During the 2021/22 season when our First Team got relegated, & we were driving home from some far flung away game with another defeat tucked under our belts, Ken & I regularly used to say to each other “I bet it’s boring winning every week”
Well after a season of watching our Invincible Under 23s & then watching our Under 15s & Under 16s this weekend, I am happy to confirm that winning every week isn’t boring – it’s actually very very very very pleasant!
So yesterday morning we all took our places at the Eco Power Stadium (Belle Vue in old money) for the Donny & District Cup Final for our Under 15s.
A very cagey start to the game with both teams testing each other out & jousting for position – like a chess match on a massive grassy chessboard! & Frickley were the first to go for checkmate as Lucas Brown scored a classic poachers goal on 25 minutes. 10 minutes later Lucas thought “I’ll have a bit more of that” & pinged one in from distance to make it 2 nil – terrific strike
2 nil at half time.
Right at the start of the 2nd half we had a free kick that cannoned off the cross bar but then Carcroft came out & tried to take the game to us (in a similar fashion to Saturdays Under 16s final) & on 50 minutes they were awarded a dubious penalty (in a similar fashion to Saturdays Under 16s final) which they converted (our man behind the goal said it was a clearly a Carcroft player that handled the ball).
2-1
But the Young Azzurri were straight back on the front foot & had a good effort well saved & then had an effort cleared off the line
What you need in these situations is a player with iced water running through his veins & on 60 minutes lovely set up play by the Blues & the ball gets played out to Joe Wilson. The Ice Man jinks into the box, has a quick look up, bosh, bottom corner, thank you very much, 3-1
Carcroft weren’t going to lay down though & they go straight up the other end & make it 3-2 – probably the only time during the game when the defence slightly dropped their very high standards.
Frickley are back on it & crash a shot against the bar & it bounces down a foot the wrong side of the goal line – that would have been some goal
Carcroft attack once again & break into our box – Ashton Powney in goal has had a relatively quiet morning in goal but he steps up & pulls off a superb save from close range to keep the score at 3-2.
Frickley come forward once more & we try an Alessia Russo style back heel but the shot is blocked & the ball is cleared to a Frickley player who gets scythed down & a decent bit of handbags follows & a Carcroft player gets a red card (more of this to follow)
& that is the final action of the game – the final score is 3-2 to the Young Azzurri & they are worthy cup winners & it’s been a very watchable cup final (with a very decent turn out of 442 through the gate – thank you to everyone who came to watch)
As with Saturdays game this was once again a solid team performance with every player doing his bit. However I am going to single out one player for a special mention – & it’s not a Frickley player. I really felt for the Carcroft lad who got the red card at the end – he got a yellow for the challenge & another for the retaliation, so by the letter of the law the red was correct. But come on, there was less than a minute to play in a final, we were deep in the opposition half so the score wasn’t going to change, I’m sure a sensible solution could have been found – maybe ask for him to be subbed or something. I just hope that he & his family didn’t have their enjoyment of the final spoiled by the red card.
Anyway bottom line is WE ARE THE CUP WINNERS!!! Congratulations to all the players, coaches, parents, families & volunteers
