Dune FM Reserves 1 - 5 Ventura FC

Sunday 20th November 2011,
Stanley High School, Southport

Scorers: Conkling (1), Hand (2), Frank (2)

Its now seven wins in a row for Ventura as they moved level on points (to fourth) with early pace setters West Lancs Utd. Even more pleasing for Ventura will be the fact that their run was extended by a performance that ranks as highly as any seen so far this season, with some clinical finishing to put five goals past their opponents & through using a new 4-3-3 formation.

It was Dunes FM however who took the lead after making an impressive start to the game, their passing confident & with pace. Trecharichi was looking to the ref for a foul, which wasn't given, & Dunes broke away to thunder a strike in at the near post. Their lead didn't last long however as Ventura forced a series of corners before Conkling scored one of his better goals with a curling shot that found the top corner. That equalising goal then visibly dented the confidence of Dunes as their play became more ragged & Ventura found their rhythm, Mike Hand then converting to make it 2-1 after some neat play.

The second half then became one-way traffic. Although working hard in midfield, Dunes were struggling to play the ball out of defence with Ventura players frequently catching them in possession. Trecharichi was disappointed to make way at half-time as he was replaced by Jason with Leigh switching to centre-midfield & Conkling reverting again to left full-back. Allison Frank was having an solid second half & caused Dunes countless problems on the left-flank, adding the first of his two goals to put Ventura 3-1 & out of sight. Mike Hand then added his second through a quick crisp finish that caught the Dunes keeper by surprise before Atherton & Lea were introduced with Ventura switching back to 4-4-2.

Frank added his second of the game after rounding the keeper before Jason had a contender for miss of the season as he somehow failed to convert from all of three yards out. It was a head in hands moment after he'd linked up well with Frank in the build up.

So now Ventura go into a two week mini break having won seven games in a row. Their next opponents will be the Fisherman's Rest FC who feature a former Ventura player in Andrew Uttley, younger brother of current AWOL Ventura player Paul. It promises to be an exciting clash as Ventura aim to make it a fantastic eight wins in row.

Also, well done to David Conkling for his MOTM performance against St Teresa's.

4-3-3 tactics used against Dunes FM Reserves

Ventura FC Team Photo 2011/2012 revealed!!!

(Back Row): Carl Nolan, David Conkling, Robbie Trecharichi, Matty Heron, Joey Suarez, Paul Leigh, Allison Frank, Damien Miller, Jamie Dalton, Jason.

(Front Row): Mike Burgess, Peter Brocklebank, Matty Slocombe, Mike Hand, Ian Palfrey.

Ventura FC 2 - 0 St Teresa's

Sunday 13th November 2011,
Bedford Park, Southport

Scorers: Trecharichi (1), Dalton (1)

Their sixth win in a row saw Ventura FC move ahead of Banks to fourth in the table, albeit with a stuttering performance against bottom club St Teresa's, who have yet to register any points so far this season. Despite fielding a stronger side than in the previous fixture, St Teresa's were content for large periods of the game to defend deep & in numbers, making it difficult at times for Ventura to break them down. Without question though the Man of the Match award must go to the Teresa's keeper who kept his side in the game with a series of crucial saves throughout, denying Dalton, Hand & Trecharichi when goals seemed a certainty.

After a comfortable but slightly laboured start by Ventura they then forced a series of corners, one of which Mike Hand headed towards goal only for the keeper to tip the ball onto the post & out for yet another corner. Indeed the first goal for Ventura came from a corner as Trecharichi found himself some space around the six yard box to finish with a rare headed goal. A couple of chances then fell the way of Dalton, who unusually for him was unable to apply the finishing touch. Half-time arrived then with Slocombe being virtually a spectator throughout, his only duties being to retrieve the ball after some wayward shooting from Teresa's.

The second half resumed with a similarly laboured pattern of play from Ventura, their usual urgency & passing game never really coming to the fore. From the kick off Conkling did a trademark solo run which on this occasion led to another corner. Jason also entered as a half-time substitute for Leigh & Teresa's for their part defended well but again offered very little in attack. Their keeper however was being kept busy & made two superbs saves against both Dalton & Trecharichi when one v one. Trecharichi was finding himself frequently in advanced positions & on another day could possibly have bagged a hat-trick, despite being deployed at full-back.

To add to Ventura's frustrations the referee was poor & all too often was willing to stop play by awarding free kicks for frivilous challenges or non-existent fouls. To make matters worse he then booked Hand for abusive language despite the fact that it was a comment of praise directed toward a team-mate & then failed to take action against a Teresa's player who committed the same offence in an axchange with Dalton. He also then failed to take action when Allison Frank was subjected to a shove from a Teresa's player after he had taken excpetion to a tackle.

To ease their worries Dalton finally got his now customary goal for Ventura to make it 2-0 & from there Ventura eased the game out with both Lea & Nolan entering the fray. It is now six wins in six games for Ventura FC & their rise up the table has been impressive to say the least. Their target now is to continue the winning streak & make it seven from seven next sunday against an unknown quantity in Dunes FC.

(Congratulations meanwhile to Jamie Dalton on his 2nd MOTM award in a row after his two goals in the win against Cafe D'Art)

Ventura tactics v St Teresa's

BREAKING NEWS: Damo's football boots found!

Following controversy after Ventura FC's game against Cafe D'Art we can confirm that the Orang-Utan's football boots have been found safe & well! Damo's place may be under threat however by the pacey looking gentleman who found his boots.

Robbie Trecharichi with Damo's boots found safe & well

Cafe D'Tart 1 - 2 Ventura FC

Sunday 6th November 2011,
Clarence House, Formby

Scorers: Dalton (1 + pen)

After somewhat of a turn around in fortunes, Ventura travelled to Formby seeking their fifth straight win & achieved their target following a bruising encounter against Cafe D'Art, last season's bottom placed team. Despite their depressingly small total of only two points in their previous season, it was clearly apparent that Cafe D'Art had reinforced their squad substantially since then & last week's win against West Lancs helped keep Ventura focused & not too willing to get carried away with their good run.

It took all of a few minutes before the Ventura players knew this was going to be a physical game after Dalton was sent tumbling with a late tackle by the D'Art left-back. No foul was given however & the D'Art players then carried on in the same vein, their approach costing them however as Paul Leigh was brought down in the box & the ref awarding the penalty. In Ventura days gone by Trecharichi would have assumed penalty taking duties but new boy Jamie Dalton, having scored four goals on his debut the previous week, took the responsibility & promptly smashed the ball home low to the left, Ventura 1, Cafe D'Tart 0.

It was another lightning start by Ventura but this time unusually they found it difficult, on a poor pitch, to assert their authority on the game. Their cause wasn't helped by some poorly timed challenges from the D'Art players, who at times seemed more pre-occupied with arguing with the ref, than playing their football. Matty Slocombe was then called into action following a free kick & made a good reflex save to tip the ball over. Mike Hand (back from injury) then produced the most outrageous of goal-line clearances, flicking the ball away with the outside of his boot, the ball unbelievably going out for a throw-in. Not quite a scorpion kick but equally as effective. Half-time then came & gave Ventura a chance to re-group & re-organise.

The start of the second half however saw Ventura sluggish to get going again & as a result were put under a spell of pressure from Cafe D'Art, Matty Slocombe again pulling off a reflex save to keep his side in the lead. It was short-lived however as Slocombe then followed up his best moment of the match with one he will want to forget. As a cross came in the ball took a slight deflection & Matty unfortunately chose to punch rather than collect, the ball flicking up & into the Ventura net. It was harsh on the keeper & Ventura, but their luck returned moments later when the crossbar came to their rescue. A seemingly harmless shot looked destined to be sailing over until it dipped & bounced back off the bar, the defence then able to clear the ball away to safety.

The game then began to shift in Ventura's favour as they rose to the challenge of the physical game before them. Challenge being the word as Lang was denied a penalty claim before Dalton, drifting in from the right, was brought down on the edge of the box. Claims for a penalty were dismissed by the ref however as he took his time before awarding a free kick. After a game of continuous late challenging & exchanges the Cafe D'Art number four was finally booked, Conkling running forty yards to make his feelings known. Ironically the same player then caught Conkling with yet another late challenge, the ref however generously allowing him to stay on the pitch.

As D'Art tired, Jason (whose surname I still can't pronounce) then came on for Leigh & found Dalton on the right wing. From a difficult angle & with little option but to go alone, Dalton found the bottom corner with a sensational strike, so powerful that it tore the net open just inside the post. It was a deserved winner as the Ventura players would concede that they have performed better at times this season & come away with nothing.

One player who might not have celebrated so much was the Orang-Utan, who instead chose to sulk at not being included. So the run continues, five wins in a row & Ventura looking to make it six against next week's opponents, St Teresa's.

Damo not happy at not being included

Ventura tactics against Cafe D'Art

Ventura FC 5 - 2 Formby Dons Res

Sunday 30th October 2011,
Bedford Park, Southport

Scorers: Jason (1), Dalton (4)

NEW THIS WEEK: Guest Writer: Peter Brocklebank (aka Harold Shipman, aka Peter Sutcliffe)

Guest Writer

Alright? As Dave is away in Manchester I'm writing this week's Ventura FC review so its bound to be a spot on analysis on the game.

Right, we started well & Pete Brock (me) made some really good tackles. This new lad Jamie turned up & scored 4 goals. Personally I think I would have scored more if I'd been up front but he did alright. The first goal, well it was early on & I was busy assaulting the Formby Dons centre-forward so didn't see it go in. I'm told it was a good goal though & it was Jamie's first touch of a ball for Ventura. The second, third & fourth goals were all scored following good play by Brock (again) & that gave us a 4-0 lead at half-time. We added a fifth in the second half before deciding to make a few changes. Joey Suarez came on at left-back & made an instant impact, making the game more exciting & unpredictable. Chris Atherton also came on as striker.

The game then got a bit tasty after Scholesy was fouled, didnt get a free-kick, so chased the lad down & hacked him for good measure. It was like a Brock tackle if I do say so myself. Anyway, he got booked & so did another Formby player who I thought Carl was gonna kill. I'd have done a proper job on him.

We then conceded two goals, not Brock's fault either of them, as you'd expect. Won 5-2, man of match Pete Brock in my opnion. And I didn't even have to use my hammer.

Ventura tactics against Formby Dons Res