Worcestershire U18s 0 - 1 Suffolk U18s
FA County Youth Cup Round 3 at Bromsgrove Rovers FC
Suffolk progress continues
Suffolk continued their defence of this trophy with a far from convincing victory over Worcs at Bromsgrove Rovers FC in a match which had previously been postponed 3 times. It was played on a date that other round 4 ties were taking place, and on a pitch which was heavy and holding – making good football almost impossible. The teams already knew that the winners would face the Isle of Man FA team in the next round.
The home team had won narrowly in the 2 previous rounds – both away from home – and were to prove very difficult opponents in this tie. The Suffolk team showed 5 changes from their last fixture – players missing through injury and suspension. The home team started much the better and in the 3rd minute Insall won the first corner when he burst into the box only for his run to be blocked by Hunter. 10 minutes later Shaw had the first chance for the visitors when he got on the end of a long clearance but failed to beat keeper, Holmes, with his header. Pope had to react quickly to come out to block an effort from Bala, while at the other end winger Shaw turned his marker and his angled drive went just over the bar. The only goal came in the 20th minute from Coakley whose free-kick deceived everyone in the ground. Taking it with his left foot, from 20 yards out on the wide right, he shaped to cross to the far post, but instead struck a low shot to the near post. This wrong-footed the defenders and the keeper as it crept inside the near post. Some say he mishit the shot, but he will tell you that it was a deliberate ploy. It certainly worked and it was to be enough to put the visitors into Round 4.
Soon after, Shaw was stretchered off with a knee injury, and the game became physical. This and the very heavy pitch made things difficult for Suffolk and little was created by either team before the interval.
Both teams took a different view in the second period and focused on trying to play football. In the early minutes, Pope first dived at the feet of Loader, and then punched the ball off the head of Insall as he rose to meet a cross from the left. Another free-kick by Coakley – this time orthodox – was met at the far post by 2 team mates, but neither got enough on the ball to divert it into goal. At the other end, a Loader free-kick came off the head of a defender and looped for a corner. Then Clark robbed Beasley outside the box and found space for a left foot drive across goal which was high and wide. Mid-way through the half, Loader and Insall carved a way through the visitors defence, but a great recovery from Boreham prevented a shot on goal. Both managers made full use of their allocation of substitutes – with those on the Suffolk team having the greater impact. Especially the speedy Kempson who not only proved a good outlet for his team as the clock was winding down, but actually carried a threat to the opponents goal with his direct running. 12 minutes from the end he got behind the home defence on the left and his low cross was met by another sub, Finch, who steered a shot just wide of the far post.
With minutes to go and with Worcs pressing, Hunter headed clear a free-kick from Loader, which Kempson collected and carried to the corner flag, before a near post cross was turned away by Beasley for a corner. The game had not been a spectacle, but it was ending on a bright note, as Suffolk’s third sub, Clark, took advantage of a slip by Beasley and drove his shot against the top of the cross-bar. In stoppage time, at the other end, Bloomfield cleared a corner off his line to ensure that his team could look forward to a home tie against the Isle of Man team – at Woodbridge Town FC on the 31st January – KO 2.00pm
Suffolk U16s 3 - 1 Hertfordshire U16s
Eastern Counites League match at Old Newton United FC
First win for the Under 16s
An explosive opening to this match, when in the 2nd minute, Fierstone burst through the midfield, carried on past the static Suffolk defence only to shoot over. Almost immediately, Suffolk went up the other end and scored through Wade. The ball was played out to him on the right wing, and he drove past his marker before cutting in and placing a low shot across the keeper from 15 yards. In the 5th minute, Ingram nearly added to Suffolk’s lead with a wonderful drive from the edge of the box which went just past the upright.
After that frantic opening, things calmed down a little, but chances still came and went at both ends. A free-kick for Suffolk by Peters was scrambled clear at the far post. At the other end a close range shot by Fierstone – the visitors most dangerous player - was well wide. A cross by Wade went to the far post and was met by MacKenzie who headed back for Marsden – but his shot was charged down. In the 23rd minute, Suffolk were awarded a penalty when Ingram drove into the box and was caught and tripped by Goodchild. Ingram took the penalty himself and confidently converted it.
Herts had another chance but a free-kick by Griffin was confidently held by Greygoose, but it was Suffolk who had most of the possession. The Herts defence was gradually gaining in confidence, looked far more solid and worked hard to prevent an increase in the deficit. They always posed a threat going forward, and Fierstone did well to retain possession under pressure from several defenders before playing it out to the wing for Goodchild to cross deep into the box. Suffolk’s defence however, coped with this and cleared the danger. With 5 minutes to go to half-time, Fierstone scored a well deserved goal to bring his team back into contention. He took on several defenders, pulled an early drive over their heads and over the outstretched keeper and watched it dip under the bar for a wonderful solo effort.
Early in the second period, Greygoose kept his team in front with a great diving save top thwart Griffin whose early shot from a wide left position was goal bound. The game settled into a midfield battle, with Suffolk having more possession, but unable to dominate. In the 20th minute, Wade tried a long range shot, but it faded just past the post and 8 minutes later, Suffolk completed the scoring when a deep, low cross by Hill was misjudged by Chapple and Wade had a tap in at the far post.
Herts then threw everything forward and a corner was cleared to Karacochi, whose breathtaking drive through a crowded area was well saved by Greygoose. Karacochi, cautioned a few minutes before, was fortunate with 10 minutes to go to escape a second caution for a late tackle on Ingram, as the visitors continued to press. Fierstone played out to Griffin on the right – his low cross was scrambled for a corner by Ingram, who then headed the corner out to Karacochi. He sent in another pile-driver which this time found the top of the net. In the final minute, Greygoose saved from Karacochi as the Herts team ran out of time and the Suffolk team perhaps flattered by a 2-goal win. Suffolk had put in a better all round team performance, although their opponents had some fine individual displays.
Suffolk U18s 3 - 0 Cambridgeshire U18s
Eastern Counites League match at Cornard United FC
Suffolk outwit old rivals
Cambs had the better of the early exchanges in this enthralling match, and the Suffolk defenders had to work hard to protect keeper Pope. They were, however, dangerous on the break, although it took until the 18th minute to win their first corner. Fox whipped this in with such pace that keeper Mace mishandled, but the danger was cleared by a defender for another corner. Just before the half-hour – and against the run of play, Suffolk took the lead. A penetrating free-kick by Grint was punched out by Mace – but only to Gray whose goal-bound header was handled on the line by defender Richards. Referee Reg Barker had no option but to award the home team a penalty and to red-card the Cambs defender. The penalty was converted by Mayhew – low to the keeper’s left.
With the extra man, Suffolk became more dominant and nearly doubled the lead when Grint guided a pass from Mayhew just wide. Cambs were not out of it and in the last few minutes of the first half, had 2 chances from free-kicks around the edge of the box; the first chance went just wide and the second hit the wall and was cleared.
Early in the second half, the dangerous Gray won a dropped ball and worked his way into the box only to shoot well wide of the target. By now Suffolk had the upper-hand, and in the 57th minute, Gray headed against the bar from close range, as he met a fine cross from Coakley. The visitors were seen only in occasional breaks, as the Suffolk midfield were now in control of the play. However, it took them until the 71st minute to make the game safe, when substitute Severy tried his luck from the edge of the box. The ball took a wicked deflection off a defender and looped out of reach of Mace into the top corner of the goal. A lucky break for the home side, but their superiority was emphasised only 2 minutes later by a third goal – scored by Mahyew. A cross from Severy was well behind Grint, but he stretched and managed to hook the ball into the path of Mayhew who had space and time to pick his spot and he drove past Mace from close range. Near the end Pope did well to come off his line to meet the onrushing Mills and block his effort to ensure a clean sheet.
In the end a comfortable win for Suffolk, but the penalty incident in the 29th minute was undoubtedly the turning point. The visitors had been on top until then, but after that Suffolk gained control and dominated most of the second half. Even then, however, they needed a little bit of luck for the second goal which settled the game. For that early period in the game, the home defence did a great job and ensured that their goal was rarely threatened. In the second half, the skill of Mayhew, graft of Grint and the strength of Gray combined well to present a continued threat to the visitors.