If anyone would like an electronic vesion of the Raiders handbook let me know and I will forward one to you.

Hello and welcome back to STJV U9 Raiders webpage.
Simon and I will do our best to keep everyone up to date with fixtures. training etc as the season progresses. We do seem to have a lot more games than last year (30 odd plus cup matches at the last count) so communication is the key.

Enough of the waffle. Heres to a season of full of football, fun and enjoyment. We have the makings of a good little team here and hopefully we will win a good proportion of the games, although winning is secondary to the enjoyment of all of us, parents and players.

The Raiders started the season with a good all round team performance against a good passing St.Martins side. The Raiders raced into a 2-0 lead but ended up having to settle for a draw thanks to a last minute equaliser from the visitors . CJ Abbot put Raiders ahead with a great shot from outside the penalty area and Lewis Rowden’s long range effort crept in to doubled the lead before half time. St.Martins were stronger after the break and forced man of the match Robbie Hallett into a string of great saves. Noah Raffel and Freddie Squire defended well while both Will Bond and Samuel Burhop worked tirelessly to help out their under pressure defence.

A lack of substitues to relieve tiring legs and opposition very good at passing the ball a round meant a hard time and a narrow defeat in our second game of the day.

Despite being under pressure for long spells of the game against the Panthers the boys defended brilliantly. Man of the match Freddie Squire defended excellently and counter attacked with some mazy runs to relieve the pressure while Noah Raffel stayed solid in the middle as the Panthers piled forward against the tiring Raiders. Will Bond in goal looked like keeping a clean sheet until a well placed volley, late in the second half, gave the Panthers the win while at the other end the Raiders just couldn’t get their passing together to give Samuel Burhop any chances.

The Raiders gained a deserved win at Honiton thanks to some excellent all round team play and hard work. Robbie Hallett grabbed the only goal of the game which Raiders dominated but it took a stunning save by Will Bond to help ensure the victory. Toby Whitfield, on his debut, played well while man of the match Noah Raffell’s encouragement and teamwork from the back helped build a succession of attacks and restrict Honiton’s chances.

The Raiders almost grabbed a draw despite being under pressure for most of the match. Robbie Hallett made a string of excellent saves to keep it goalless until into the second half as the Raiders found themselves under constant pressure. After the break West Hill took an early lead and then doubled it soon afterwards from two soft goals but to their credit the Raiders kept trying hard. All of the team kept chasing, tackling and trying to pass the ball around and when Will Bond’s corner went straight in to pull one back Raiders started to threaten more often. Sam Burhop and Bond again almost levelled things late on. The whole team get the man of the match award for constant effort even when Wasps were dominating.

The Raiders suffered defeat despite finding some form and a much better performance. For short spells the Raiders passed the ball around well and, as ever, the work rate and effort was excellent. Toby Whitfield earned his man of the match award with a tireless performance in midfield while alongside him CJ Abbot urged his teammates on and tried to be everywhere at the same time. Up front Samuel Burhop, despite a lack of service, never gave up and put in his best performance of the season chasing and tackling back and almost grabbing a consolation goal.

The Raiders started slowly and got slower as they struggled to get any kind of rhythm going against Moors Youth. Ben Harrison, deputising in goal was given a torrid time as the visitors launched wave after wave of attack but still managed a couple of great saves and man of the match Freddie Squire defended excellently. Going forward was where Raiders struggled with too many passes failing to reach their target and leaving the raiders with no chances of note.

The Raiders deserved their 3-0 win against Kentisbeare thanks to a great all round team performance. Livewire Samuel Burhop scored twice and deserved his man of the match award for his non-stop work and cool finishing, including one goal where he beat a defender cut inside and fired a left footed shot into the far corner. The whole team defended and tackled so well that Will Bond, in goal, didn’t touch the ball until just before half time. CJ Abbott was tireless in midfield tackling and passing well. Robbie Hallett on the left wing was a constant threat and completed the scoring with a neat right footed shot from the edge of the area.

(or bump there goes another own goal!!)

Two own goals in the space of five minutes put an end to The Raiders hopes in a close encounter with Tiverton. First a deflected corner and then a clearance which hit a defender and bounced in left the lads too much to do. To their credit the Raiders will to win and effort didn’t drop though and they still managed some promising attacking moves while Noah Raffell at the back earned his Man of the match award for his rock solid defending and sportingly picking up opponents, after he had tackled them!

A spirited performance was not enough for the Raiders as they suffered at the hands of a very good Heavitree Dynamos side. Robbie Hallett’s attempted clearance turned into a perfect shot past his own keeper for an unfortunate own goal to put the Dynamos ahead and will Bond in goal could do nothing about Dynamos other two well worked goals. Hallett almost made up for his own goal with a great shot from the halfway line which hit the underside of the bar and the inside of the post before bouncing out but despite never giving up the Raiders just couldn’t find a way back into the match.

The Raiders came from behind three times to grab a deserved draw thanks to a late equalizer from man of the Match Will Bond. The visitors went a goal up early in the first half but the Raiders showed they were not giving in by levelling almost immediately through Bond. After falling behind again Bond’s strong run and excellent cross was finished by Samuel Burhop to level the scores once more. In the last couple of minutes Galaxy edged in front again with a deflected shot but the Raiders just would not give in and Bond grabbed his second and a draw a close range effort.

An excellent display from the Raiders saw them battle back from two down at half time to run out 3-2 winners.
A little unlucky to be losing at all the boys rallied and once Robbie Hallett had pulled a goal back just after half time the Raiders took control. CJ Abbot flicked home the equaliser from a corner and Man of the Match Lewis Rowden, who had an excellent game, scored the winner with a low shot. The whole team worked hard and some lovely passing and moving paid off with this deserved win.

Toby Whitfield’s stunning goal capped another good performance from the Raiders. Defender Whitfield latched onto an Ottery clearance from a Raiders corner and sent his long distance shot flying over everyone into the roof of the net. Will Bond had already put the Raiders one up and Lewis Rowden finished off the scoring to complete a good performance. Thomas Rowan, on his debut, earned his Man of the Match award with some good runs and hard work up front

The Raiders recovered from two goals down to earn a deserved draw against fellow Sidmouth side The Warriors. The Warriors deserve their half time lead but the Raiders hit back with a superb team effort. Every player worked hard and as the passing improved the Raiders threatened more and more. CJ Abbot pulled a goal back early in the first half firing, home from a narrow angle as the Raiders pressed and minutes later Lewis Rowden smashed a half volley into the roof of the net from close range to earn the draw in a good game.

The Raiders grabbed a slightly fortunate win in an excellent game that saw both sides create chances. Okehampton had the upper hand for spells of the first half but the Raiders defending kept them at bay. After the break the Raiders really woke up and with Noah Raffell beginning to dominate in defence, CJ Abbot in midfield and Samuel Burhop up front imposing themselves on the game the Raiders took the lead thanks to an own goal from a Lewis Rowden corner. As the game wore on The Raiders created the better chances Burhop and Thomas Rowan were unlucky with late efforts.

A spirited second half against a good Stoke Hill team just wasn’t enough enough for the Raiders. After going two goals down very quickly after the kick off the boys battled hard but the first half was a case of defending and rarely attacking. Two more Stoke Hill goals before half time sealed the victory but the second half saw the raiders fight back and although they conceded one more it proved to be a much more even half. Man of the Match Samuel Burhop worked tirelessly to help his defence and to create a couple of chances for himself.

Man of the Match CJ Abbot went on a one man demolition of Newtown scoring five times and helping to set up the other two goals as the Raiders dominated from start to finish.

Abbot opened the scoring with a great strike from outside the area before hitting an even better one into the roof of the net from distance to double the lead, he then grabbed his hat-trick with a low drive and number four came from just inside the box. Robbie Hallett scored Raiders’ fifth with a far post volley before. Abbot grabbed his fifth and Raiders sixth with another good finish before Thomas Rowan scored his first for the club with a low drive.

Samuel Burhop’s superb last minute equaliser grabbed a deserved draw for the Raiders. The Raiders hard work and passing gradually overcame Broadclyst and every player deserves praise. Early in the second half Robbie Hallett’s half volley from Lewis Rowden’s corner low into the net pulled one back, then as the game looked over Rowden fed Burhop who beat two defenders, one of them twice, and coolly slotted home the equaliser. Noah Raffell earned his Man of the Match award for some superb defending.

Robbie Hallett grabbed a hat-trick but the whole team took the credit for the win against a good West Exe side.
The Raiders got off to a flyer with Hallett tapping in a rebound at the far post in the opening seconds only for the visitors to equalise within seconds. The Raiders then fell behind but the never-say-die spirit shone through as Man of the Match Hallett took a pass from Lewis Rowden and fired in the equaliser before tapping home his and Raiders third following a good passing move.

The Raiders weathered an early storm to eventually run out winners against Whipton. Whipton started the brighter but once Will Bond crashed home the Raiders first from a tight angle and CJ Abbot and an own goal extended the Raiders lead it was never in doubt. Abbot slotted home the fourth from the edge of the box and completed his hat-trick with a long range effort before Bond scored the sixth with another ferocious drive from the left. The deadly finishing earned Bond and Abbot joint Men of the Match awards.

The Raiders attacked from the first whistle but slipped to defeat against the Panthers. As the game wore on the Panthers dominated and grabbed the lead before half time. Despite some good defending especially from man of the match Noah Raffell who tackled and headed for all he was worth and Freddie Squire also defending well, even winning headers against bigger lads, the Panthers scored twice more before Thomas Rowan hammered home a volley for a late consolation goal for the Raiders.

A scrappy match ended in defeat for the Raiders thanks to a well struck free kick that gave keeper Will Bond no chance. Neither team really got going and chances were few and far between. Noah Raffell in defence, helped by Freddie Squire and Thomas Rowan, stopped any City moves buiding while at the other end the Raiders only mustered a couple of half chances.

A deserved win for the Raiders in a game that saw both teams create several chances but it was the finishing of Samuel Burhop that made the difference. Burhop opened the scoring early in the first half as the Raiders strung together a superb passing move that saw Robbie Hallett, CJ Abbott and man of the Match Toby Whitfield exchange passes before Burhop was put through to coolly slot home. City equalised but as the Raiders grew in confidence and their passing improved Whitfield won the ball on the right worked the ball forward and Burhop jinked into the box cut inside and scored with a low left foot shot.

The Raiders were unlucky not to get a draw in a closely fought game. After going a goal down they fought back thanks to Robbie Hallett’s equaliser following some quick thinking from CJ Abbot set him up for a well worked equaliser. Colyton hit back midway through the second half despite some great defending by man of the match Freddie Squire and Noah Raffell.

Raiders were denied a deserved draw by a last gasp penalty save by the Colyton goalkeeper, saving Lewis Rowden’s well struck spot kick. Will Bond had pulled one back as the Raiders tried to fight back from two down before the last minute spot kick. Jude Levi put in a man of the match performance tackling and working hard for the team but the Raiders struggled to get any rhythm to their game.

The Raiders habit of not getting going until they are two goals down backfired against a good Leopards side. In a game where they struggled to get going only some superb defending from man-of- the- match Noah Raffell backed up by a good performance from Will Bond in goal kept the Raiders in it during the first half. The second half was much better and only a superb long range effort could beat Bond as the Raiders tried hard to get back into it.

The Raiders put on a much improved performance against Cully with only a scruffy goal and a penalty separating the sides. Again it was the defence that stood out as Man- of- the- match Toby Whitfield broke up attacks and played his way out of defence with some excellent play. The rest of the team worked hard and even after the late penalty kept trying to get back into it.

Will Bond capped a man of the match performance with both goals as The Raiders ran out comfortable winners against Brixington Blues.

Both Bond’s goals came from powerful drives from the left hand side, his first via a deflection which looped the ball over the helpless Blues keeper and the second a low shot into the far corner. Despite conastant pressure the Raiders had to settle for a two goal victory.

The Raiders never really got going against United and despite some resolute defending never looked like scoring at the other end. Noah Raffell was the man of the match for some great positional play, defending and heading as he did all he could to keep out United.

Thomas Rowan scored twice to put the Raiders in control of an excellent match before man of the match Lewis Rowden, who worked very hard, fired home the third from Will Bond’s cross. The Raiders were looking the more likely to score before both teams hit the crossbar and both posts with the score at 0-0. The Raiders then had an effort cleared off the line before Robbie Hallett pulled off a fingertip save to tip a Lympstone effort over the bar. Once Rowan opened the scoring the Raiders piled on the pressure with CJ Abbott’s long range free kick crashing down off of the bar and actually moving the goal back off its line. A real team effort with all the team doing themselves proud.

The Raiders shocked Exmouth by taking a lead in the opening seconds through Samuel Burhop’s great finish. Then the Raiders switched off completely and stood back and watched Exmouth score an easy four goals before half time. After the break the Raiders conceded two more quick goals but when it seemed a very heavy defeat was on the cards they came back to life and hit back with goals from Robbie Hallett and CJ Abbott and were unlucky not to score more. Robbie Hallett gets the man of the match award, in goal he was left helpless for the Exmouth goals but made a difference when on the left wing and grabbed a deserved goal.