The U16s exited the JPL Shield after a first-round 1-0 defeat to UFCA, ending their competitive season.
Joe Hudson’s double save in the second-half, one of several saves after the break, denied a second after the first-half goal.
Richy Bamba, Kieron Murthoo-Williams, Malik Bangura and Donrique Davis, all u15s player, all started.
Hudson was first tested on 4 minutes, tipping the ball from a corner from his left, over the attacking crowd and continuing its flight path but away from goal.
UFCA had their first shot two minutes later inside the box, hit hard but over.
The U16s’ long-ball on 8 minutes saw Kyrell Kavanagh race against the ‘keeper to the edge of the box and the attack was denied by the knee of the ‘keeper.
Josh Carney then had his own attempt at a long-ball forward from the half-way line on his right wing, aimed again at Kavanagh in-behind. Kavanagh won the race this time, his head his method of reaching the ball first, lofting the ball over the ‘keeper but narrowly both over and wide.
Eloi Nyom began his trick show on 13 minutes, a flip-flap, right-footed back onto his left, away from goal but his pass forward failed to match the skill level, straight to a defender.
UFCA’s corner from the left two minutes later bounced towards the penalty spot and was failed to clear before it reached an attacker. He took one touch and half-volleyed back across goal but wide.
Hudson raced to the edge of his box minutes later to beat an attacker to a long-ball forward and clear for the second time, minutes later.
UFCA found the net on 19 minutes, however, finding their range eventually with a long-ball.
Nyom’s pass in the UFCA half was intercepted and allowed a counter. The pass in-behind found a striker inside the box who placed the ball round Hudson.
UFCA’s pressing on 21 minutes rewon the ball in midfield and a forward pass was missed by the initial challenge but Richy Bamba was quick enough to cover, tracking back from the left of the attacker, intercepting and carrying the ball to his left wing and to safety.
Hudson was on the edge of the box again on 23 minutes to clear another long-ball.
UFCA passed the ball from the right through two players, the latter having time to control and shoot hard from 25 yards but over.
UFCA had pace down the left on 32 minutes to move away from Malik Bangura and cross low to a striker who’s first time side-footed effort was sliced wide of the far post.
Pressure on the U16s on 34 minutes rewon possession for UFCA who shot towards the near left post but tipped wide by the diving Hudson.
The resulting corner was headed over.
Another UFCA cross, high this time on 36 minutes was aimed at the far post but with Boulton part of two players each from either side in the group, neither team got a touch.
Nyom’s low shot on 39 minutes had too little power to equalise before the break.
UFCA threatened a second a minute after half-time. A pass deep from midfield was lofted over Bamba and hit first time on the half-volley by the attacker under pressure but aimed wide.
A cross from the right close to the goalline, aimed low to the penalty spot was controlled and then shot but blocked by George Boulton.
A UFCA free-kick on 44 minutes, from the centre was aimed at the left post rose over Boulton and attacked with a header back across goal but wide.
Kavanagh’s pressure on a defender five minutes after the break, inside the box forced a poor back-pass and the U16s forward won the rave, poking the ball round the ‘keeper but couldn’t stop the ball from going for a goal-kick.
UFCA replied five minutes later with a deep cross from the right over all the U16s defender and inches ahead of the stretching attacker at the far post.
Nyom’s double stepover on the left wing on 51 minutes beat his man on the outside allowing him to cross. The low ball beat a number of defenders before being eventually cleared at the back post.
Hudson was beaten to a long-ball forward for the first time, Hudson off his line as the ball was lofted over him but also the bar.
The ‘keeper amended his misjudgement by following it with a double save minutes later. Bamba battled his forward inside the left of the box but a cross was allowed into the box towards the penalty spot. The shot was hard but Hudson, diving to his left, managed to parry away from goal but only to a second forward.
The ball ran to the edge of the box was hit hard with the outside of the right-boot, curling out into the bottom right corner but Hudson, at full stretch, was able to push round the post.
Hudson was challenged again on 60 minutes, a hard shot from the edge of the left of the box, parried away.
The U16s’ cross from the right on 69 minutes found Kavanagh but moving away from goal, his flick-header had too little power to test the ‘keeper.
UFCA’s free-kick on 72 minutes, curling away from goal, went inches wide of the left post.
Kieron Murthoo-Williams, with pace on the left on 74 minutes, tried the U16s’ final attempt at an equaliser. Knocking the ball ahead of himself he ran slightly ahead of his marker before his second touch took him and the chasing defender into the box. Forced into the scenic route by the defender, the UFCA ‘keeper was able to win the race to the ball, sliding into safely gather into his grasp.
With the U16s’ competitive season now over, the U23s await the scheduling of their Quarter-final fixture in the West Riding FA Senior Cup.
The U21s play a friendly against Sherburn on Saturday 29th May with the location and kick-off time to be confirmed.