I've got to admit to feeling quite nervious before the match today. 
After the drubbing we got at the away fixture I was wondering how our boys would react and if they would rise to the occasion. 
Hiltingbury turned up after beating Pace 7-1 last week and beating Botley 3-0 the week before to get to the Tyro cup final as one of the form sides in the league. 
With the rain persistently falling the pitch was at best wet but playable. This was never going to be a spectical of football but the winner would be the team who played the conditions the best. We got off to a scrapy start but looked well organised. Hiltingbury tried to get the ball down and play and we just looked to stop them and hit them on the break. We did this a couple of times in the first 10 mins. Hiltingbury came back at us with balls that split our defence but they put their efforts wide. 
In the last minute of the half Chris scrambled the ball over the line for a 1-0 lead. Birdy and Dan linked well down the right and the ball was whipped into the box and not cleared. Chris pounced and we finished the half 1-0 up. 
Second half started with Hiltingbury forcing the game and had spells of good possesion, but never really troubled the Matty in goal. We dug deep and our defence started to dominate the Hiltingbury forwards. Birdy was starting to find space out wide and we took control of the game. 
Our 2nd goal came from a corner. Dan was told to delay his run into the box and he arrived with perfect timing to slot the ball past the keeper. We went on to create 2 more good chances before the end and Hiltingbury were a beaten side. 
Final score, Netley Royals 2-0 AFC Hiltingbury

Not a classic by any means but we did enough. We are now a hard team to beat. We have strength in depth and an attitude that never sees us give up. That's now 6 games unbeaten with 16 PTS from a possible 18.
With 3 games left to play we can't win anything but can improve our league position. A win against Warsash next week see us above City Central. That would be a good achievement. 

Div 3 Results
Warsash Wasps 4-2 Totton Rangers
Alresford Town.   Testwood Utd

Hi All, 
We are playing AFC Hiltingbury this weekend the 4th of March at Station Road Rec. Kick off is at 10am so if you could all be there at 9.15am to help with the goals it would be much appreciated. 

AFC Hiltingbury are the side that stuffed us 8-0 earlier in the season. I'm hoping we can keep up our good run of form and give them a better game this time. I know we will give them a better game this time. 

Training is at hamble school for the next few weeks until the clocks go back. To cover the cost is it possible for the subs to be £3 a week until we are back on grass. 

Phil will be letting everyone know what they owe in outstanding subs as we need to balance the books and pay a few bills ourselves.

Many thanks for your support 

Steve and Phil

 Romsey Town came to Station Road Rec on the back of a semi final cup victory and a run of 6 wins in 8 matches and looking to avenge the 2-1 defeat by us at the Rapids. 
As to be expected only had 11 fit players, Birdy was stuck in traffic and Aarron on his sick bed. Dan Lee was going to a have a 20 min run out to see if his injury was on the mend. So it wasn't a case of tactics and formations more as square pegs in round holes. 
The match kicked off with both teams listening to the war crys from our 2 center halves geeing the boys up from the start. The importance of getting off to a good start against a team who pass the ball so well could make all the difference. This seem to do the trick when we forced an early corner. The ball was swung in by Ross and Keiran got some kind of conection and scored his first goal for Netley. 1-0 up after 3 mins. 

We are playing Romsey Town this week at Station Road rec.

Kick off is at 10am so could I have all the lads there for 9.15am. We need to put the goals up so if anyone can come along to help out please do.

I promise to be in a better mood this week with the lads as long as they turn up on time and are awake at kick off. !!!

I will see the boys at training friday and everyone else Sunday.

If any of the lads would like to get involved with doing some coaching with either the Academy or the under 13's please speak to me at training. We need volunteers to get involved and it would be great experience for our lads to join in. 

If I was a pundit I would sum this game up as a game of two halves that was a cracker to watch. 
Sadly I'm a frustrated manager that can't understand why his team looks so unprepared 10 mins into a match when we have worked,talked and coached the lads on what we want them to do. It always annoys me when some, and I stress some, of the boys turn up thinking its fine to be up all night having a laugh doing what they want thinking it won't effect their performance on the Sunday. As its a rush to get out the house they then dont have breakfast and are out of energy and off the pace of the game. This then leads to us going behind and facing a battle to get into the game. Please lads take some responsibility and turn up on time and prepared to bust a gut for your team. I wouldn't be moaning to you all but at training you all tell me how focused you all are and that you are going to beat everyone we play and then on Sundays some of you look shattered before we start. Rant Over.
Well thats better. 
I think City Central were worth the 2-0 lead at half time even though I didn't think they were much better than us. We dropped to deep and gave them to much space to play the ball. We had a couple of chances and a disallowed goal but we looked very dis-jointed. 

Second half started better for us and we looked much more positive. We pushed up and started to pass the ball around and got control of the game. The defence looked more comfortable and the midfield had a better shape to it. Chris and Ross had little service in the first half but now looked a threat every time they got the ball. Birdy scored our first with a spectacular shot from the right side of the penalty area that the keeper could not get near. 1-2. Game on. 
City Central never really recovered and we took control of the game. It wasn't long until Ross tapped in our second to bring the scores level. 
Both teams had chances to win the game and Matty pulled off a great save in the dying seconds, but a draw was a fair result. If only we had played the first half as we did the second the result may have been different. 

The future is looking bright with Dan possible being available next week and Westy having his cast off the following week allowing Matty to go back on pitch. We may even get our team photo done before the season is over.
Competition for places will be tough and we have some very good sides to play. As I told the lads at the beginning of the season my intention has been to field what I think is our strongest team on the day to play against what opponents we are playing that week. No one is guaranteed a place in the starting line up and we may change things quickly if there is a mismatch in size or ability. 
Example, when we played Warsash their center midfielder was 6'4 and Jack Crook was marking him. No contest on the deck as Jack is a better player, but he was never going to win a header against him. 
This season has been tough as every team is at a decent standard and well organised. We need to be on our top game each week, but I will say that we are going in the right direction and improving. 
My ambition is to finish this season with more wins than losses and with a positive goal difference. 

Can I just say a massive thank you to everyone for all your help in putting up the goals and taking them down, to the girls who ran our cafe and our linesmen and Ian for stepping in at the last minute to Referee the match. 
Next week Romsey Town. So far I think they have been the best team we have played against and will be a good test to see if we can keep our unbeaten run going. 

Div 3 Results
Netley 2 - 2 City Central 
Alresford 2- 3 Pace Pumas 

  

We have a home match this week, yes I did say it, first one since November, v City Central. kick off is at 10am so could you all please be there at 9.15am.
We have to put the goals up so if anyone would like to come along early to help then please do. 
We are training this friday at the school at 5pm to 6pm. Hopefully it will be warmer than it was last week. 

Our home game v Botley has been moved to the 25th Mar and not on the 1st April as in the last update. That is until next week when it may get moved again! 

No Match this week, but we will be training on friday at the school. 
We will also be training during half term week. 

The Tyro has had a shuffle around of the fixtures. Here is the updated list. 

12th Feb, no game

19th Feb, Home v City Central 10am kick off

26th Feb, Home v Romsey Town 10am ko

4th Mar, Home v AFC Hiltingbury 10am ko

11th Mar, Home v Warsash Wasps 10am ko

18th Mar, Botley v Away 10am ko

1st Apr, Home v Botley 10am

Div3 results 5th Feb
Totton Rangers 2 - 5 Romsey Town

The pitch is frozen at Station Road and looking at the forecast it has no chance of being fit to play tomorrow.
So Netley will have to wait a few more weeks to see if we can avenge the 8-0 defeat inflicted on us by AFC Hiltingbury. 

Good news for Westy as the hospital couldn't confirm his wrist is broken. The bad news he's been put in a cast and has to wait another 2 weeks to find out. 
Liam has had his ankle x-rayed and all is healing well and he is back to school.
Dan still has a bad strain and need to rest it for another 2 weeks. Hopefully be back for the 19th feb.
Aidan should be back to full fitness this weekend after a bad cold.