Football - Suffolk New College Vs Harlow College
Basketball - Suffolk New College V Luton 6th Form College
Suffolk New College have entered into the British Colleges Basketball League for the first time, competing against 16-19 year olds from other further education colleges. This was also the first time our group of players had got together with only three players left from the strong team that was formed last year. This did not matter and the students arrived at Luton after a long journey eager to play this first match.
Brad Potter (Capt) organised the team of Andrew Rooke, Gary Riley, Lloyd Adidas, Fred Santos, Victor Lorenzo and Tyrone Smith
The match started off well in the first quarter with Potter opening up with 3 consecutive 3 pointers and Adidas picking up 7 points. The second quarter saw much of the same with Rooke, Smith and Riley working well in both defence and attack.
The second half saw Luton change their tactics to ‘man to man’ marking making it difficult for our power forwards to score and saw the lead cut back to just 3 by the start of the last quarter.
A very tense quarter saw us struggle to put our chances away and then they called a timeout with less than two minutes on the clock. With the home crowd cheering on very loudly, Suffolk New College were penalised and Luton had two free throws which they scored giving them the lead and victory. This closely contested match went all the way to the final minutes before Suffolk New College lost 57 – 59
A very promising display by the College team and with Colchester 6th form coming to us for the next game in two weeks time we can take a lot of positives from this game and move forward
Football - Suffolk New College Vs Harlow College
Suffolk New College opened their British Colleges Football League account with a hard fought victory over a very organised Harlow College.
Injuries and illness saw Suffolk kick off with the bare eleven and without a recognized keeper but the goal was rarely threatened in a half that started with heavy winds and rain but ended in bright sunshine. Suffolk dominated the first period but failed to beat a very good Harlow keeper. The Woollard & Broadhurst partnership in central defence kept any Harlow offensive threat at bay while Hadley & Hamilton in central midfield made the College tick and created a hatful of chances for striker Wajadur & Phillips from the left wing. Making their debuts as full backs were Jamie Souza and James Lait, who looked comfortable and fitted into the team nicely.
Gentile hit an upright and the Harlow keeper made a string of brave saves as the half ended goalless.
Half Time: Suffolk College 0 Harlow College 0
Suffolk conceded a sloppy goal five minutes after the break when a weak Harlow cross/shot crept inside the stand in keeper and his near post.
Harlow motivated by the goal soon took control of the game and had further chances. They scored a second mid way through the half which was flagged offside. The referee overruled an offside decision but in an exemplary display of sportsmanship the Harlow management team sided with the referee’s assistant and the goal was disallowed.
A scrappy ten minute period followed but Suffolk got back on track and started to pin back the Harlow defence. Jason Hadley equalised on 70 minutes with a fine solo goal and a buoyant Suffolk soon got back into their first half groove.
After playing in their opponents half for the last quarter of an hour it seemed inevitable that a winner was to follow. It did but it was very late when Jason Hadley rose high above the Harlow defence to powerfully head home a far post corner into the roof of the net. Harlow had time to rally one last fruitless attack.
Men of the match for Suffolk New College were stand-in centre half and Captain Nathan Woollard & debutant Jason Hadley with two goals & a powerful central midfield performance.
But the game will be remembered by the Sportsmanship of the Harlow Manager.