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HAMPSHIRE FA U16's SATURDAY CUP FINAL 2020

John Moody
BCS United 6 - Eastleigh Whites 4

Bournemouth Collegiate School United and Eastleigh Whites staged an exciting cup final on Saturday evening in a classic game of two halves. The first half belonged to United who cruised to a 3-0 lead but the second belonged to Eastleigh who fought back magnificently. 

 

The kick-off was delayed by ten minutes to allow a Covid-19 safety entrance for the spectators and at the whistle United went straight into the attack when Ed Fisher lifted the ball over the 'keeper but just wide of the goal and in the next attack a chance fell to Joe Smith who headed wide. The pressure soon reaped its benefit in the 19th minute when Smith received a mid-field pass and ran on to score from close in.

 

The opening goal gave United the momentum they needed and Eastleigh's 'keeper Charlie Shepherd pulled off two great saves, one from Jake Kelly which he palmed away and one from Smith from a corner. Luck was not with Eastleigh however, and United went further in the 27th minute when Harvey Davies was gifted a goal after an Eastleigh defender placed a clearance straight to him deep in the penalty area.

 

From the kick off Eastleigh worked the ball to the other end but the shot hit the woodwork and was cleared. United continued to press and Smith scored his second goal in the 38th minute from a pull back by Ed Fisher.

 

Eastleigh were hampered early in the second half with two players sin-binned and then conceding a penalty which Eastleigh's substitute goalkeeper Harry Page narrowly missed getting a hand to the ball that Harvey Doe slammed home in the 50th minute.

 

Four down, the game look lost to Eastleigh but in the 54th minute Kai Mellor scored from the edge of the box to give them hope and two minutes later Joe Adams, after a penetrating run slammed, in a pile driver to give them even more hope.

 

United hit back in the 58th minute through Lennon Clayton but Eastleigh's Adams kept up the pressure and scored in the 63rd from a header by Harry Richardson. Eastleigh lost a player to a red card and in the 69th minute United's Smith completed his hat trick with a run across the goalmouth and a close range shot into the net.

 

Eastleigh went close when Deigo Belim cracked a shot against the crossbar and Adams completed his hat trick in the 79th minute when he shot into the ground and the ball bounced high over the 'keeper into the net, the last goal of the match but not enough to deprive United of the Cup.

 

The match was sponsored by Savvy Accountancy Solutions and United's Joe Smith was voted the Man of the Match. The game was well handled by Referee Alex Chun and his two Assistants Alfie Cook and Sam Adey. The Fourth Official was Sean Ridley.

 

Squads: BCS United: Henry Birtwhistle, Marco Fowler, Jamie Drake, Jake Kelly, Ed Fisher, Harvey Doe, Joe Smith, Zhibo Chen, Harvey Davies, Adam Coombes, Darrell Mussendo, Euan Todd-House, Lennon Claydon, Dan Larkin, Celo Purnell and Morgan Bryant.

 

Eastleigh Whites: Charlie Shepherd, Macachi Dotse, Yumo Wan, Stephen Bird, Tomasz Gruzewski, George Pomeroy, Joseph Adams, Diego Belim, George Kirby, Taisiah Moss, Kai Mellor, Harry Page, Josh Stream, Henry Richardson, Oliver Erdinc and Leo Downing.


CUP FINAL PROGRAMME DOWNLOAD