East Valley United Yellow 4 Hucknall Sports U12's Saturday 3

Saturday 21st January 2006

 VALIANT SPORTS LOSE OUT IN 7 GOAL THRILLER

A valiant display by Hucknall Sports Under 12 Saturday saw them lose out this early kick off. 

Despite fielding an injury hit team, missing 5 of their main players and dealt a further blow when one of the players pulled out at the last minute, the ten men battled on against highflying East Valley. 

Sports started brightly and after 20 minutes the score remained goalless despite chances at both ends. Buster Simpson made a couple of flying saves and at the other end Danny Stenson and Nicky Robinson both created half chances for themselves. East Valley scored the first goal of the game, breaking Sports offside trap. A strong run and cross from Thomas Scarbro picked out Stenson on the edge of East Valley box who then forced a fine save from the keeper to deny sports the equaliser. Howard Howells and Thomas Lambert ensured that at halftime Sports were only 1 nil down with some well timed tackles and excellent positional sense. 

Sports again started brightly in the second half with Jason Harris supplying some surging runs down the right flank. Jack Bird and Josh Burton were relentless in defence against East Valleys dangerous forward line. However, as Sports finally started to tire with the effect of playing with only ten men East Valley scored a second. 

Amazingly, Sports dug deep and a ferocious Stenson shot whistled past the keeper to put Sports back in the game much to the joy of the watching parents. Whilst East Valley always looked dangerous Sports continued to battle but tired legs allowed the home side to score two more goals to move 4 – 1 in front. 

Sometimes moments of skill and magic can turn a game but other times it is down to shear grit and determination and to the teams credit Sports fought back again. A Stenson second put Sports back in contention and then when Jordan Burch burst through to drive home a third a comeback looked likely. Unfortunately it was not too be. 

As the whistle blew for full time Sports trudged wearily off the pitch but with heads held high. To his credit, the East Valley manager congratulated the ten players who had battled so hard and this effort showed what can be done with guts and a willingness to work as a team and a never say die attitude.