Lowdham Colts 3 Hucknall Sports U13's Black 2
Sunday 27th September 2009
Hucknall
Sports Black Under 13s can consider themselves very unfortunate to come out
with no points to show from this game.
After
opening their league season with two heavy defeats, Sports’ players stepped
up their game to a man. Jimmy
Smith saved superbly from Lowdham’s opening attack and launched a counter
that saw the ball find its way through to Jack Wagstaff.
Wagstaff showed great composure to blast home to the keeper’s right.
Lowdham hardly had a chance to regroup before the lively Wagstaff was
through on goal again, he completed another cool finish to put Sports two
ahead.
Sports
looked dangerous every time they came forward.
A series of superbly delivered corners from Harrison Carlin had Lowdham
defending for their lives. A top drawer save denied Matthew Bennison and a
clearance off the line and last ditch tackle on Tom Shaw saw Lowdham keep
Sports’ attempts out.
At
the back, Sports defence looked assured with Lewis Kerry and Dale Thomas
keeping the lively Lowdham attack at bay in the centre ably assisted by Joe
Porter who performed an excellent holding midfield role.
Just
as Sports looked like they would hold out until half time at 2-0, they were
rocked by Lowdham pulling a goal back. Then,
as the second half started, all Sports’ hard work looked to have been undone
as a Lowdham striker just stayed onside to give Smith no chance and bring the
scores level.
To
their great credit, Sports went all out to get in front again and the game
became an end to end affair. Sports
rearguard defended superbly throughout and Lowdham’s lively forwards got
very little change out of Lewis Kerry, Dale Thomas and Joe Porter in the
middle and Josh Palmer and Harrison Carlin at right and left back.
At
the other end, Jack Wagstaff and Matthew Bennison were both denied by last
ditch tackles after good work from Joe Porter and Josh Noseley just failed to
get on the end of a cross that needed the faintest of touches to find the net.
Joe Jemmett-Allen was just caught
offside as he looked to go through on goal, Tom Shaw found the side netting,
Jack Wagstaff fired just over and a Matthew Bennison shot clipped the bar.
Both Bennison and Tom Shaw were denied by robust challenges in the
area, the second seeing Shaw have to leave the field injured, before Brandon
Booth was stopped on the edge of the box.
Having
laid siege to the Lowdham goal, it was very tough indeed on Sports when
Lowdham broke away and scored what turned out to be the winner with just four
minutes to go. Even after that,
Shane Moulsen almost put Jack Wagstaff through down the left and Josh Palmer
and Brandon Booth combined well down the right to set up the ever lively
Matthew Bennison who was again denied by a last ditch tackle.
In
the final minute it might have got even worse for Sports as a Lowdham
clearance eluded the defenders and put a forward clean through on goal.
Not for the first time, Sports were indebted to Jimmy Smith who timed
his run out of goal superbly to snuff out the chance.
Sports
must now keep their heads up and build on this vastly improved performance
that deserved something from the match. A
repeat of the level of commitment, skill and teamwork shown will surely get some
reward soon.