Youth soccer round-up

under 10

Two ways to win 2-1

Cuckfield Cosmos 2

Crawley Down Gatwick 1

This was a very hard fought match played by two excellent teams. The Cosmos goals came from Reece Willie and Jake Lingard. A few nerves were jangling as Crawley Down kept up the pressure until the final whistle.

Cuckfield Cosmos 2

Crawley Down Gatwick 1

Cosmos played much of game 2 on the back foot as a well organised Crawley Down side held on to the lead until the last seven minutes of the match. Goals from Jake Foskett and Finlay Stewart finally edged Cosmos over the line in an exciting finale.

United book cup final place

Mid Sussex Blues 1

Cuckfield Cosmos Utd 4

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United reached the final of the Mid Sussex League Cup on Sunday with a hard fought win over Blues. The teams were evenly matched and both played well throughout. Early chances went begging at both ends before Oliver Punt took a long shot that flew over the keeper, who was under pressure from Luke Derrick. Blues hit back almost immediately with a superb solo effort from Nat Guest, and the teams were still level at half time. Finley Dye replaced Ash Ticktum at the start of the second half as United soaked up a number of attacks. Oliver Payne, Freddie Bush and Oliver Kent all made heroic interceptions. The cup’s leading scorer, Jack Upton, then scored twice from close range either side of a goal from Toby Wiles following his mazy run down the left. United will now go on to meet Crawley Utd in the final next April.

under 11

Olivia stars in impressive win

Southdown Girls 5Eastbourne 2

Southdown hosted a tough Eastbourne but emerged worthy winners despite falling behind after only seven minutes. Kelly Fuller then began to exert her influence in midfield and the tide began to turn.The introduction of Alisha Mainwaring after 15 minutes immediately paid dividends as her fine strike put the hosts level and with Rae Rothwell pressurising the Eastbourne defence, it was only a matter of time before Southdown took the lead with a typical Mia Pordage goal. In the second half Pordage continued her fine goal scoring form, with the second goal of her hat-trick being the pick of the bunch. Debutante Libby Trotter impressed by forming an excellent defensive partnership with the ever powerful Charlotte Symmonds but they could do nothing to prevent Eastbourne scoring with 10 minutes left. The effervescent Sophie Hooper injected pace and skill into the Southdown attack and went close, while Libby Ackland-Hancock emerged from a first half goalkeeper cameo role to cause problems in attack. The determination of Player of the Day Olivia Hudson made sure Eastbourne would not get back into the game and Pordage made it 4-2 before Zahra Cheeseman showed her predatory instincts to complete the scoring with a tap-in at the final whistle. It was an impressive win.

Place end a barren run

Hawks Youth Ath 0

Marle Place Wands3

Place ended a run of three straight defeats with this morale-boosting win at Varndean School, which could have been even more convincing. The hosts sportingly agreed for the kick off to be put back 10 minutes as Place keeper Michael Platt was delayed but then he was mostly a spectator to the action that unfolded. There had been plenty of chances for Place long before they finally got their reward when defender James Ellmer initially won the ball in midfield and after good work by both Joe Tatford and Tommy Reed, Luke Moulds slotted home precisely into the corner. Place went close to doubling their lead when Ryan Murphy hit a post and the same pattern continued after the break, with Place unable to convert their chances. Moulds saw his effort come back off a post but finally Place did add to their lead when Jordan Middle followed up a shot the keeper could not hold. The same player then made it three via the keeper’s legs before Platt finally got his hands warm, holding a long range Hawks effort. In a match well refereed by Ollie Johnston, it was midfielder Ollie Roney’s overall contribution that earned him the MoM award.

Under 16

Place take their chances

Peacehaven 0 Marle Place Wands 5

Place were happy to take the three points and keep their first clean sheet of the season, especially as Peacehaven created as many chances and it could have been a much closer scoreline. Place opened strongly and went ahead on 12 minutes as Jack Wilkins found David Sadler, who finished powerfully from 12 yards. The lead was doubled on 18 minutes when Ads Chilcott headed in Sadler’s corner. Place then allowed Peacehaven to dictate the rest of the first half action but they failed to take their chances, being denied by an excellent close range save by Wills Brimacombe on 27 minutes. Sadler scored his second and Place’s third on 47 minutes and as players were shuffled, central defender James Atkins had a short spell up front. He did well to set up Solly Ross for the fourth on 62 minutes before Wilkins completed the scoring on late after a strong run.

Under 18

Honours finally finish even

Lindfield 2 Cuckfield 2

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Cuckfield retained their unbeaten record in this tightly contested top of the table match on Lindfield Common. Lindfield went 1-0 up through a sweetly hit top corner strike by Tom Storer within 10 minutes of the start and they then piled on the pressure. It was Cuckfield who equalised with a smartly taken goal but Lindfield kept the pressure on through Phil Dean on the right and Sam Ooosterbahn on the left. Eventually Oosterbahn broke into the Cuckfield box and won a penalty that Toby Simpson, fresh from last week’s hat-trick, fired home. In the second half, a fired up Cuckfield poured forward and although Lindfield resisted through the immense Wes Heyward and Ali Young, they eventually drew level and for a while looked like going on to win the match. But Lindfield regrouped and were well on top in the last 15 minutes. The closest they came to winning it was when Tom Laver headed straight at the keeper after good work by Dean and Adam Ryall. It was a creditable draw for both sides.

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