U16's Saturday Shield
Pelican 1 Hucknall Sports 0
7/2/15
After good results in the early rounds of the Notts FA Shield Sports traveled to the Dave Eastwood ground for a Quarter-final match against Pelican. Despite playing well in the two league meetings this season Sports had been on the wrong side of a 5-1 and 6-1 scoreline.
Hucknall started the game in great form and put on a mesmerising display of passing football from back to front. In the first 10 mins a blatant handball from Pelican's last man resulted in a lenient yellow rather than red card and moments later another crunching tackle was punished with a booking with Hucknall looking through on goal again. Tom Eastwood's dangerous corner to the far post looked like it only needed the narrowest of touches but the ball just evaded the on-rushing Ryan Towle. Eastwood was unlucky to be pulled up off-side after a nice pass from Jarrod Davies split the defense. Soon after another foul saw a Towle free kick headed just wide by Eastwood and James Hallam was unlucky after his hard work to win the ball in the final third saw his shot blocked with the keeper all at sea. Hucknall's defense coped well with Pelican's lightening fast attacks but were indebted to Kal Orton for a fabulous finger tip save from a free-kick to keep the scores level at half-time.
Hucknall started the game in great form and put on a mesmerising display of passing football from back to front. In the first 10 mins a blatant handball from Pelican's last man resulted in a lenient yellow rather than red card and moments later another crunching tackle was punished with a booking with Hucknall looking through on goal again. Tom Eastwood's dangerous corner to the far post looked like it only needed the narrowest of touches but the ball just evaded the on-rushing Ryan Towle. Eastwood was unlucky to be pulled up off-side after a nice pass from Jarrod Davies split the defense. Soon after another foul saw a Towle free kick headed just wide by Eastwood and James Hallam was unlucky after his hard work to win the ball in the final third saw his shot blocked with the keeper all at sea. Hucknall's defense coped well with Pelican's lightening fast attacks but were indebted to Kal Orton for a fabulous finger tip save from a free-kick to keep the scores level at half-time.
Half-Time: Pelican 0 Hucknall Sports 1
In the second half the robust tackles were once again in evidence but Sports gave as good as they got. Hucknall continued to play the better football and James Hallam was unlucky again not to put his team into the lead when a break from Jarrod Davies put him through on goal only to see his shot skim the angle of post and cross-bar. The same player was again unlucky to see another shot just miss at the right-hand side with the goalkeeper floundering. Dante Diriso, playing on the right wing drove in a fabulous shot only for a tremendous block from the Pelican skipper to deny a certain goal. Tom Eastwood was hacked down just inside the opposition half and although the foul was given there was no sign of the second yellow that would have seen Pelican reduced to 10 men. In the final moments with both teams looking for the winner Paddy Webb broke Sports hearts with a goal with less than 2 minutes to go. Sports just couldn't come back with so little time left and the whistle blew to put Pelican through to the semi's.
Full-Time: Pelican 1 Hucknall Sports 0
Sports can hold their heads up high even in defeat as against one of the strongest teams in the County they will know that they did more than enough to win this game. Hucknall deserved better than this and on another day they would have been playing against 10 men, maybe even 9.
The entire team are winners of the Man of the Match award this week as they all played terrifically well. We asked for the training ground moves to be brought into match-day and so they were. If this is to be the last Shield game under the banner of Hucknall Sports for the boys it was certainly memorable. Well done everyone, you left nothing in the locker and gave your all for Sports - thanks a million.
Sports can hold their heads up high even in defeat as against one of the strongest teams in the County they will know that they did more than enough to win this game. Hucknall deserved better than this and on another day they would have been playing against 10 men, maybe even 9.
The entire team are winners of the Man of the Match award this week as they all played terrifically well. We asked for the training ground moves to be brought into match-day and so they were. If this is to be the last Shield game under the banner of Hucknall Sports for the boys it was certainly memorable. Well done everyone, you left nothing in the locker and gave your all for Sports - thanks a million.
