Milton & Fulston Utd 8 - 2 Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras (18-09-11)

A bad day at the office doesn't even come close to describing the disappointing performance from the away team. Lack of team work, and shocking marking gifted the home team a free header from a corner which put them one up early on. The second goal followed shortly after as a tame shot bobbled across the area and in off the far post. The home side looked to be winning the game at a canter with only 15 minutes played when they made it 3-0. This seemed to finally wake Zebras up and it was centre back Jack Frampton who picked the ball up deep inside his own half. He spotted the keeper off his line and hit an unstoppable shot from a full 65 yards. Suddenly there was some belief and the hard working Sean Wadey who registered his first of the season finishing low to the keepers right. 3-2 at half time and it looked like game on. The away side could have done without half time coming as they were on top at the interval. More individual errors and sloppiness cost the away side dearly again despite the best efforts of James Gasson and Adam Argent in the middle of the park and man-of-the-match Chey Hardy-Todd who had to switch to left back towards the end of the game. As heads dropped, so did the work rate and the home team ran out easy winners in the end. No game for us next week, so hopefully we can regroup and come back stronger for our next game. 

Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras 0 - 1 Oak Athletic (02-10-11)

The home side can't quite believe how they came away from this game empty handed. Zebras dominated the first half but found the Oak keeper in inspired form as he kept out Luke Taylor, Sean Wadey and Jack Frampton in the first half. Oak scored as the home side defense switched off at a short corner allowing an un marked player to head the away side in front. The home side also had the lions share of possession in the second half as they battled hard to get something out of the game. James Gasson, Harley Wilson and Adam Argent all ran themselves into the ground in the Zebras midfield on a very hot day and Taylor and Wadey up front did very little wrong. Wadey had a goal bound effort cleared off the line and Taylor and man of the match Aaron Heywood were denied by the Oak keeper. The home team keeper was virtually a spectator and even came forward for a corner with time ticking away to try and get at least a point from the game, which was what the home team deserved but when it's not your day, it's not your day!

Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras 0 - 3 Eagles (09-10-11)

The home team can't buy a goal at the moment, let alone a point and their lack of confidence showed early on as defensive errors let Eagles into an early 2-0 lead. Zebras waited to go 3-0 down before starting to play any real football but it was advantage to the away side at the break. The home side made changes at half time and went to a 3-4-3 formation and for the second week running Liam Taylor in the Zebras goal was a virtual spectator. Jack Frampton hit the post as chances came and went for the home side with the three strikers Luke Taylor, Sean Wadey and Joshua Harbour all making good movement and opportunities. The midfield played their part with James Gasson, Adam Argent and man of the match Harley Wilson all putting in a great second half performance, but we seem to be lacking that little bit of luck at the business end of the pitch. Maybe next week we can try playing from the start and not at half time!

Oak Athletic 1 – 3 Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras (16-10-11)

Zebras got their first points of the campaign with a hard earned victory over Oak Athletic. Fulston started brightly and deservedly took the lead through James Gasson’s overhead kick. The game ebbed and flowed with Oak equalising through a stunning strike as Fulston only half cleared their lines. Oak started the second half strongly, and it was only thanks to some superb saves that the game remained level. Aaron Heywood restored Zebras’ lead as he snuck in round the back. Oak pushed for an equaliser but man-of-the-match Luke Taylor scored the third to seal the points a minute from time.

Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras 4 - 1 Rainham Eagles (13-11-11)

Zebras gave themselves a mountain to climb when a very slow and sloppy start allowed Rainham Eagles to go one inside the first three minutes. After that, the home side kicked into gear and that was the last action the Zebras keeper saw in the first half. As soon as Zebras got the ball down and started to play, the result wasn't in doubt and it was James Gasson who leveled the scoring after a fine through ball from Sean Wadey. The home team started the 2nd half with the same level of effort and were rewarded when an under pressure Eagles defender was forced to play the ball back to his keeper who picked the ball up. Adam Argent laid off the indirect free kick for Jack Frampton who thundered home for 15 yards. It was pretty much one way traffic now, with man of the match Alex Bruce and Frampton marshalling the back line superbly. Wadey then ran onto a bouncing ball wide right and about 30 yards from goal and hit an unstoppable half volley into the top left hand corner to make the score 3-1 as the home side were really looking to put the game to bed. Luke Taylor led the front line well and was a constant threat up top, and was unlucky not to score but was time for a forth as Wadey met a cross only to see his effort bounce back out to Argent who made no mistake with the finish.

Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras 1 - 3 Horsted Youth (20-11-11)

Another defeat, but the margin for this one was narrow and the home team competed from the start until the final whistle. In an evenly fought first half, Horstead just had the edge and lead 1-0 at the break despite a great effort from Sean Wadey which bounced up off the bar and an effort from man of the match Jack Frampton which was saved by the Horstead keeper. The second half was more of the same with both teams wanting to get the ball down and play football. Luke Taylor was a constant threat throughout, but as Zebras pushed more men forward, a harsh penalty was awarded to Horstead as they looked for a second goal. With the score at 2-0, Horstead grabbed a third with a great move down the left which was finished off with a superb header, although Liam Taylor in the Zebras goal got both hands to it. The home team continued to push forward and pass the ball and the persistence was rewarded when a Horstead defender handled in the penalty area. Luke Taylor made no mistake from the spot and Zebras finished the game dominating possession. Despite the result, there are plenty of positives to take away from today's game as the boys are getting better week by week.

Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras 1 - 8 Riverview Utd (04-12-11)

The home teams rough run of fixtures against the top teams in the league continues. A large, physical Riverview side played some very fast attacking football. Despite the scoreline, you couldn't fault the Zebras side for their effort, commitment and work rate. Man of the match, Liam Taylor was immense in the home side's goal and Riverview created chance after chance. They didn't have it all their own way when early in the second half the Riverview keeper spilled a very powerful Jack Frampton free kick and Harley Wilson took the chance to slot home from close range. With the fixtures we've had, things will get better, I'm sure and the tireless Luke Taylor worked his socks off again despite only having scraps to feed off. 

Guru Nanak 5 - 0 Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras (11-12-11)

Zebras dominated the early stages, and should have taken the lead through Luke Taylor and Sean Wadey before a Nanak break away forced Liam Taylor in the Zebras goal to head an awkward back pass only for him to be closed down quickly by the home team forward. Nanak scored a second just before half time as the away side continued to create but were caught on the break again. The second half was more of the same with Aaron Heywood and man-of-the-match Harley Wilson constant threats down the flanks. As the away side piled forward, the cross bar was all that kept the ball out as Taylor and Wadey went through a lot of work and played some neat football. With the score at 2-0 Zebras were denied a clear penalty for hand ball only for the ball to bounce out of the box and a Zebras player control the ball on his chest but was judged to have hand balled it. The away side's heads began to drop as Nanak pushed forward to add a third from the resulting free kick, at this point they realised is wasn't going to be their day. Zebras conceded 2 more goals in the seven added minutes at the end of the second half, a half in which we dominated possesion. 

Bredhurst Juniors 3 - 1 Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras (18-12-11) 

Zebras started the game at a blistering pace and were ahead early after a great flowing move down the left involving Sean Wadey, man-of-the-match Aaron Heywood and calmly finished off by Luke Taylor. They continued to press and were unlucky not to go two up before Bredhurst broke away and were given a soft penalty when the home team's striker ran into Jordan Burton as the Zebras skipper looked to run the ball out of play. The penalty award knocked the stuffing out of the away side and heads began to drop as the already low confidence took another bruising. Bredhurst took the lead with a well worked goal shortly before half time. Zebras lost Wadey and James Gasson to injury in the first half but the eleven on duty at the start of the second half rolled their sleeves up and took the game to Bredhurst. The home side added a third as Zebras piled men forward. Taylor, Heywood and Jack Frampton all had efforts on the Bredhurst goal but as with so many other games this season, that little bit of luck deserted them.

Cliffe Woods Colts 3 - 1 Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras (08-01-12)

A fragile Zebras team traveled away to lower division opposition and were 1-0 down early on as they switched off at the back. As the half continued, the away side started to knock the ball around and create chances and by the half time break were dominating the game with man-of-the-match Adam Argent pulling the strings and playing passes all over the pitch. The second half started brightly as Zebras equalized with Argent finishing from close range as Cliffe failed to clear a corner. The good passing football continued as they looked likely to be able to push on and get something out of the game. Despite creating chances, Zebras aren't putting any of them away and have become extremely shot shy in front of goal. Then came the loss of Argent, to what first looked like a serious injury. Cliffe scored a second on the counter attack and you could almost see the confidence drain from the away side who conceded a third as they pushed men forward in an attempt to get something from the game.

Swallows 2 - 2 Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras (22-01-12)

This game was far more difficult than it looked on paper as the weather decided it was going to play a part and be a leveller. The away side dominated the early exchanges and despite playing uphill and into the very strong wind took the lead as Adam Argent finished calmly from close range after a great corner delivery from Chey Hardy-Todd. Swallows levelled the score to make it 1-1 at the break when a long punt into the box found it's way into the top corner wind assisted. Zebras had the slope and the wind in the second half and piled forward in numbers with wave after wave of attack. A clearance and a ball over the top caught the away side napping and the quick forward of Swallows took their only clear cut chance of the 2nd half to make it 2-1 with time ticking away. Substitute, and man of the match, Tom Low picked the ball up in his own right back area and after a lung-busting run found himself in the home side's penalty area only to be unceremoniously sat on his backside with a tackle from the Swallows centre back which wouldn't have looked out of place on a rugby pitch. Top scorer Luke Taylor stroked home the resulting spot kick (our first away from home this season) to level the score and despite late pressure from the away side, the game finished honours even.

Milton & Fulston Utd Zebras 1 - 2 Cuxton '91 (29-01-12) (J.L.Cup)

Division 2 Cuxton came out of the blocks the quickest and found themselves 2-0 up in the first half after two well taken goals. Zebras didn't really start to play until they were behind and it was top scorer Luke Taylor who pulled a goal back after latching on to a fine flick on by Jack Frampton. Man of the match Kieran Goodwill was at the centre of everything good the home team were doing and was denied the equalizer when the Cuxton 'keeper got his finger tips to his great header and turned it on to the bar. The 2nd half was pretty much one way traffic as the home side created chance after chance. Goodwill was denied by the crossbar again and fired the rebound directly at the away keeper. Taylor had at least three chances to peg the game back and the crossbar was taking a pounding as Frampton, Nathan Amaqui and Sean Wadey all saw efforts hit the wood work. Frampton and Amaqui also hit other efforts over the bar as Cuxton soaked up the pressure and managed to hold on to the goal advantage despite a 2nd half which saw the home side play some of their best attacking football of the season.