Aylsham U12s Clinch Premiership Title
Match Report 09.05.18
New Buckenham U12 v Aylsham FC U12, New Buckenham Village Hall
Aylsham FC U12s travelled to New Buckenham U12s on a sunny evening for their rearranged fixture today (Wednesday 9th May) knowing, with a vastly superior goal difference to their nearest rivals, a point would surely be enough to secure the Norfolk Combined Youth Football League U12 Premiership title.
New Buckenham kicked off and immediately looked to move the ball around quickly. The opening exchanges were very even as both sides tried to play football on a compact pitch with space at a premium. Aylsham had the first sight of goal in the 3rd minute after a long clearance from Loz. The ball was headed clear by a New Buckenham defender but Mitchy and Josh worked hard to win the ball back. Jack took a good first touch in a tight area before playing it through to Mitchy who advanced on goal but arrowed his shot just wide of the far post. On the very next attack a long throw from Adam on the left was flicked on by Mitchy into Alfie’s path, and he twisted and turned before getting a cross in that just evaded Jude and Jack at the back post.
New Buckenham fashioned a good chance in the 5th minute after an accurate cross from the right was well struck first-time by a home striker with Ollie doing well to deflect the ball just over the bar. This served as a warning to Aylsham as the hosts took the lead in the 6th minute with a fantastic goal. A clearance was well controlled by a New Buckenham player in the centre circle showing great composure to find a teammate on the left. A superb cross-field ball sprung the Aylsham defence and the right sided midfielder crashed a first-time shot across Loz into the top corner giving the keeper no chance.
Aylsham looked to get back into the game immediately and straight from kick-off had the ball in the net. A long ball by Freddy was flicked on by Mitchy with Jack forcing a hurried clearance that Jude lifted over, Alfie finishing with a powerful shot but the linesman’s flag ruled it out for offside. The visitors kept on the offensive with a great run and cross by Mitchy that was cleared off the line with Jack recovering the loose ball to feed Jude but his shot was blocked. A lovely piece of skill from Josh receiving Jack’s throw threatened again but the New Buckenham defence stood strong. Josh was in the thick of things again moments later after a mazy run created enough space for a cross that was just too high for Jude and Jack but Ollie was onto it in a flash, seeing his shot from distance fly just over.
Aylsham came closer in the 10th minute after Jude and Jack linked up well before Jude picked out Mitchy’s run with a great pass in turn squaring it to Alfie but the New Buckenham keeper kept the goal-bound effort out with a diving save at his near post. Aylsham were virtually camped in the visitor’s half with Jude picking out Jack in the area who turned and shot but again the keeper pulled off another fine diving save to keep his side’s lead intact.
In the 12th minute Aylsham got their equaliser with a well worked goal. Josh and Jack pressed to win the ball with Josh bursting forward past two players before drawing the fullback and playing it into Jack’s path scampering down the right. Jack put in a deep cross on the run that picked out Mitchy and he finished with a powerful volley into the roof of the net. New Buckenham were getting men behind the ball and defending bravely as the wave of Aylsham attacks continued and the visitors almost scored again in the 17th minute after a corner from Adam was met by Jude who rose highest but saw his header rebound back off the bar. Two minutes later Aylsham took the lead as Mitchy picked up the ball just inside the New Buckenham half and drove forward unopposed. A defender came across to try to halt the danger but Mitchy cut back outside before unleashing a shot from well outside the area that clipped the underside of the bar and bounced on the line before rebounding into the roof of the net.
In the 21st minute a neat one-two between Josh and Jack set Josh on his way, beating two players before trying his luck from distance with the keeper pulling off a great stop with his legs. Jack made way for Jaiden in a straight swap down the right. Two minutes later Aylsham scored their third after winning a corner. Mitchy floated the ball over with Jude timing his run perfectly to bury a bullet of a header into the back of the net.
New Buckenham put together a lovely move down their left with Ollie showing great strength to get in front of his man to shepherd the ball behind. From the goal kick Josh and Jude linked up to send Jaiden into space down the visitor’s right and his cross fell to Jude who took a lovely first touch before firing in a shot that the keeper turned round the post. Freddy’s corner was half cleared with Alfie retrieving the loose ball and putting in a shot that the keeper saved down low at the second attempt with Adam following up ready to pounce.
In the 28th minute a perfectly weighted through-ball from Freddy sent Alfie clear but his shot was well saved. Moments later Josh brought another save from the busy New Buckenham keeper as Aylsham looked to increase their advantage before half-time. The visitors got their fourth goal after winning a corner in the final minute of the first period. Freddy curled in a deep set-piece and Adam broke free of his marker, making a great run into space to plant a header into the net from close range. An entertaining half came to an end with Aylsham leading 4-1 at the break.
Aylsham kicked off the second half with Denver, Charlie and Tyler coming on for Alfie, Ollie and Adam. New Buckenham created a good chance early on in the half getting in behind the visitor’s defence but Tyler showed great determination to stretch and block the shot. From the corner, after a double clearance by Jude, Aylsham broke forward with Mitchy stinging the hands of the goalkeeper from distance after being sent through by Denver’s flick. In the 35th minute Aylsham scored their 5th goal from a New Buckenham goal-kick that was met first-time by Freddy. Jaiden was first to the ball to nick it off the toes of a defender before skilfully beating a second man on his way into the box, smashing a left foot shot into the net. Aylsham almost scored again from kick-off after Jude won the ball back to pick out Mitchy on the left. A lovely one-two with Denver gave Mitchy space to swing in a cross that Jaiden headed just over.
A flowing move from Loz at the back setting Tyler away put the visitors on the front foot again with neat interplay between Tyler, Mitchy, Josh and Denver creating a chance for Josh to knock it past the keeper but a covering defender managed to hack the ball off the line. In the 43rd minute Aylsham moved further ahead as Josh burst forward, his ball through was blocked but the ball rebounded to Jude who quickly played it straight into Mitchy’s path and he made no mistake with his right foot from the edge of the area to complete his hat-trick. New Buckenham looked to get the ball forward quickly and only a great bit of defending by Charlie prevented an opportunity to shoot. With 15 minutes to go Jack returned for Mitchy on the left. Immediately after the substitution Freddy and Jude played a neat one-two with the keeper coming off his line quickly to block Freddy’s goal-bound effort. The rebound was picked up by Jaiden and a neat turn created enough space to get round his marker before watching his cross-shot loop over the keeper and into the far corner of the net to make it 7-1 to Aylsham. Ollie came back into the fray for Jude and in the 48th minute the visitors put together a flowing team move from Tyler’s throw back to Ollie. The ball was returned and Tyler picked out Freddy who held it up well before finding Denver. Denver and Jack exchanged quick first-time passes but Denver’s left footed chip shot was tipped just round the post. Josh made way for the return of Alfie and Jack bisected two New Buckenham players to give him his first touch and his pass fell to Freddy accelerating forward. A neat square ball was straight into Jaiden’s feet and he took a great first touch but saw his powerful shot rise just over the bar.
Adam replaced Freddy as the game entered the last 10 minutes. In the 51st minute Alfie got himself onto the scoresheet after a fine ball from Charlie down the line to Jaiden who played it inside to Adam. A first-time pass round the corner was straight into Alfie’s path as he burst clear before drawing the keeper and finishing clinically in to the bottom corner of the net. New Buckenham continued to look to get the ball down and play and a slick one-two on the edge of the Aylsham area created a shooting opportunity from inside the area but Loz pulled off a fantastic diving save to tip the ball onto the post and away.
Aylsham were playing free flowing football as the match drew to a close and a lovely passage of play started by Loz and involving seven outfield players moved the ball from back to front. Denver took the ball on down the left, finding Jack inside who laid it into Adam’s path but his shot unfortunately went narrowly wide. Moments later Adam tried his luck again with a dipping volley from distance that the keeper held well.
As the game entered the last three minutes, Aylsham continued on the offensive, Ollie having a shot from distance tipped round the post and, while the corner was cleared, Denver nodded it back into the area where Alfie flashed an overhead kick just wide. The whistle blew to signal the end of the game and the Aylsham celebrations could begin with the three points confirming them as worthy Norfolk Combined Youth Football League U12 Premiership champions with one game still to play.
