MATCH DAY ROUND UP 15.04.23
The first team travelled the short distance to local rivals Burghfield, only 5 miles seperates the 2 Thames Valley Premier League clubs geographically and only one place seperates them in the Premier Division with YM sitting 4 points clear in 3rd with The Fielders in 4th but holding 2 games in hand.
The two sides met earlier in the season in the County Cup with YM coming out 3-0 winners.
With the weather on our side and pleasant spring conditions it was set up to be a real testament to a competitive division.
The Young Men started off with real verve and intent, a young starting line up with 5 teenagers took it to our hosts and opened the scoring after 15 minutes. James Bozarth who loves scoring at Burghfield Rec won his individual battle against the blues centre half, was too strong as he went through one on one, rounded the keeper and then finished cooly.
5 minutes later an excellent Jake Ibbotson picked the ball up wide left by the halfway and drilled a pin point diagonal ball to Hendrick Paredes. Hendrick was supposed to be on a flight back to his native Honduras however an admin error meant he remains in the UK for another 2 weeks. Hendrick’s first touch beat his man and put him in on goal at the angle. He calmly slotted to put The Young Men 2 goals and to continue his scoring streak to 6 goals in his last 4 games. We’ve never been so happy over an expired passport! 2-0 to YM and it looked like the cup tie was repeating itself.
Burghfield are experienced campaigners and an excellent side, no matter the score they always attack with relentlessly with intensity. This attitude paid dividends for The Blues as they forced YM keeper Keiron Lamb into a world class reaction save high to his right. The resulting corner led to Burghfield winning a header from the cross and getting on the score sheet from a well won header.
The pressure continued and 2 more quick fire goals from the hosts turned the game on its head. A well taken volley from Olly Brown and a well taken finish gave The Fielders a 3-2 advantage going into half time.
The second half started much like the first with The Young Men in the ascendancy and pushing on led to James Bozarth scoring an equaliser with a left foot finish.
With the game all tied both sides were keen not to concede again so the game naturally became tighter on what was a difficult to pitch to play football on. Both sides created some half chances with Andrej Homola coming closest after a looping shot dropped just off target against a stranded keeper.
No more goals came and the teams shared the points in what was a great advert for the division. A draw was probably a fair result and a big shout out to Ethan Kitching at right back whose energy getting up and down the pitch was a real threat whilst also defensively excellent. A young player who definitely has a future higher up the pyramid and hopefully a few more seasons to help develop his game in the TVPL.
With the new champions Yateley likely to obtain promotion both sides will feel they have a chance to push on and challenge for the title next season. Focus for YM now shifts to a huge quarter final in the league cup on Saturday at home to SB Phoenix.
The Rapids dropped points for only the second time this season against Allied Community Elite. Tom Clark put The Rapids 1-0 up from the spot early in the first half after Joel Burton was brought down in the box. A penalty at the other end drew Allied Community Elite level and a tidy finish into the bottom corner gave them the initiative at half time. Jahmal Robinson levelled towards the end of the game which spurred The Rapids on and despite a couple of good opportunities it finished all square. It extends the lead at the top of Division Two to 4 points with an opportunity to widen the gap further against Slough Heating Laurencians Reserves on Monday.
In BYDL U12 Division Two our U11’s kept up their title charge with a win against Hurst Youth U12 Hurricanes. A clean sheet from stand in Goalkeeper Leo Lyden and a penalty from fellow joint Man of The Match Billey Allen gave the foundations for London Churcher and Jack Lucas to add to the tally finishing up 4-0. Two games left and 3 points off top, with Theale Tigers U12 playing Centre Skills U12 Gold on the last day of the season, the title challenge is still very much alive.
