Youth snatch a draw from the jaws of victory

APBS Youth 1 – 1 Penn & Tylers Green FC

The afternoon kick of posed a great game of football and didn’t disappoint. The sun was bright on a hard pitch promising an unpredictable game. Penn & Tylers Green FC travelled down to APBS in search of victory following the disappointing loss against the Aylesbury side just two weeks previous on home soil.

The game kicked off with regulars Byron Stevens and Ross Baker ruled out through injury and Luke Cohen, carrying a knock, starting on the bench. This gave Josh Knight and Josh Woolford a rare opportunity to start up front. Despite this however, the two players presented a constant threat, held the ball up well and gave Paul Benning something to think about. The game started positively with Penn & Tylers Green FC showing a lot more desire than the warm up promised creating early opportunities to test the keeper. Penn & Tylers Green FC and Tylers came close on a number of occasions with Curtis Stone and Will Brangwin firing wide from the edge of the box following attacks. Josh Knight also came frighteningly close as the target man was found expertly by Joe Fisher who had an excellent game on the right. All 6 foot 7 of Josh Knight sold the dummy to the APBS centre back as he cut inside on to his left but was stopped by a good block.

Exchanges in possession saw Penn & Tylers Green FC with the majority of the opportunities as the play was constantly spread wide into the channels where Johnny Carpenter, Josh Barr, Alex Morgan, and Joe Fisher thrived feeding Josh Woolford and Josh Knight. This lead to a series of set pieces that should have punished the Aylesbury side, as deliveries from Luke Graham and Curtis Stone posed a constant threat. The closest Penn & Tylers Green FC came was a good save off the line by the opposition goal keeper as Luke Graham snatched at a half volley (on his weaker foot).

APBS had a few chances of their own, again from set pieces. We would have been one down but for an excellent save from Connor Latta following a header that was travelling for the bottom left hand corner. The ball then struck the post as Penn & Tylers Green FC players were left ball watching.

With 5 to go till half time Penn & Tylers Green FC hit a tricky patch as a series of 4 or 5 corners had the defence scrambling to clear with Will Eustace at the heart of the resistance.

At 0-0 it was fair to say we deserved something and we all knew the goal was coming. Great engine work in the middle of the park from Will Brangwin and Curtis Stone helped keep our goal clean up against a midfield three, combined with a strong back four on the day. The second half kicked off much slower as the momentum seemed to have carried from the late spell of corners in the first half with Penn & Tylers Green FC kept in their own half for a tricky ten minutes. However, we held on and began to play some football with Paul Benning shuffling things up as Josh Knight, who had a great game today, was replaced by Luke Cohen. The break through soon came as we began to force our way into their half with numerous set pieces. The goal came from Luke Graham as he planted the ball into the top left hand corner of the net direct from the corner; intentionally of course. This gave Penn & Tylers Green FC a bit of a lift as our confidence grew and the search for that evasive second goal continued.

APBS were beginning to crack at the seams as little digs at each other mounted up and a handful of yellow cards for dissent were issued. However, they constantly posed a threat on the break with a series of solid tracking tackles preventing them. Connor Latta was particularly good today in coming out to claim the ball taking a weight off the defence. With ten minuets to go Penn & Tylers Green FC’s discipline began to slip as this strict ref gave some threatening free kicks to the opposition. Most notably creating a great header cleared off the line by Alex Morgan. Paul Benning then brought Charlie Whitfield on for Josh Barr who had a good game, linking up well with Johnny Carpenter and Josh Woolford down the left, to give Penn & Tylers Green FC some fresh legs.

An APBS corner then deflated Penn & Tylers Green FC as the spare man was found who put the ball into the top corner with his head. 1-1. With everything to play for the last five minutes saw some excellent football with both teams in search for the vital winner. Penn & Tylers Green FC’s first chance came as Luke Cohen sprung the defence excellently, nodded the ball past his marker and had a clear sight of goal from by the penalty spot but was denied by what some are calling “the block of the century”, as at full stretch the scrambling defender managed to put the ball behind. The resulting corner saw another chance go begging as Luke Graham put the ball in dangerously seeing Luke Cohen’s effort denied by a good save.

The game then petered out slowly as tired player made carless unforced errors from both sides including a corner from Luke Graham that drifted out of play.

All round a very solid effort from the players, everyone put everything into today’s game that could have been so different if we took our chances. Although disappointing, the atmosphere created and discipline was good today as the chemistry we needed at the start of the season is finally arriving.

Match report: Luke Graham.

Man of the match: Joe Fisher