to wait for the last kick of the game for Max to crown his MOTM performance with a fizzing cross-shot from the corner of the box.

4-0 to the Bulls! A massive step towards the championship and an excellent team performance.