Shield Victory for Sports

U16's Saturday Notts Shield - Round 2

Hucknall Sports 17 Sherwood Youth 0

1/11/14

After a one week gap due to school holidays Hucknall Sports U16’s entertained Sherwood Youth at Goosedale Sports Complex in the second round of the Notts Shield.

Sports changed their line-up slightly for this game and elected to go for a 4-3-3 formation with Ellis Evans playing in the ‘hole’ in front of a midfield three of Jarrod Davies, Tom Eastwood and Danny Darlow.

It wasn’t long before Hucknall had their first shot on goal when Adey Lang broke clear of his marker to square the ball to James Hallam who was unlucky to narrowly miss the target. The opening goal soon came though when Tom Eastwood smacked a looping shot up and over the advancing keeper and Sports were on their way. Hallam got himself on the score sheet as did Eastwood once again and all credit to the Sports strikers for unselfishly sticking to the game-plan and drawing defenders out of position to create the space in front of goal for the midfielders with Jarrod Davies being the main beneficiary as he helped himself to 5 first half goals. With Sports on top Ryan Towle, Charlie Blatherwick and Keiran Worthington all entered the game and as the goals flew in by half time the score was already 8-0.

Half-Time: Hucknall Sports 8 Sherwood Youth 0

More changes were made and Keaton Sharpe was rewarded for helping Hucknall through their mini goalkeeper crisis with a run outfield. In fact by the time this game was done Sharpe had played in pretty much every position possible including Keeper, Defender, Midfield and Striker. Try as they might though his Sports team mates just couldn’t tee him up for a goal. Many substitutions were made and boys were given chances to try different positions to what they might normally play but this didn’t stop the goal-fest. Davies secured his double hat-trick and Kieran Worthington scored his first goal for Sports with a neat header directly from a corner. Adey Lang grabbed a brace that included one shot that would probably have ended up in Bestwood Village had it not smashed into the back of the net. Returning from injury Towle and Blatherwick also got on the score sheet and by full time Sports had racked up 17 with the opposition unlucky not to find the net themselves for a consolation goal that they deserved.

Hucknalls goal scorers were: Danny Darlow 1, Jarrod Davies 6, Tom Eastwood 2, James Hallam 1, Adey Lang 2, Kieran Worthington 1, Charlie Blatherwick 1, Ryan Towle 1 and 2 own-goals.

Full-Time: Hucknall Sports 17 Sherwood Youth 0

Looking at the league positions before the game this appeared to be a game that Sports should have won and so they did. The value in this fixture is the rare opportunity to try out new formations and take training ground moves into a competitive match midway through the season. There were some really pleasing elements to Sports play and their patience on the ball was exemplary at times. Stiffer tests await in the next round for sure, but well done to everyone today.

MOM James Stenson

Today’s winner of the Man of the Match award was Skipper James Stenson for leading by example with a terrific professional attitude and respect for the opposition – thanks James.

A special mention for the opposition who fulfilled this fixture to the best of their abilities. They could have followed the lead of other teams in the competition and not even had the courage to play the game but they didn’t. Hucknall Sports players and parents will remember us losing by similar scores in our mini-soccer days. So all the best to Sherwood for the remainder of the season and thanks for the game.

Many thanks to Jo and Martin Eastwood of Belmar Services for sponsoring our new Training Tops – see picture attached.

Back row (left to right) Joe Newton, Ellis Evans, James Hallam, Danny Darlow, Keaton Sharpe, Ryan Towle, Jarrod Davies, James Stenson, Charles Blatherwick, Adey Lang,
Front row (left to right) Dante Diriso, Tom Eastwood, Kieran Worthington, Dylan Smith, Matt Leivers,
Kieran Green