Match Report 18.02.18
Aylsham FC U12 v Scole United FC U12, Diss Sports Field
After last week’s fixture postponement, Aylsham FC U12 resumed their assault on the Norfolk Combined Youth Football League Premiership this morning (Sunday 18th February) travelling to Diss Sports Field to take on Scole United in an early kick-off due to the Old Farm Derby.
Scole kicked off proceedings playing down a slight hill for the first half in bright and sunny conditions. Aylsham won possession and immediately looked to move the ball quickly playing it back to give Loz an early touch. The defensive three of Tyler, Freddy and Jack played across the back working it to Jaiden who sent Josh away down the right. A ball inside was helped on by Adam to Mitchy who picked out Jaiden on the right after a lovely dummy by Josh. Jaiden drove forward but his cross unfortunately went behind for a goal kick after a flowing move. From the restart Aylsham took a 2nd minute lead after Jack nicked the ball off the Scole winger to find Jaiden in space wide on the right. Jaiden played a neat one-two with Adam before beating his defender, approaching the byeline and lifting a cross-shot over the keeper into the net from a tight angle.
From the Scole kick-off Aylsham pressed forward again with a slick move involving Jack, Ollie, Jaiden and Adam opening up the Scole defence. The ball was worked to Adam who turned quickly to create space to take a shot from outside the area that the keeper held well. In the 4th minute Aylsham doubled their lead after a backpass to Loz and six touches later the ball was in the Scole net. Loz picked out Jaiden wide right taking a great first touch before playing a wonderful through ball for Josh to chase who accelerated away from the defenders, rounded the keeper and provided a clinical right-footed finish.
Scole had a chance straight from the kick-off as their striker was onto a loose ball and a last ditch crucial block from Ollie deflected the ball onto the post. Loz reacted brilliantly to pounce on the rebound preventing a tap-in from another Scole attacker. Aylsham put together a devastating move involving all eight outfield players with Scole unable to get near the ball but, unfortunately for the visitors, Mitchy’s powerful left footed effort was well saved to prevent a wonderful team goal. The visitors pieced together another lovely move two minutes later after Jack combined well first with Adam, then with Jaiden who put in a dangerous cross that was only half cleared where Josh was first to it but fired his shot just too high.
Aylsham continued to create opportunities with a flowing move down the right, the ball being worked to Jaiden who cut inside but blasted just wide from the edge of the area. Moments later Jack showed great feet to beat his man before finding Adam in space who looked to send Josh away, but a hasty clearance fell to the onrushing Ollie to strike a sweet first-time shot that stung the hands of the Scole goalkeeper. On the next attack Jack found Ollie in the centre of midfield, taking a lovely first touch and switching it left where Mitchy curled a long range first-time effort that the keeper saved brilliantly.
In the 13th minute Aylsham scored their third goal after another slick move. Freddy picked up a loose ball midway inside the visitor’s half and drove forward unchallenged before picking out Jaiden on the right. Jaiden flicked it inside to Josh who produced a flick of his own to return the ball to Freddy who had continued his run, taking a lovely first touch to create space to finish the move with a low left-footed drive across the keeper.
Denver entered the fray, coming on for Adam in the centre of midfield and was involved in another slick passing move after putting in a strong challenge. The ball broke to Jack who moved it quickly to Ollie, playing a lovely through ball for Josh but his shot flew narrowly wide. Josh had another sight of goal on the next Aylsham attack after nice interplay between Denver, Ollie and Mitchy but after cutting inside his man flashed his drive inches wide.
Alfie replaced Ollie in the 20th minute and was immediately in the action, trying his luck from the edge of the area but a brave block kept his shot out. On 23 minutes, Scole pulled a goal back after a neat finish into the corner of the net following an incisive diagonal ball. Undeterred Aylsham went straight back on the offensive and another swift move from back to front worked the ball to Mitchy who hit the side netting with a left-footed effort. On the very next attack Josh put in a shot from distance that the keeper dived to save and recovered to pick up the loose ball with Mitchy following in. The half drew to a close with Aylsham very much on top, leading 3-1, but the Scole goal giving the hosts confidence.
Aylsham kicked off the second half with Archie and Ollie coming on in place of Tyler and Josh. There was also a change of positions with Jack switching to left back and Ollie taking the centre-back berth with Freddy moving into the centre of midfield. Within a minute Scole had scored their second goal after winning possession in midfield and a neat reverse ball was finished clinically on the run keeping the hosts hopes alive.
The visitors were looking to move the ball quickly and the Scole goalkeeper made a smart save, keeping Alfie’s shot out with his legs conceding a corner. Mitchy put in a dangerous centre that the keeper punched clear and Jack reacted quickest to fire in an effort that the keeper brilliantly turned round the post for another corner that Denver turned over under pressure.
From the goal kick Aylsham restored their two goal cushion in the 34th minute after Denver won the ball and played it out to Jaiden on the right. Jaiden passed infield to Alfie who showed great strength to roll his defender before taking a touch to create space to arrow in a left-footed drive across the keeper that went in off the post. This gave Aylsham fresh impetus and they scored again a minute later after Jaiden’s long throw was cleared as far as Mitchy who helped it into the box where Alfie was on hand to turn and finish past the keeper after timing his run to perfection with the Scole defenders appealing for offside, the referee awarding the goal.
Aylsham were virtually camped in the Scole half and Mitchy took a shot from distance that the keeper saved confidently and on the next attack Freddy brought a fantastic diving save from the busy keeper with the rebound being picked up by Mitchy who played a neat one-two with Alfie before heading it to Denver at the back post who was unlucky to see his shot bounce behind off the post.
Aylsham made it 6-2 in the 38th minute after a well worked team goal. Ollie retrieved a long ball, finding Jack available on the left who drove forward into space before finding Freddy looking to play a through ball to Alfie but a Scole defender read it well. Alfie didn’t give up, chasing back to win the ball, holding off and turning his man to play Mitchy through who accelerated away before cutting back inside the last covering defender to drill an unstoppable right-footed effort into the top corner.
Adam came back on in place of Jaiden and was straight into action picking up a ball from Freddy after Jack had stopped a promising Scole attack. While his first ball forward was blocked, Adam won the second ball to play it square to Freddy bursting forward. Freddy made his way into the box but was forced wide showing great awareness to backheel the ball for Denver to try his luck but his dipping effort just fell the wrong side of the post after the tiniest of deflections. From Mitchy’s corner Denver rose highest but could only direct his header wide.
Jack and Freddy made way for Tyler and Josh as the game entered the 45th minute. Aylsham continued on the offensive with Archie starting an incisive move that unlocked the Scole defence resulting in Adam taking a left footed curling shot from the edge of the area that the keeper held well. Tyler went on a mazy run down the left to win a throw inside the Scole half from which Alfie struck the side netting after a lovely run.
Soon after Josh showed great skill to turn away from his marker before putting in a deep cross that Alfie headed just wide. In the 51st minute the same two players combined to great effect with Josh driving frontward before playing a perfect through ball into Alfie’s path and he finished clinically to complete his hat-trick making it 7-2 to Aylsham.
From the Scole restart Alfie and Denver pressed high and a misplaced pass followed by an unfortunate slip was capitalised on by Alfie who made no mistake drilling the ball into the far corner for his fourth and Aylsham’s eighth.
Two minutes later Adam got his name on the scoresheet after meeting a drop-kick and playing it into Alfie who lifted the ball back to the advancing Adam, finishing with a powerful first-time shot giving the keeper no chance.
Mitchy made way for Freddy to return for the last five minutes and only an important block prevented Adam sending Freddy bursting through. Josh made a strong run down the left before finding Alfie in the box and while his defender sent him wide he turned back inside his marker before finding the bottom corner of the net with a left-footed drive. On the next attack Alfie forced a great save from the keeper to win a corner. From the set piece first Denver had a header cleared off the line, then Alfie had a shot bravely blocked before finally Adam’s volley was well cleared as the Scole goal led a charmed life.
With three minutes to go Jaiden returned replacing Ollie at the back and Jack came back on for Denver down the right, immediately winning a corner after chasing down a loose ball. Jack and Alfie played a quick short corner and Alfie looked up, trying to bend a shot into the far top corner but just got too much on it. Not to be outdone Alfie was quickest to react after Adam bravely blocked a clearance and he ghosted past a Scole defender before placing his shot into the corner of the net for his second hat-trick of the match.
In the last minute of the game Aylsham scored again after Freddy’s throw to Adam was returned to him down the left, deep inside the Scole half. Freddy beat two players on his way into the box and put in a dangerous low cross. While the centre was just behind the onrushing Jack he was able to adjust his feet to hook it left-footed over the diving keeper before burying it into the net as Aylsham finished the game on a high.
A dominant team performance from Aylsham with Scole working hard and never giving up but the league leaders leaving with the three points after a 12-2 victory, their 12th of the season. Aylsham remain clear at the top of the Norfolk Combined Youth Football League Premiership with five more league games to play.
