Hucknall Sports U12's Black 5 Sherwood 1

Sunday 30th November 2008

 

 

Hucknall Sports U12's Black ran out 5-1 winners at home to a spirited Sherwood side.

 

Sherwood started the game brightly making a mockery of their lowly league position.  The visitors had the better of the battle in midfield in the early stages pegging Sports back in their own half.  Sherwood took a deserved lead when a shot from just inside the area beat Jimmy Smith.

 

Conceding the goal seemed to spur Sports into action and Lewis Kerry, Cory George, Brandon Booth, Matt Bennison and Macauley Walker all had good opportunities.  Sherwood though defended for their lives getting players behind the ball superbly to snuff Sports’ attacks out. 

 

Just when Sherwood looked like holding their lead to half time, Sports equalised after a superb finish from Bailee Cooper.  Cooper received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the area, closely marked by two Sherwood defenders.  Cooper somehow turned and calmly passed the two defenders showing superb touch with both feet before slotting past the Sherwood keeper’s despairing dive.  

 

Sherwood came storming back and could count themselves unlucky not to restore their lead straight from the kick off.  The ball was played into the Sports area where Harrison Carlin’s clearance fell into the path of a Sherwood forward whose effort just missed the post.  Sports were then denied what looked a good opportunity when Macauley Walker was pulled up for a foul.

 

Half time seemed to come at just the right time for Sports who started the second period with renewed purpose.  Within only three minutes, Sports were three-one ahead after two goals from Macauley Walker.  First, Walker picked up the ball on the right, jinked past two defenders and calmly slotted home.  Walker then picked up a through ball from Josh Palmer, again passed two Sherwood challenges before beating the keeper with a cross shot that ended up in the corner of the net.

 

Sherwood always looked dangerous on the break and good work from Joe Porter, Dale Thomas, Josh Palmer and Rhys Powell was frequently needed to stop the visitors’ attacks.  When Sherwood did break through, Jimmy Smith was on hand to pick up and clear.

 

Joe Jemmett-Allen produced a superb dummy and turn to get away through the middle before he was stopped by an excellent tackle from a Sherwood defender.  This only proved a brief respite for the visitors though as Macauley Walker broke through again to complete his hat-trick.  Walker still had time to hit the post himself from a tight angle before he beat three players down the right wing and set up Bailee Cooper for a tap in from two yards.

This gave the final scoreline of 5-1 that was possibly a little harsh on Sherwood who did not look a bottom of the table side on this performance, but was credit to Sports’ improved second half performance.