AFC Rushden & Diamonds U18 side recorded a 5-2 victory after twice being pegged back, in a game with a number of controversial incidents. Jake Reynolds netted a hat-trick, with Zak Moon and Zach Farden completing the scoring, with the Diamonds three late goals coming after the Doughboys had been reduced to 10 men.
The game kicked off with light rain falling at the Dog and Duck, meaning that a few players were slipping on the greasy surface. There was some initial confusion as the Doughboys had started the game with two players wearing #23 shirts, but as soon as the referee had sorted this by making one of them change to a blank shirt the other had to leave the pitch due to injury.
The Diamonds had a lion’s share of possession during the first period, but weren’t converting this into chances on goal, whereas their opponents forced several saves from Alex Vitue when they worked the ball into dangerous areas.
The referee made it clear to both teams he wasn’t accepting any dissent or bad sportsmanship, with both teams getting a yellow card for obstructing the taking of a free-kick.
Dan Roche was getting forwards well down the Diamonds right, and he linked up with Blake Helsdown with a 1-2 that saw him fire just wide of the far post from a narrow angle. Jake Reynolds was also getting into the action, winning the ball on the right from a hesitant defender and forcing Kaise John-Lewis to head clear.
As half-time approached the Diamonds won a corner on the right, and after wasting several earlier opportunities to get the ball into the box with some short moves that didn’t work, this time the ball was played into the danger area. Jake Reynolds headed towards goal, and although a defender appeared to have cleared off the line, the linesman on the stand side signalled it has crossed the line.
The young Diamonds were unable to hold out until the break, with a slip in midfield allowing Jack Plummer to set Harry Ware free, and his neat control and through-ball to Pawel Aurcadniczek found the striker get to the ball just ahead of the Vitue who was rushing forwards, allowing the striker to round the keeper and stroke the equaliser.
Half-Time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds U18 1 Wellingborough Town U18 1
The Diamonds came out for the second period with more attacking intent, and saw early chances for Moon, Helsdown and Reynolds threaten to restore their lead. This enterprise was rewarded after 56 minutes when the Diamonds won a free kick near the penalty area “D”, and Zak Moon smashed the ball into goal past an ineffective defensive wall.
After a fairly quiet period, when it looked like the game might peter out, after 77 minutes things livened up, when Wellingborough were awarded an equalising goal when a long-range effort from Harry Ware was initially knocked into the air by Vitue, before he dived on the ball to clear, but it was adjudged to have crossed the line by the linesman on the stand side, much to the surprise of both benches.
Just as the visitors looked like they might have salvaged a point they were reduced to 10 men when Casey Kiernan, who had earlier been booked for dissent, was shown a second yellow card after he kicked the ball away when the Diamonds were awarded a free-kick.
The tiring Doughboys who had impressed throughout the game found playing with 10 men was too much of a handicap, and the Diamonds were able to take advantage. After 84 minutes Zach Farden was able to take advantage when a Reynolds shot was spilled, and this was followed by further controversy when an effort from Moon looked well over the line, but this time the linesman on the hotel side did not signal for a goal. As the game entered the final minutes there was time for Jake Reynolds to seal his hat-trick by netting two further goals, the first a free header from a corner, the second after unselfish work from the impressive Blake Helsdown down the right, which helped to earn the pair of them a joint man-of-the-match award.
Full-Time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds U18 5 Wellingborough Town U18 2
Several of the young Diamonds team will be in action on Thursday night when a mix of first-team players, U18 players and possibly a few triallists will form a Diamonds XI to face Lutterworth Athletic.
Attendance: 84
Diamonds Man-of-the-Match: Blake Helsdown and Jake Reynolds
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AFC Rushden & Diamonds U18 |
Wellingborough Town U18 |
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17. Alex Vitue 2. Ben Roche 12. Zach Farden 4. Noah Bryant 5. Adam Ziolkowski 6. Alex McDonald 7. Zak Moon 8. Conor Bell 9. Blake Helsdown 10. Jake Reynolds 11. Matt Smith Subs 14. Liam Bond (for Moon 70) 15. Dan Bevis (for Bell 63) 16. Luke Fathers (for Farden 89) |
1. Luke Greer B. Kaise John-Lewis 9. Pawel Aurcadniczek 11. Ben Taylor 17. Casey Kiernan 21. Charlie Ware 22. Jack Harvey 23. Elliot Clarke 25. Liam Bouchier 26. Ash Newman 99. Harry Ware Subs 5. Jamal Brownbill (for Taylor49) 10. Lwan Said-Aboula (for Plummer 70) 12. Michael Brimah 20. Jack Plummer (for Clarke 10) |
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Goals: Reynolds (41, 90, 90+1), Moon (56), Farden (84) |
Goals: Aurcadniczek (45+1), Ware (77) |
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Yellow Card : Bryant |
Yellow Cards : Plummer, Kiernan Red Card: Kiernan |
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For video highlights see here.
Images courtesy of Mal Swinden ©2012 Malcolm Swinden Photography
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