Youth soccer round-up

Draw a credit to both teams

Cuckfield Cosmos 1 AS Eastbourne 1

Cosmos put in an enormous performance to hold the talented academy side. They tried to close down their opponents quickly to stifle their passing game and this paid off after 10 minutes when George Jeavons capitalised on an error in the Allstars defence to open the scoring. Further goals could have followed before the break, with the best effort coming from William Rogers whose long range shot was brilliantly tipped over. At the other end the visitors rarely troubled Dom Seed but they started to get the upper hand early in the second half, following

enforced changes in the Cosmos defence. Chances came and went before they broke away to equalise 10 minutes into the half. Cosmos rallied in style as the game became stretched towards the close and nearly got the winner when hitting the bar and also having a penalty denied. The game was a credit to both clubs and there were immense performances all over the pitch for Cosmos, whose MoM was Christopher Dunley for his work rate as the lone striker.

under 14

Place make it another draw

Marle Place Wands 0 Mid Sussex Blues 0

Defences were on top in this stalemate at Worlds End Rec on Sunday but it was far from boring. Place could and should have taken the lead almost from kick off as midfielder Joe Tatford found Luke Moulds, who shot narrowly wide when well placed. With the hosts taking the game to Blues, Jordan Middle, Ally Wotton and Tommy Reed all had efforts on goal. They produced some delightful passing as Tatford linked well with Nathan Arnold and Moulds on the right wing. David Batchelder’s long range free kick was narrowly off target and then Middle just failed to get the final touch from another attack. There was no alarm for the Place defence until late in the first half when keeper Michael Platt came off worse when gathering under pressure from a Blues forward. But manager George Wotton’s first aid treatment did the trick. Place were kicking downhill in the second halfand despite continuing to show plenty of attacking prowess, the game became very tight. Miss of the match came when Place were exposed down the right but Platt narrowed the angle and then MoM Ally Wotton did just enough to put off the striker, who put his effort wide. At that stage Blues were seriously testing Place’s defence but they held out to make it two draws in their first two games..

under 16

Just one short of double figures

Marle Place Wands 9 Adur Ath 1

Place tore into Adur from the start with some excellent passing moves. Jack Wilkins opened the scoring on 15 minutes, latching on to Ads Chilcott’s through ball and skilfully rounding the keeper before slotting home. Jack Wells doubled the lead two minutes later with another cool finish and further chances followed before three goals came in four minutes just after the half-hour mark. Jamie Nicolson, playing with real confidence, was put through by a delightful header by Wilkins and finished well and then goalmaker turned scorer as Wilkins went on a strong run down the right before cutting in and lashing the ball past the Adur keeper from a tight angle. Another solo effort followed from Chilcott but despite turning around 5-0 down, Adur had perhaps their best spell of the game at the start of the second half. It did not stop Place adding to their lead on 50 minutes when the excellent Solly Ross gave Wells the chance to cut inside and finsh well with his left foot. Sloppy defending allowed Adur to grab a consolation goal before Nicholson netted his second when he followed up a Ross shot that hit a post. Nicholson completed his hat-trick with an excellent left foot shot from Jacob Hemsley’s pinpoint pass and then Wilkins completed the scoring, and his own hat trick, with a cool finish after superb work by Josh Arnold.