VKL United

Todays MOTM - 👏🏼

🗣️ “Another result not going our way and another tough one to take. Especially as I felt for the most part of the game we nullified their threats going forwards and defended quite astutely even causing them problems when we attacked. A lack of “cut throat” attitude in the spells we did attack and the occasional wrong pass left us wanting at times and is definitely something we need to work on. But all in all we’ve proved today we can compete with one of the stronger teams in the league, so we really need to buck our ideas up and start turning results in our favour for the coming fixtures.”

- Manager, Tom Hill

Sporting Rednal vs VKL United
25.02.2024

VKL continued their poor run of form as they battled to a 2-1 defeat to high flying Sporting Rednal.

The visitors started well, utilising the space on a big pitch and closing down the danger. There were very few notable chances for either side for a large part of the first half as both sides cancelled each other out.

An opportunity came around the half hour mark when Sam Osmond was fouled just inside the penalty area wide on the left hand side. Joe Reynolds stepped up with a powerful effort but saw it go over the bar.

In the second half the home side seemed to shift up a gear and dominate large parts of possession in midfield and their hard work paid off just after the restart.

A solid tackle in the area was unfortunately prodded out to the right hand side where a free man controlled the ball and smashed high into the net at the near post. 1-0

Rednal were fortunate to score a controversial second as the ball was poked in from an offside position which was flagged by the linesman but after a discussion with the referee the linesman was overruled based on a defensive deflection taking the ball into the players path. 2-0

VKL battled on and did find a lifeline after a great solo effort from Reynolds. Jake Forman guided the ball into Reynolds’ path down the right hand side and after beating his man on the touchline he cut inside and poked the ball under the keeper to set up a nervy finish for the home side. 2-1

VKL threw numbers forward in an attempt to find the equaliser but the game finished 2-1.

Today’s lineup featuring

Championship
Sporting Rednal vs VKL United

As it stands

Today’s MOTM - Zi Palmer 👏🏼

🗣️ “A tough draw to take today and one that feels like a loss. Having been, in my opinion, the better side for the best part of 70/75 minutes. For Rubery to score the equaliser in added time at the end of the second half, was a real kick in the teeth, but that’s football. We need to start taking our chances when they arise and finding a way of killing games like this off in future.”

- Manager, Tom Hill

VKL United vs Rubery Memorial
04.02.2024

VKL were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Rubery Memorial after a physical encounter.

The hosts were the first team on the score sheet when a perfectly weighted through ball from Mal Williams found Robbie Davies running in behind the defensive line who excellently finished across goal into the far top corner from the angle. 0-1

Rubery had the chance to level from the spot when Alex Adams brought down their player in the box. James Watson guessed correctly to parry the penalty out to his right and the ball was cleared.

Rubery looked to get back into the game and as the pitch deteriorated there were some strong challenges flying in on the slippy surface.

It was VKL who extended their lead midway through the second half. Joe Reynolds skipped past his man down the right hand side and flashed a low cross towards the back post where Jake Forman was on hand to smash in from close range. 0-2

Rubery looked down and out but pressed hard for a goal to get them back in the game.

They were handed another opportunity from the spot when Sam Osmond clipped his man inside the 6 yard box. This time there was no mistake and the penalty was struck hard past Watson in goal. 1-2

6 minutes of added time gave the visitors a chance to find an equaliser and they did just that. The ball was pumped into the box from a set piece which was flicked on towards the back post to find a spare man free to strike back across goal and into the far corner. 2-2

Neither side could find a winner in the final moments and the game ended in a frustrating draw for the home side.

Championship
VKL United vs Rubery Memorial

League table update ⚽️

Today’s MOTM - 👏🏼

🗣️ “A slow start cost us big time today. Finding ourselves 3 or 4 goals behind before we decided to start playing. A mistake in football not many teams can afford to make. Focusing on the positives though when we did play football, going forwards it was flowing and good to watch and all our goals were the results of good passages of play. Amongst them were two “goal of the season” contenders for sure, so I’m taking the positives from today’s game. A team from our league and a fair few points ahead of us we gave a good account of ourselves and with cup football throwing up exciting games all over the shop I was really holding out in hope of an equaliser at the end, but it wasn’t to be. Best of luck to AFC Bromsgrove in the next round and let’s hope the league games are every bit as exciting.”

- Manager, Tom Hill

VKL United vs AFC Bromsgrove
28.01.2024

VKL were knocked out of the Terry Cup after a narrow 4-5 defeat against AFC Bromsgrove.

VKL were slow out of the gates and found themselves behind early on. A corner from the right hand side was floated towards the back post where the AFC player headed down and in off Matt Morris who attempted to block the header off the line. 0-1

AFC Bromsgrove doubled their lead after some good football down the right hand side lead to a strike across goal and into the far corner. 0-2

VKL found a way back into the game when Ryan Ball dispossessed the last defender and ran through to strike a superb effort from outside the box and in off the far post. 1-2

The visitors stepped up their efforts and added a third shortly after conceding. A cut back from the right hand side found the striker unmarked who struck the ball low down the middle from inside the box. 1-3

AFC added a fourth just before halftime from another set piece. A corner from the right hand side was whipped in and met with a glancing header at the near post which snuck past James Watson. 1-4

An unlikely comeback was given hope when Joe Reynolds scored almost instantly after being subbed on. A short pass from Matt Morris to Reynolds on the wing allowed him to run and beat several players down the wing and continue into the opposition’s box and finish nicely past the keeper. 2-4

Ball again wrestled VKL back into the tie when some good play from Robbie Davies down the left hand side gave himself a yard to hang a cross towards the back post where Ball jumped highest to head in from under the crossbar. 3-4

The visitors halted the comeback with a well worked goal after some nice passing on the left allowed a player to cut inside and lace an effort into the far top corner. 3-5

VKL again pushed on to get back into the game and it was Ball again to complete his hat-trick. Davies laid the ball into his path and after giving himself space to unleash a shot he struck the ball low at the near post and past the keeper. 4-5

AFC Bromsgrove managed the final moments of the game well to see out a narrow victory which sees them into the next round.

More cup action tomorrow against a team flying high in the same division🏆

Terry Cup Round Two
VKL United vs AFC Bromsgrove

Latest league table. A few disappointing results see us drop down the table but plenty of games in hand still. A few wins in those games should see us climb fairly rapidly.

🗣️ “A massive improvement for us compared with last week’s performance and if I’m honest a game we probably felt we should have had more from. Some good passages of play at times, as good as can be expected on quite a boggy pitch. Those conditions are always a leveller and never easy to play good flowing football in. That being said the result still wasn’t there for us today and that needs to change in the coming weeks. There’s plenty of quality in this football team, we just need to show it!”

- Manager, Tom Hill

VKL United vs South Birmingham Activ
21.01.2024

VKL’s winless start to the year continued as they battled to a 0-2 defeat against top of the league side South Birmingham Activ.

Conditions weren’t ideal as large parts of the wide areas of the pitch were boggy but the match was given the green light.

VKL enjoyed most of the play, trying to get the ball down and play on the heavy surface as best they could but resulted in a scrappy midfield affair with neither side able to carve out any real chances.

A few half chances came and went before SBA found a fortunate opener against the run of play. Some good play down the right hand side found a spare man in the box who unleashed a shot which ricocheted back off the defender blocking the shot and back off the attacker into space where he finished well into the far corner. 0-1

VKL continued to play their way back into the game but couldn’t find the equaliser before the break.

SBA enjoyed a period of dominance early in the second half as they looked to double their lead but were frustrated by some solid defending from the home side.

The visitors did manage to extend the lead from a cross which was floated towards the back post and eventually found their centre back in space to head in from close range from an angle. 0-2

The game boiled over after an off the ball incident but the game ended with the home side frustrated to not get anything out of the game.

Today’s lineup featuring Zi Palmer

Hoping to put last weeks poor result behind us with a game against high flying South Birmingham Activ.

Championship
VKL United vs South Birmingham Activ

Happy heavenly birthday Vinay!

You are always remembered, not just by close friends and family but by your footballing family who play under your name who you didn’t get to meet. You positively impacted so many people’s lives and still do through the connections made through this football team. Although please forgive our last few performances.

UTVKL! 💙🖤

🗣️ “Disappointing today to say the least, there’s excuses for it being the first one back after Christmas and not playing for a few weeks etc. but the long and short of it is we came up wanting today. In a game we felt, as a team, we should be getting something out of going into, that simply wasn’t the case and we need to look at ourselves, credit where it’s due RB wanted it more and desire speaks volumes in football. They were first to every breakdown and second ball and looked every bit the deserving winners. Kudos to them and good luck with the remainder of their season. For us the task is simple. We must be better!”

- Manager, Tom Hill

Racing Club RB vs VKL United
14.01.2024

2024 couldn’t have started any worse for VKL as they fell to a deserved 2-1 defeat against struggling side Racing Club RB.

It was a scrappy affair to begin with, neither side could really assert their dominance on the ball in the early stages and chances were few and far between.

Racing Club broke the deadlock towards the end of the first half when a failed clearance dropped into a dangerous position inside the VKL area and the Racing Club player reacted quickest to smash in from close range. 1-0.

After the break VKL looked to find an equaliser and they secured a good opportunity to do so from the penalty spot midway through the second half when Callum Mullin was brought down in the box.
Sam Osmond stepped up but blazed his effort off the top of the crossbar and over.

He redeemed himself shortly after when Tom Johnson-Hosker won his header on the edge of the box to send the ball back into a crowded area where Osmond reacted quickest with his back to goal and lobbed the keeper with an overhead kick. 1-1.

With the game level a tense finish looked inevitable and both sides were pushing for the winner.

It was Racing Club RB who found it against the run of play but they pounced on a lack of concentration when a loose ball played across the VKL box wasn’t dealt with quick enough allowing the Racing player to win the ball on the edge of the area and square a pass to a free man who drilled a low shot under Craig Merrick in goal. 2-1

VKL looked as though they were suffering from some Christmas break rustiness as the game finished 2-1 but nothing should be taken away from how well Racing Club RB played to secure a much needed win for them.

Todays lineup featuring

First game of 2024, let’s go!

Championship
Racing Club RB vs VKL United

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas from everyone at VKL United and especially from our Goalkeeper James Watson.