Home
Under 18 Boys - National Final Match Report
Under 18s manager Mark Culverhouse has provided the following match report after Sunday's thrilling national final victory against Sussex:
Staffordshire CSFA Under 18 Boys 6 - 4 Sussex CSFA Under 18 Boys
The first goal was a great cross from Charlie King that resulted in a missed clearance that was hammered in from close range by the on rushing Dan Hughes. The second goal came about with a slack pass from Sussex picked up on the edge of the area by Dan Hughes. He beat two players and finished from outside the box - a great finish after some neat footwork. The third goal was scored when a Charlie King corner came back off the crossbar for Doug Hughes to head in from close range. Not a bad start for the Hughes twins after 10 minutes. At half time Staffordshire led 3-0 and looked fairly comfortable having hit the post and cross bar as well.
Sussex started the second half well and got back into the game with a great through ball for their centre forward to nip in between the two Staffordshire defenders, round the advancing keeper and neatly score from just inside the box. Sussex further reduced the deficit with a corner hit to the back post to be put away with a strong far post header to make it 3-2.
Staffordshire then went really close to scoring and extending the league with Sam Scott narrowly missing having beaten the GK to the ball. However, Sussex got a third from a ball into the box set back to be drilled in from the penalty spot and then completely turned the game upside down with a goal directly from a corner that was caught on the wind.
With only two minutes to go Mohit Naphray stole the ball in his own half. The ball was played forward to Rafferty Winnall who set it back to Naphray who plays a neat pass to Charlie King. King played a slide rule defence splitting pass for Winnall to finish in the bottom left corner to make it 4-4.
In the 90th minute Dan Hughes hooks the ball forward for Winnall to run clean through and finish in the bottom right hand corner and spark absolute scenes with the team all celebrating in front of the camera. Unbelievably the goals hadn’t finished as from a long goal kick the ball was helped on to Jonah Scutt who fed Man of the Match Charlie King to run in and finish through one of the defenders legs.
An amazing day. The Staffordshire lads showed a great spirit to fight back having thought they’d won the game, then lost only to actually win it right at the end. A day that will live long in the memory for players, coaches, family and friends..
Goal-scorers:
1-0 (3mins) Dan Hughes
2-0 (5 mins) Dan Hughes
3-0 (9 mins) Doug Hughes
HT 3-0
3-1 (53)
3-2 (60)
3-3 (72)
3-4 (76)
4-4 (88) Rafferty Winnall
5-4 (90) Rafferty Winnall
6-4 (93) Charlie King
Staffordshire Squad:
GK Jonty Kearns - King Edwards Lichfield
2 - Tom Taylor - Chase Terrace Academy
3 - Finn Murray - Stafford College
4 - Doug Hughes - Wolgarston High School
5 - Jack Bostock (c) - King Edwards Lichfield
6 - Ben Hackett - The Weston Road Academy
7 - Charlie King - Blessed William Howard
8 - Dan Hughes - Wolgarston High School
9 - Jonah Scutt - Stafford College
10 - Mario Novaku - Codsall High School
11 - Will Finlay - Erasmus Darwin School
12 - Matty Steadman - Stafford College
14 - Ben Runacus - De Ferrers School
15 - Mohit Naphray - Codsall High School
16 - Sam Scott - Cardinal Griffin School
17 - Rafferty Winnall - Kingsmead High School
Click the links below to see some images from a memorable day.
