01/05/2026
Our u16’s got close last night, eventually losing 7-6 on penalties after a stirring comeback from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in normal time. Our parent match report is below and here’s our penalty taker in the 80th minute slotting in to take us to penalties!!
Cup final report
A gallant effort from everyone but it just wasn’t to be. A stirring finale, from 2-0 down with 13 minutes to go, against a clearly well skilled and physically powerful Stretford, showed all the heart, courage, bravery in the world to take the game to penalties.
In truth, the game wasn’t a cracker. In the first half, Stretford had a fair amount of ball but aimed it to 4-5 key players. When we did have the ball,we just couldn’t keep it long enough to set up either enough passes or get players into the parts of the pitch that would do the damage.
We set up to contain. Adam and Eddie did marvellous jobs, their man to man efforts on Stretford’s winger and forward meant those players were paid close attention to attempt to nullify Stretford’s main threats. Adam spent the best part of 80 minutes making the 19’s game difficult, no time to rest and play towards goal. Eddie did the same on the 14. A special mention to both players in a report of special mentions.
Archie tipped a shot round the post, Stretford lost a football with some dubious long range shooting, but we were having to make a lot of clearances and blocks.
With some hindsight, the defence were pretty solid and didn’t give many chances away. Adam and Eddie were backed up initially by Harry, Rayan and Dom. Some BIG tackles, blocks and headers were won throughout the game, against some tall and powerful players. They showed we were there to match Stretford.
Moving up the pitch, Nico and Gibril were doing their best to stem the tide coming forward as we were forced back. We struggled the first 20 minutes to link play further up the field, Edwin, Ritchie and Yusuf a bit more isolated. A very good through ball from Edwin put Yusuf through and we had a couple of corners but we were on the back foot.
The dam burst just before half time and a corner was bundled home past Archie when one of Stretford headed in. 1-0 HT.
The second half was a lot more of the same. Raif and Dylan were sent to give us some width and run at the full backs, a key area of opportunity. Elyas showed heart and was keen to get involved and Elliott and Oscar were drawn into the defensive duties. We had some dangerous corners flashing wide, however Stretford produced a carbon copy repeat of their first goal at another corner to make it 2-0. The cup looked further away than ever.
And then the kids decided they got to write their own story.
Harry was getting stuck in on the right, forcing corners and getting us more bodies forward. What was lovely was we started trusting team mates more, passes became firmer and started to stick. Dylan had an opportunity coming forward and started running them back. Confidence and belief were coming in. Harry set up Yusuf who finished straight into the corner to make it 2-1 on 67 minutes. We had a few more corners, we were talking to each other. With the clock ticking down too quickly we just needed one piece of magic. In a rare occassion where he wasn’t immediately faced with being crowded out, Edwin did one of those dribbles that have become a trademark in the last minute. In a small space, one, two players were jinked past. In slow motion you could see the foul coming, with Edwin taken out for a penalty.
Dusting himself off, in the last minute, and showing big “bravery”, he despatched the penalty to make it 2-2. The full time whistle went shortly after and we were off to penalties!!
What spirit and heart and togetherness to show a fight back. It’s been shown several times over the years but to produce that in a final, to a great crowd of parents just makes me so proud that they showed why we do this every week.
We went first on pens, Dylan’s penalty was saved but Dom evened it up with a save himself. Penalties from Elyas, Edwin, Ritchie, Rayan, Nico, Harry were all succesful as we started running out of players to take them!! And Dom, with pretty much little option, found himself with our 8th penalty which the keeper managed to palm onto the bar. At this point of the shootout it really is a lottery and down to such fine margins. A difficult task and thank you for being brave to take one. Stretford converted their penalty and that was it.
I’m just so proud we showed the qualities of resilience and courage and skill. We hung in there and showed we were not there to make up the numbers. It would have been easy at 2-0 to say “not our day”, “they were big lads”, but we didn’t stop. We took them on and I’m sure we are all proud of each and every one of them.
As always a big thank you to everyone who came and cheered and raised spirits. I hope the car journeys home weren’t too bad.
