U15s East Riding 1 – 2 York & District (Champions Cup Plate Rnd. 16)
Champions Cup Plate – Round of 16
Venue: East Riding
Date: 27th January 2024
Team Lineup: Back Row (L to R): Harry Waines, Luca Long, Matteo James, Dara Sanusi, Harley Waddington, Charlie Anderson, Ben Alder, Matthew Orr
Front Row (L to R): Oliver Waygood, Ewan Daly, Bodhi Justice, Charlie Goodwin, Lucas Matthews, Isaac Arif, Finn Davis
Following York’s epic penalty shootout win in the previous round of the Champions Cup Plate national competition, they were rewarded with a trip to East Riding, with a place in the quarter finals up for grabs. Not usually a happy hunting ground for York, they produced a very commanding performance to win 2-1, where the scoreline didn’t reflect the control that York had throughout the game.
A chilly morning, but dry and no wind on a 3G pitch meant perfect conditions for a competitive game of football. York started a little tentatively as both teams sounded each other out in the early exchanges. There was little goalmouth action to begin with but York slowly began to find their feet with slick passing and movement. The wing combinations began working well with nice triangles between right fullback Oli Waygood and wing Ewan Daly and left fullback Charlie Anderson and wing Finn Davis. Bodhi Justice and Harry Waines in central midfield were winning and recycling the ball excellently with Charlie Goodwin always available just behind the striker, bringing energy and purpose to the link up with striker Matthew Orr. Orr was making a nuisance of himself with good hold up play and pressing.
York were very solid at the back where Harley Waddington was commanding in centre back alongside Luca Long. Ben Alder in goal was having a relatively quiet game and was only called into action occasionally with a long shot from East Riding and through their main attacking threat, corners. Despite their impressive passing out from the back and midfield combinations, attacks on the East Riding goal were limited to a few forays from Daly and Davis down the wings and some shots that didn’t trouble the keeper. However if any team looked likely to score it was York, and great work from Orr to dispossess the defender to play the ball into midfield where Daly, showing great pace, ran onto the through ball and showed great composure to fire the ball past the East Riding keeper to give York the lead.
New players came in, with Lucas Matthews in midfield, Matteo James at centre back and Dara Sanusi centre forward. It wasn’t long before Matthews and Sanusi were in the thick of it. Sanusi, picking up the ball on the right, squared it to Goodwin, fed Matthews arriving from midfield take a couple a touches and fire a left footed shot past the keeper for York’s deserved second. East Riding’s main threat was through corners and York had to defend these well with a few scares as East Riding players put pressure on the defence. York saw a good lead through to half time.
The message was clear at half time, don’t give East Riding any encouragement to get back into the game, and although a few sloppy passes out of defence put York under pressure, the defence scrambled to clear their lines. Isaac Arif, who felt a hamstring tweak in the warm up came into midfield, but his injury got the better of him, even though his driving runs were proving to be a threat. On the left Matthews and Davis were having great games with superb passing combinations and pressing. The main objective now was to see the game through. Chances were at a premium at both ends, but Waines came close for York getting on the end of a cross, but just got under the header and couldn’t keep it down. Daly and Davis had shots blocked, and Sanusi burst through on a number of occasions but either pulled his shot wide or was blocked. East Riding’s threat from corners eventually paid off as they scrambled a ball over the line to make it a nervy last 8 minutes for York.
However to their credit it was York who created all the next chances as Davis, spotting the keeper off his line hit a fantastic shot the cannoned off the post. Then Daly played Davis in but was folied by the defender. The pressure from East Riding to force an equaliser never really came as York comfortably saw out the last few minutes to book a place in the quarter finals.
An excellent display all round from the York team, with some superb passing, defensive pressing, ball recycling and two well taken goals. York now wait to find out who their opponents are in the next round.
Final Score: East Riding 1 – 2 York & District
Scorers: Daly, Matthews
