U15's v Debenham

Posted at 17/09/12 - 04:24 PM

Whitton United 2

Debenham Youth 0

With another season in the life of this Under 15s team comes a fresh challenge – the top league in South Suffolk football, a reward for an unbeaten season last time out, storming the league with games to spare. Although emphatic in victory, the days of enjoying high-scoring victories most weeks is set to stop, although an opening-day victory over Debenham will do their already sky-high confidence no harm.

United’s new arrivals came today, with both winger Harry Munroe and striker Ryan Sharman playing while midfielder Elliot Curtis watched, injured, from the sidelines. Leo Ciufo and Jordan Carty were absent. Debenham enjoyed the lion’s share of chances in the opening 25 minutes, with first Lucas Cantwell’s deep cross finding its way onto the boot of fellow striker Tommy Heath. His flicked effort with the goal not fully in his sights went past the post. An unforced error 10 minutes in from United goalkeeper Tommy Smith ruffled more feathers, after he wildly swung at, and missed, a backpass which bobbled out for a corner. With quarter of an hour gone Cantwell flicked the ball on to the onrushing Heath who shrugged off a couple of defenders and found himself through on goal, but his tame shot was scrambled away by Smith. Finally, Cantwell provided for Heath again, and this time Heath hurried his one-on-one and scuffed a shot from outside the box well wide.

In the 29^th minute, though, it was the home side who found themselves ahead. Kai Duncan’s shot beat goalkeeper Liam Cochrane and looked to have been heroically cleared off the line by backtracking midfielder Ed Beard, but a goal was awarded. Debenham carried on their search to the Whitton goal, albeit less creatively, resorting to several wild shots from long distance.

The last meaningful action of the first half came to nothing in the end: A long ball launched into Debenham’s penalty area was leapt upon by Cochrane, but in sliding out of his area he tripped winger Nathan Ambrose, and penalty shouts were audible. Instead a dangerous-looking free kick was given, dead-centre with the goal. Unfortunately, such a golden opportunity was wasted, blasted over the bar.

United became more productive on the flanks after the interval, and Ambrose’s early run and cross to Sharman, who stabbed his shot wide, was an early danger signal. Ambrose continued to cut in from the left and flood the midfield, immediately raising the shots on goal count.

Even as Debenham’s authority in the match continued to fade, Whitton seemed too hurried, too desperate to get rid of the ball or shoot as soon as they received it to score another. For the most part the accuracy wasn’t there but they finally put the game to bed with five minutes of the 80 left. A harmless-looking throw-in halfway inside Debenham territory on the left hand side split open their defence, allowing Sharman to sprint through on goal and unselfishly wait for Cochrane to come out, and then square the ball to Ambrose to tap in. Their lead could have extended in the final minute, but Debenham’s custodian did well to parry to parry a stinging drive from Ambrose.

Whitton United                         

1 Liam Cochrane

2 Matt Tapscott

3 Will Seccombe

4 Joe Broom

5 Charlie Owen

7 Ed Beard

9 Tommy Heath

   Alex Fane

11 Lucas Cantwell

12 Paddy Styles

16 Ellis Rowland

Debenham Youth

1 Tommy Gibson

  Jordan Lay

4 Romario Smith

5 Kai Duncan

  Taylor Bannister

8 Owen Gibson

9 Ryan Sharman

10 Josh Turner

11 Nathan Ambrose

12 Sam Harris

     Scott Mackay

16 Harry Munroe

17 Caine Bloomfield

 

 

 

Author: Harry Hetherington-Aherne