Under 11 Review
After finished 3rd in the ‘C’ League last season the Under 11s were placed in the ‘B’ Division for the new season. John Haresign was again at the helm, supported by Paul Chambers and had a squad of 14 players but this quickly became 13 on the departure of William Croot. Then between November and March the squad was further decimated with Tom Beck unavailable. Two new players, Alex Bond and Joe Lincoln, joined the club and became important members of the squad.
Sept
The season opened with three home games in the month but unfortunately they all ended in defeat. The first saw fellow promoted side Sleaford inflict a 5-0 defeat followed by closer a 2-1 reverse against Kirton Town and 5-4 against St Helens. The latter game saw Nathan Fenwick make his 100th appearance for the club. League Position 10/11
Oct
Things failed to improve in October with a heavy 6-1 defeat at Navenby who would go on to be unbeaten, only dropping one point in their final game. The only other game in the month saw an early cup exit at the hands of ‘A’ League side HBW Utd who won 6-0. This game was a personal milestone for Harvey Conyers who made his 50th club appearance. The winless start to the campaign saw the side slip to the bottom of the table League position 11/11
Nov
November saw two games played but these both ended in defeat making it the teams worst run of the season – 8 successive defeats. The first saw another promoted side, Claytons, put six goals past them for a third game in a row, with a 6-0 win. It was also the third occasion in six games that the side had failed to score. Claytons would challenge Navenby for the title but would have to settle for the runners-up spot. Another player, Chris Hayes, also made it 50 appearances for the club in this game. The only other game was more encouraging with Nettleham sneaking a 4-3 win. With the enforced Winter Break this game proved to be the last before early January. League Position 11/11
Jan
The Mid-season break must have been good for the players as the New Year saw the first win at the seaside against fellow strugglers East Coast. This was followed by a 6-3 win at home to Lowlands. This game saw hat-tricks from both Nathan Fenwick and Ryan Metheringham. After two great wins and the equal best run of the season, it was somewhat of a surprise that the team could not fulfil the next fixture at Birchwood, which in effect was the first league double to be conceded. The month closed with revenge being reaped for the home defeat against St Helens as a 3-2 win was secured. Nathan Fenwick scored two including his 50th club goal in his 93rd appearance. With three wins in the month the side climbed off the bottom of the table to 8th and the management team lifted the Manager of the Month Award - League Position 8/11
Feb
The next two games saw league doubles completed by Navenby with a 5-1 win and Nettleham
5-2. It became another winless month as Greenbank inflicted a 4-2 defeat on Lewis Baker’s 50th appearance. League Position 8/11
March
March proved to be the busiest month with five games played. The first two were back to back games against Welton with a 3-2 home win but 2-0 defeat away. The next game produced the biggest away win of the season and first league double as Lowland were trounced 9-1. Nathan Fenwick picked up his second hat-trick of the season. The team then lost their scoring boots as Kirton won 3-0 and Claytons 9-0 (the heaviest home defeat of the season). These two defeats saw league doubles conceded League Position 8/11
April
The final month of the season saw Sleaford complete a league double as the side failed to score for the 7th time in a 3-0 defeat. Then Birchwood won 5-2 as the team suffered a sixth double of the season. But the season was to end on a high with the equal best run of the season and biggest home win in the penultimate game against Greenbank with a 14-2 win. This game saw a second hat-trick of the campaign for Ryan Bellamy while Harvey Conyers netted his first and Alex Bond hit four in the game. In the final game the side registered their second league double and first clean sheet of the season as they beat an eight man East Coast side 11-0. The seasiders had only picked up two points all season and that was due to an opponent defaulting. Nathan Fenwick scored five, his second hat-trick of the season and Ryan Bellamy notched his third hat-trick. The match was also a milestone for Josh Hill who made his 100th club appearance. The hatful of goals enable the Management team to collect their second Monthly Award of the season. After what looked a bleak season the team had recovered to finish a mid-table 7th Final Position 7/11
From the 15 players used during the 22 games played, 11 made 12 or more appearance with Ryan Bellamy, Harvey Conyers, Chris Hayes and Ryan Metheringham ever present. Lewis Baker, Alex Bond and Josh Hill missed only one. 68 goals were scored at an average of 3.1 goals per game while 76 were conceded (Av. 3.5) Just 7 of the team found the net. Nathan Fenwick was the top scorer with 21 goals in 20 games at an average of 1.05 per game (he also netted 3 hat-tricks). Second highest was Ryan Bellamy with 16 goals in 22 games (av. 0.73 per game) he also scored three hat-tricks. All six sides which finished above the U11s completed league doubles with Metheringham doing likewise to East Coast and Lowlands.