UNDER 9s:
YMCA A 2 FLEETWOOD TOWN A 1
YMCA B 0 FLEETWOOD TOWN B 2
YMCA had to settle for a share of the points at Seafield Rd last Saturday. Heavy rain and a strong wind made for very unpleasant conditions but to their great credit both teams coped well. In an evenly contested A game Ryan W gave YMCA the lead but Town soon levelled to make it 1-1 at the interval. The game remained a close tussle in the 2nd period but YMCA grabbed victory with a 2nd strike by the outstanding Ryan W. Kyle M and Joel R were both notable also. The B contest followed a similar pattern to the A game with little to choose between the team. The visitors though reached half time with a 1-0 lead and an own goal in the 2nd half sealed a Town victory. Declan H and Fred S both shone for YMCA.
UNDER 11s:
YMCA 1 KIRKHAM 0
YMCA looked the stronger team throughout this game at Seafield Rd last Sunday, constantly applying pressure on the visitors. Conah B was menacing down the right wing creating most of their chances and also coming close to scoring himself. Shane D, Jack R, Jordan W and Jack C all went close to opening the scoring but it remained goalless at the break. After half time YMCA continued to pressurise the Kirkham defence and finally got the breakthrough they deserved when Jack R fired home. Johnny A also came close in this excellent team display in which Carl K was outstanding throughout bossing the midfield and coming close to scoring on numerous occasions only to be denied by the Kirkham keeper.
UNDER 12s:
CLIFTON RAN 2 YMCA 4
League leaders YMCA survived a first-half scare against a very spirited and hard-working Clifton Rangers side to eventually come away with all three points at Mereside last Sunday. Clifton opened the scoring but Linus W equalised with a well taken goal from the left. YMCA then spurned a series of chances before Clifton scored a second with a well struck shot from the edge of the box to take a 2-1 lead into the interval. After the break YMCA’s pressure started to tell and goals from Sean K, Jordan B and Ben C sealed victory. Calvin R, Jordan B and Ben C all impressed for YMCA.
UNDER 13s:
YMCA 5 SOUTH SHORE 0
YMCA recorded a comfortable home win at Seafield Road last Sunday. Ryan A and Ryan R both went close before Sam M opened the scoring with a close range effort. Zenda S was unlucky to hit the bar on the stroke of half time and it remained 1-0 at the break.
The home side dominated the second half with Ryan A scoring with a solo effort and a well taken penalty. South Shore were reduced to 10 men following a sending off and Corey C and Sam M both took advantage with well taken goals. Ryan R and Robbie H both had excellent games for YMCA.
UNDER 15s:
YMCA 7 WYRE THORNTON 0
YMCA confirmed their place at the top of the league with this solid team performance at Seafield Rd last Sunday. Alex G opened the scoring after 12 minutes when he turned delightfully in the box to score after great skills from Oscar R. As half time approached, Sam S added the second from the penalty spot after a foul by the Wyre goalkeeper to send YMCA into a 2-0 half time lead. In the second half YMCA started to dominate and played some splendid football. A Ben W header from a corner was steered past his own goalkeeper by a Wyre defender for number three and then Tom M showed good feet to score the first of his two goals on 67 minutes, adding his second shortly after. Daniel J was man of the match and Joe K and Rob C were prominent throughout. The bonus for YMCA was Lloyd P coming on as substitute after a 3 month injury nightmare to score two goals in the closing minutes to give the home team a comprehensive victory.
UNDER 18s:
Lancashire FA Cup Quarter Finals:
YMCA 1 AKZO NOBEL 3
YMCA welcomed the Blackburn Under18 league leaders for this fourth round LFA Cup tie with a place in the quarter finals at stake. However, it was a disastrous start for the home team when Akzo took the lead from the spot.
They were awarded an 8th minute penalty for handball, the same incident leading to YMCA being reduced to 10 men for the remainder of the match. YMCA had just about recovered their composure when Akzo grabbed a second to make it 2-0 to the visitors at the break.
The half time talk seemed to restore some belief in the YMCA players and despite being a man down they dominated play and created a number of chances. With 30 mins remaining Akzo were also reduced to 10 men and after Matt R had hit the post with a well taken free kick YMCA reduced the score. A perfectly weighted through ball from YMCA’s man of the match Scott H found Adam W who turned his defender before stroking the ball past the helpless keeper. Anthony S was then unlucky to see his 20 yard drive pushed over the cross bar but Akzo responded by scoring a third with only seven minutes remaining and despite continuing to press YMCA could not find another way through.
The YMCA players will be disappointed to go out of this competition but they should all be proud of the way they performed against last season's beaten finalists.
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