Thursday 24th April
Rushden & Diamonds 1-0 Wellingborough Town

The under-18s finished off an excellent season with their NFA Under-18 County Cup semi final at Nene Park against Rushden & Diamonds.

The biggest shame for me was that we entered the most important game of the season with injury doubts over a number of players and with top scorer Nick Harrison suffering from a throat infection.

Physio Anton Thomas worked hard on trying to get Tom Randall, Jamie Payne and Danny Webb fit to start, but unfortunately, only the latter two made it through to start, and Danny Webb lasted barely 20 minutes before having to be substituted.

After our per-match meal and fitness tests, the lads and management were in relaxed mood, although the site of the Diamonds` team sheet showing three internationals and a stronger side than that which had beaten Brighton a few days earlier, stretched the nerves somewhat.

And, after only having Tom Randall fit enough for the bench, it was all we needed when pacey attacker Jonny Hazell, who has been a real hit since joining from Sileby Rangers, took a bad blow to his knee and, although reluctant to come off, simply had to and sat on the bench with tears in his eyes after being so desperate to do well in this game.

We therefore had to bring Randall on barely 10 minutes into the game and shortly afterwards Diamonds took the lead with a blatent handball leading up to the ball being volleyed past Sam Foulser.

I equate this challenge for our lads to something akin to the first-team playing against a Championship side – and we hardly got a sniff in the opening 45 minutes.

However, the troops were rallied at half time and, although we had few chances to really test their keeper, defensively we were superb and never gave up.

Indeed, we were visibly fitter than them as the game neared its end and could have snatched extra-time when Randall`s shot on the turn went inches wide.

Ryan Lee, Shaun Quirke, Dan Burston and James Mabbutt especially were fantastic for us at the back, and a special word too for 15-year-old Mark Pryor, who didn`t let the occasion affect him after replacing Danny Webb early on.

It was certainly no shame in losing to full-timers with three current youth internationals in their side and we received some nice comments from their coaching staff at the end of the game.

Our season ended at the presentation evening when Ryan Lee received the players` vote and Nathan Heycock was the managers` choice.

And even a crusty old defender/manager had a few tears in his eyes at the end when he was surprised by a presentation of an inscribed tankard and card from the whole squad! Nice touch.

Team v Diamonds:

Sam Foulser; Shaun Quirke, Ryan Lee, Dan Burston; James Mabbutt, Scott Allan, Nathan Heycock, Jamie Payne, Danny Webb (sub Mark Pryor); Nick Harrison (sub Rudi Pipe), Jonny Hazell (sub Tom Randall); Subs not used: Dan Brown, Ashley Harrison.

Thursday 17th April
Rothwell Town 1-1 Wellingborough Town

The under-18s finished their league season with a tense, nervy affair at Cecil Street against Rothwell Town and, although a point from a 1-1 draw sent the lads back to the top of the table, it now looks odds on that third place will be where we shall end up.

However, after falling behind to a header from a corner near the end of the first half, and then losing Tom Randall and Danny Webb at half time through injuries, the boys battled back superbly.

Sam Foulser was called upon to make one superb save from a close-range volley, but in the main it was the re-shaped Boro side who were on top, and after losing midfield Jamie Payne to another injury, moving to a 4-3-3 formation paid off in the end when 15-year-old sub Mark Pryor popped up to stab the ball home after their keeper had spilled a shot deep into stoppage time.

It was the umpteenth time this season that the youngsters have either won or drawn games at the death, which shows great team spirit, and it also maintained the unbeaten league run stretching back to October 15th – a brilliant achievement.

Now it`s the Diamonds next Wednesday when it is hoped the lads receive more support.

Team: Sam Foulser; Shaun Quirke, Ryan Lee, Dan Burston; Jonny Hazell, Scott Allan, Nathan Heycock, Jamie Payne (sub Dan Komianos), Danny Webb (sub Mark Pryor); Tom Randall (sub James Mabbutt), Nick Harrison; subs not used: Dan Brown, Ashley Harrison.

Thursday 10th April
Stamford 2-3 Wellingborough Town

This was a `six-pointer` for both sides, as Stamford have games in hand and will have a real say in the destiny of the championship as they still have Corby Town to play twice.

If we were to stay in the race we had to win – simple as that.

It wasn`t pretty, but after Nick Harrison had given us a very early lead, Stamford`s offside tactics stifled our forward play for the remainder of the half.

The home side equalised midway through the half with virtually their only noteworthy effort of the first 45 minutes.

In the second half Danny Webb made it 2-1 with literelly our first attack and then 15-year-old keeper Ashley Harrison made a couple of good saves to keep the scoreline level.

Stamford levelled and a draw looked on the cards until we asked for a little more from some very tired legs and brought on Nathan Heycock, whose ankle injury sustained against Thrapston looked like keeping him out, and he made a big difference in driving the lads on.

Tom Randall volleyed home the winner with 12 minutes remaining and we held on – sometimes nervously – for three brilliant points against a very good side.

With many of the lads playing for the reserves as well, they deserve great credit in keeping going as they have played an awful lot of games in recent weeks.

Team: Ashley Harrison; Shaun Quirke, Ryan Lee, Dan Burston; James Mabbutt, Dan Brown (Sub Nathan Heycock), Scott Allan, Tom Randall, Danny Webb; Nick Harrison, Jonny Hazell, Subs not used: Rudi Pipe, Dan Komianos, Mark Pryor.

Thursday 3rd April
Wellingborough Town 5-1 Thrapston

A 5-1 victory looks comprehensive enough on paper, but suffice to say that quite a few words were said both at half time and full time because the performance was disappointing.

Nick Harrison and Jamie Payne both bagged braces, with Tom Randall adding the other, as we led 3-0 at half time but didn`t really go on to monopolise as we should have done in the second period.

With the title race so tight, goal difference could come into it, and this was what disappointed me the most in this game.

Team: Sam Harrison; Shaun Quirke, Ryan Lee, Dan Burston; Dan Brown (sub Mark Pryor), Scott Allan (sub Dan Komianos), Nathan Heycock (sub Rudi Pipe), Jamie Payne, Danny Webb; Nick Harrison, Tom Randall.

Thursday 27th March
Wellingborough Town U18 2-2 Raunds Town

The under-18s played their second game in three days when entertaining local rivals Raunds at the Dog & Duck on Thursday night and dropped two precious points in their quest for the title.

With Danny Webb missing his first game of the season through injury and keeper Sam Foulser once again ruled out with a groin strain, Mark Pryor came in at left wing-back and 15-year-old Ashley Harrison continued in goal.

The visitors surprised us with their pace and vigour early on and never gave us time to get into our usual passing game.

Indeed Raunds fully deserved their lead after 15 minutes, and, although we came close once or twice, were second best in the opening 45 minutes, even after Nick Harrison had equalised with an excellent first-time finish after the otherwise excellent Shopmates` keeper had punched the ball straight to him.

We had to readjust at half time when Jamie Payne suffered a blow to his face that eventually needed hospital treatment, with Jake Newman coming on to start the second period.

The second half was a totally different ball game from the first, however, as the young Doughboys hardly allowed Raunds out of their half and the visitors had their keeper to thank for maintaining parity.

Newman had a header tipped over the bar and several shots were blocked, last-ditch tackles prevented shots being taken and the keeper made three or four other fine saves – it seems we always bring the best out of visiting custodians!

A draw was, perhaps in hindsight, a fair result in a game that, to quote the old saying, was a real `game of two halves`.

It does make it extremely tough for us now, although Rothwell Town and Corby Town do have to play each other and we tackle the Bones, but we cannot afford any more slip ups in between.

Jamie Payne, who went to hospital, suffered concussion and a suspected broken nose.

Team:

Ashley Harrison; Shaun Quirke, Ryan Lee, Dan Burston; Jonny Hazell, Scott Allan (sub Rudi Pipe), Jamie Payne (sub Jake Newman), Nathan Heycock, Mark Pryor (sub James Mabbutt); Tom Randall, Nick Harrison. Subs not used: Dan Brown, Danny Webb.

Steve Whitney

Tuesday 25th March
Wellingborough Town U18 2-0 Netherton
NFA Cup

The under-18s made it through to the semi finals of the inaugural NFA County Cup with a 2-0 win over Peterborough-based Netherton United at the Dog & Duck on Tuesday night.

Netherton, who hammered our league rivals Rothwell Corinthians 6-3 in an earlier round, were a big, strong side but the lads produced some of the best football of the season in the opening 45 minutes when we could, and perhaps should have been more than 1-0 up through a deflected Nathan Heycock effort midway through the half.

The second half saw the young Doughboys lose their form a little but still had the majority of the play, with recent signing from Desborough, Jamie Payne, once again outstanding in midfield.

Debutant Ashley Harrison had very little to do in goal, although Netherton had a couple of shouts for penalties turned down.

A semi final berth was secured with a minute remaining when another new boy, Jake Newman, tapped in from close range after Jonny Hazell`s shot had been parried by the visiting keeper.

Newman had come on with 15 minutes to go, replacing Nick Harrison, who did very well on his return from his nasty ankle injury.

Team: A Harrison; Quirke, Lee, Burston; Hazell, Heycock, Payne, Allan (sub Mabbutt), Webb; Randall, N Harrison (sub Newman): Subs not used: Pipe, Pryor, Brown.

Thursday 14th March
Wellingborough Town U18 2-2 S&L U18

In the end will it be two points dropped or two gained? That`s a question which will only be answered at the end of the season as the under-18 side were held to a 2-2 draw at the Dog & Duck by S & L.

The game in Corby in January was a cracker which the young Doughboys won 2-1, but although this time we certainly didn`t match those heights in terms of performance, once again the lads showed great spirit to come back from a morale-sapping 2-1 deficit to grab a point.

Indeed, it was like the Alamo at the end as we bombarded the visitors` goal without managing to snatch the winner.

It was goalless at the break and hugely disappointing from our point of view, but midway through the second half Tom Randall broke through after good work by Jonny Hazell and Nathan Heycock to give us the lead.

Not long afterwards, S & L equalised when we failed to close down properly on the edge of the box, and then keeper Sam Foulser, who has been brilliant for us all season, made an uncharacteristic error to gift the opposition a second goal.

However, instead of that causing the lads to drop their heads, they upped the pace and poured forward looking for an equaliser which came 5 minutes from time when Randall hit a 20-yard effort through a sea of legs and into the net following a corner.

The final few minutes saw the boys force corner after corner and keep S & L on the backfoot but were unable to find a winner.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I perhaps made a mistake in making two substitutions when we were 1-0 up.

No disrespect to the lads who came on – one of which was new signing from `over the fence` Jake Newman, but I should perhaps have left it as it was, at least for a while longer.

But at least we maintained our unbeaten record and the title race is not over yet!

Thursday 6th March
Thrapston Town 0-4 Wellingborough Town

The under-18s maintained their unbeaten run with a comfortable 4-0 win at Thrapston on Thursday night.

With top scorer Nick Harrison out for the season, Tom Randall partnered Jonny Hazell in attack and the duo looked lively from the start.

However, the undoubted star of the show was new signing Jamie Payne, who was outstanding in midfield.

Hazell opened the scoring after 15 minutes, but although keeper Sam Foulser was a virtual spectator in the visiting goal, the Doughboys were unable to add to their tally, despite a number of chances being created.

The second half was again almost one-way traffic with Wellingborough trying to play their football, despite the pitch being very hard and bobbly.

Randall charged down a clearance and rounded the keeper to make it 2-0 and skipper Nathan Heycock added the third with a header from a Hazell corner shortly afterwards.

And Hazell bagged his second 10 minutes from time to complete a good night`s work and put the young Doughboys back into second place, a point behind Rothwell Town.

Team:
Sam Foulser; Dan Brown, Danny Webb (Sub: Mark Pryor), Sean Quirke, Ryan Lee, Dan Burston, Jamie Payne, Nathan Heycock (Sub: Tyler Overton), Tom Randall (Sub: Dan Komionos), Jonny Hazell, Scott Allan. Sub not used: Sam Harrison

Thursday 29th February
Wellingborough Town 4-0 Irchester United

The under-18s moved into second place in the Senior Youth League table after a `disappointing` 4-0 victory over neighbours Irchester United on Thursday.

It seems a little strange to describe a 4-0 in as being `disappointing`, but the lads played well within themselves, despite being warned against complacency against the divison`s basement side.

Containing several former Wellingborough players from previous seasons, Irchester found a real hero in keeper James Fowler.

However, he could do little to prevent the young Doughboys from taking the lead midway through the first half when he parried a Jonny Hazell shot and Tyler Overton headed home the rebound.

Inspirational skipper Nathan Heycock fired home the second shortly afterwards, but the goal avalanche failed to materialise, mainly thanks to Fowler.

The second period began with the hosts` once again peppering the visiting goal, but some poor finishing and good keeping kept the scoreline the same until the hour-mark when Overton converted his second of the night.

A fourth followed soon afterwards and it was an unfortunate own goal from former Doughboy Tom Moore!

Whilst Wellingborough were never in any danger of losing this game, 4-0 was a little disappointing, although new signing from Desborough Town, Jamie Payne, had an excellent debut before suffering an ankle injury in the second half.

But it was enough to see them move into second place and maintain a fantastic unbeaten record that now stretches to October 15th.

Wellingborough:

Sam Foulser; James Mabbutt (sub Dan Brown), Danny Webb (sub Mark Pryor), Sean Quirke, Ryan Lee, Dan Burston, Jamie Payne (sub Rudi Pipe), Nathan Heycock, Tyler Overton, Jonny Hazell, Scott Allan. Subs not used: Dan Komianos, Sam Harrison (GK)

Thursday 22nd February
Desborough Town 0-3 Wellingborough Town

The young Doughboys maintained the pressure on Corby Town and Rothwell Town above them with a comprehensive 3-0 win against Desborough Town at the Dog & Duck on Thursday night.

The only sour note was a bad injury to Nick Harrison, who was the victim of a nasty tackle by the goalline that went unpunished.

Nick was taken straight to hospital (after we were informed that an ambulance would take 90 minutes to arrive!) and it was later discovered that he had damaged ankle ligaments and a chipped bone, which will virtually rule him out for the rest of the season – a cruel blow for both the under-18s and the reserves as they both chase honours.

Nick had given the young Doughboys the lead when he fired under the Art Tarn keeper after a free kick had been touched to him.

A delighted James Mabbutt made it 2-0 shortly afterwards – the right wing-backs first goal for the club – and then Jonny Hazell notched the goal of the night when he hit home a cross from Mabbutt first time on the turn.

Three-nil can often be an awkward lead at half time – especially for the management – and, despite warnings from manager Steve Whitney, his assistant Luke Tyler and even physio Anton Thomas, the team failed to produce the same form of the opening half, although Desborough never really threatened at the other end, but made it harder with some tenacity in the tackle.

But we would have taken 3-0 at start of play, there is no doubt about that, and the night got even better when it was discovered that Corby had dropped two points at S & L!

It`s bottom-markers Irchester United next up at the Dog & Duck next Thursday (7.45).

Monday February 18th 2008 - NFA County Cup
Wellingborough Town 3-2 FC Aztec

Wellingborough`s under-18 side nearly went the way of Liverpool a couple of days earlier in being ousted from the cup at home to lower league opposition.

However, despite being far from their best, the young Doughboys once again showed terrific spirit and determination to come back from being 2-0 down with 14 minutes remaining to beat Countywide League side FC Aztec 3-2 in the NFA County Cup on Monday night at the Dog & Duck.

The hosts were one-down at half time and in truth it could have been worse, and immediately after the break the visitors added a second.

With 15 minutes remaining a switch to 3-4-3 by the `gaffer` worked wonders as firstly Jonny Hazell got his head to a cross from Nick Harrison and then skipper Nathan Heycock equalised shortly afterwards.

With the pitch freezing rapidly, extra-time was looming and it was doubtful the referee would carry on, but up popped sub Tyler Overton to grab a last-gasp winner to send the young Doughboys through to the quarter finals when a tie against Rushden & Diamonds, Kettering Town or Peterborough United is a possibilty, although it would be better to meet one of those sides in the final!!

Monday February 11th 2008
Rushden & Higham 0-5 Wellingborough Town

The under-18s moved to within four points of leaders Corby Town and one of second-placed Rothwell Town after a fine performance in a 5-0 success at Rushden & Higham on Monday night. Click here for table

The home side had strengthened considerably from the one beaten at the Dog & Duck only two weeks ago, and included a former Manchester United forward signed on the night.

However, the young Doughboys looked good from the outset and took an early lead through outstanding striker Jonny Hazell.

Left wing back Danny Webb added a second midway through the first half and, apart from one occasion when the hosts threatened, it was comfortable for the Doughboys.

Hazell added his second and Wellingborough`s third 10 minutes after the break and then Tyler Overton – in his first start after being sidelined for five months with injury – made it 4-0.

The move of the game saw a great cross from Dan Brown converted by Hazell with an excellent header to complete the perfect hat trick – one left foot shot, one with his right and the third with his head!

This now sets up an exciting finale to the season, with the under-18s already having equalled last season`s points tally with eight games left to play.

Steve Whitney

Wednesday August 23 Wellingborough Town 1 - 1 Corby Town

Wellingborough Town Under 18s played the first game of the season against a strong Corby Town side last night.

Last season Corby won the league and had only four of that side missing in last nights line up they also included two first team squad contracted players.However the game started at a frantic pace with Corby taking an early lead,the young Wellingborough side kept its nerve and got a deserved goal from Sean Quirke just before half time .

In the second half Wellingborough once again matched Corby man for man .

The final whistle was blown and a deserved point was gained.