Hopefully Team manager Gordy Smith will write his usual excellent and witty report, but in the mean time the enclosed brief report has been sent to the local paper for publication:
Eastbourne under 18 Boys 4 v Ashford under 18 Boys 2
On Sunday 26th April, the boys under 18’s travelled in a very luxorious coach, along with a large number of noisy, mainly hung over spectators to the Abbeydale Sport Complex, Sheffield to play in the under 18’s National Plate final against Eastbourne Under 18 boys. From the start Ashford were put under pressure by a very experienced and skillful Eastbourne side and only some excellent goalkeeping by agile James Wheeler kept the score down to 1-0 in the first half. Although Ashford played better in the second and star goalkeeper James Wheeler saved a penalty flick, they went 2-0 down early in the second half, before Ashford player of the match Charlie Cottrell pulled a goal back to give the Red & Blacks a chance at 2-1. However, as the game wore on, Ashford tired and the Eastbourne forwards kept going and added two more goals to their tally to make the final score 4-1. Ashford did well to get to the final though and with a relatively young squad compared to the opposition, they will hope to go one better next season and all desrev priase for their efforts and performances.
Team: James Wheeler, Luke Cottrell, Charlie Cottrell, Ryan Holland, Daniel Holland, Alex Betts, Shaun Smith, Dasmesh Sandhu, Simon Pocock, David Merchant, Shane White, Elliott Smith (Captain), Daniel Rose, Phillip Lewis, Dominic Hillman.
Coach Cliff Pocock, Manager Gordon Smith.
