Hi Chris,

A brief match report on our match yesterday against top flight opposition.

Cadbury Athletic U18's 2 - Bewdley Town U18's 3

It does me some good to report on yet another superb display by the lads - We travelled (Some distance!) to Bournville (Is that in Stourbridge &District area?), to

play against a team which had previously beaten us at home 7-1. We had only the 11 players, so any injuries would have impacted but thankfully despite

a few knocks the lads were able to play through the pain barriers and play the full match.

We started with real purpose against a team which are a good footballing side - All of the lads closed the opposition down from the start and didn't allow them to

settle or create too many chances at all and for about the first 35 minutes we had them hemmed into their half. It wasn't until a bit more pressure was applied that Cadburys

were able to break our resolve and score the first goal. We had our fair share of chances in the first half but nothing which challenged their keeper too much apart from 1 blistering shot

from Sam Woodhouse, which beat him from 6 yards out and was somehow kept out by a defender off the line.

The half time talk was as always - "We can beat this team if we really want it - Get to the ball first and make things happen". Well - The lads did make things happen

and as is always the case when they keep the communication and endeavour going, they are a different team entirely - Sam Woodhouse latched onto a midfield pass and took

on the defender to strike a low pacey cross which was met by Scott Ife who scored his first goal for the team - This lifted the lads and it wasn't too long before we exerted more

pressure and Sam Woodhouse was able to take on the defenders again and score to put us in the lead (Brilliant feeling!!) Goalkeeper Ryan Bromley made some superb saves when

Cadburys managed to get through on goal and Sam Palmer Young was a welcome return addition to our midfield and he had a big influence on the midfield keeping Cadburys at

bay, along with the other midfield team Will Woodhouse, Zak Thomson And Todd Horton. Our back four Matt Garbett, Ben Thompson, Ben Green and Tom Draper were brilliant

throughout and only a temporary slip up allowed Cadburys in to equalise.

Once again the lads showed their tenacity and dug deep to create a number of chances (One hitting the cross bar from Sam Palmer Young). Todd Horton was playing with some purpose and was turning the opposition inside and out with his runs towards goal and it was his long punt up field which Sam Woodhouse took down brilliantly just in the oppositions half and sped past the 2 defenders covering him - 1 on 1 with the keeper he dispatched the shot with some pace and the keeper had no chance 3-2 - This seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the Cadburys team and

Bewdley Town definitely finished the much stronger and fully deserved the win - Well done lads - here's to next weeks game against bottom of the league (Yes you read it right -

its not us - we're off the bottom !!!!) 

Stuart Green

U18's Manager