Seventh Heaven for Sports

U16's Saturday Cup

Hucknall Sports 7 Keyworth Utd 1

8/11/14

Sports entertained Division One Keyworth United in the first round of the U16’s Saturday Cup. After a slow start to their season United had improved and came into this game with confidence high after a great draw with high flying Notts Coltz in the previous week.

For the first time in a long time Sports managed to field 16 players for a game with Maleek Batten welcomed back after an absence of almost 4 weeks with injury. Sports started at a blistering pace and a terrific run from Matt Leivers drew the defender out of position to enable Tom Eastwood to drive into the penalty area and he looked for all the world like he had put Sports into the lead only for the final shot to rebound off the inside of the post and into the goalies hands. Soon after a towering header from Jarrod Davies flew just over the bar from an Adey Lang corner and as other Hucknall chances went begging you couldn’t help wondering if Sports would live to regret them. Keyworth weathered the storm and when Sports central defenders got themselves into a muddle to present the easiest of chances to score they took the lead. This gave them all the confidence they needed and Sports where indebted to their returning keeper Kal Orton for an unbelievable point-blank save and moments later they held their breath as a breakaway from Keyworth resulted in a shot that just missed at the far post. The game seesawed for a little while but gradually Sports started to find more space in between the lines with Ellis Evans starting to pull the strings. A good move from Hucknall released Adey Lang on the right wing and his driven cross was headed in his own net by Keyworth’s centre-half. As Hucknall turned up the pressure Ryan Towle ghosted in at the far post to crunch his header home and put Sports into the lead. 10 minutes before half-time Hucknall introduced Dylan Smith and Mitch Davies to lock the door on any more chances for the opposition and Sports cruised to half-time with a goal advantage.

Half-Time: Hucknall Sports 2 Keyworth Utd 1

Hucknall kept the same shape in the second half and produced what was probably their best 40 minutes of the season so far. Adey Lang and James Hallam set about putting the game to bed and plundered 4 goals between them with Lang grabbing his second hat-trick of the season against Keyworth with a tremendous rasping volley the pick of the bunch and Hallam showing the strikers instinct to smash home from close range after great work from Tom Eastwood ;-) Sports introduced Batten and Kieran Worthington to close the game out and Batten was rewarded for his fight back from injury with his first goal of the season and Worthington’s brilliant left foot drive looked set for the top corner only to be gathered in at the last moment. Jarrod Davies neat turn and shot was also saved and another shot from Lang skimmed just wide but in the end Sports were just too strong for the opposition and the game was won.

Full-Time: Hucknall Sports 7 Keyworth Utd 1

It’s not possible to praise the boys highly enough for their play in this game and all 16 boys played their part in the victory. After going a goal down and maybe riding their luck a little they simply dominated the opposition from 30 mins into the game until the end. The play was simply breathtaking at times and the speed of attack amazing. Rest assured nobody will want to draw Sports in the next round.

MOM Adey Lang

There were many contenders for this week’s Man of the Match with Matt Leivers and Dylan Smith in particular counting themselves unlucky not to take the award after having their best games of the seasons. But today’s winner was Adey Lang for not only a terrific display of goal scoring but equally importantly some terrific training ground hold up play. Keyworth will be happy to see the back of him after he scored his second hat-trick of the season against them – awesome Adey, well done.

Finally, all the team and coaches would like to say a huge thank you to Audi Nottingham and Vonny Hallam for sponsoring our new away kit which looked simply terrific and was befitting today’s great performance.

#properfootball