In a thrilling cup encounter at Advantage Park on 11 January 2025, Abbey Villa F.C 2nds faced off against Berlin Swifts, ultimately succumbing to a 5-3 defeat after extra time. The match, which kicked off at 1:30pm, was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams showcasing their attacking prowess and resilience.
Abbey Villa adopted a 4-3-3 formation, with Ross Murray in goal, flanked by a defensive line comprising James Edwards on the right, Joshua Colville and Matthew Edwards in central defence, and Curtis Williamson on the left. The midfield trio featured Mark Gilliland on the right, Louis Gault-Reid centrally, and Daniel Beach on the left, while the attacking front three consisted of Jude Strain on the right, Mathew Burke as the central striker, and Kyle Irwin on the left. This setup aimed to provide a balanced approach, with the midfield tasked with controlling possession and the forwards looking to exploit any gaps in the Berlin defence.
Substitutes for Abbey Villa included Marcus McGrath, Jake Rainey, and Thomas Drysdale, who would later play pivotal roles in the match.
The opening exchanges were lively, and Abbey Villa struck first in the 10th minute when Mark Gilliland capitalised on a goalmouth scramble, converting from close range. This early goal set the tone for a competitive match, with Abbey Villa looking to build on their lead.
However, the tide began to turn as the first half progressed. In the 35th minute, Louis Gault-Reid was forced off due to injury, making way for Marcus McGrath. Just before half-time, McGrath found himself in the referee's book for a bad tackle, receiving a yellow card in the 43rd minute.
As the second half commenced, the momentum shifted dramatically. When, Curtis Williamson received a yellow card for a tackle inside the box, on the 52nd minute. Berlin Swifts were awarded the penalty, and equalised to take advantage of a defensive lapse.
The Swifts then took control of the match, managing to score again in the 65th minute with a simple tap-in that left Abbey Villa's defence scrambling. Abbey Villa then introduced the returning skipper Jake Rainey back from injury on the 64th minute.
Despite the setbacks faced though, Abbey Villa managed to gain momentum and found an equaliser in the 86th minute when Kyle Irwin found the net with a well-placed left-footed shot inside the box, assisted by a great pass from Jake Rainey. This goal reignited hopes for Abbey Villa, taking the tie into extra time. 2:2
In a dramatic period of extra time, the match saw a flurry of activity. With Villa's Mark Gilliland scoring his second goal after 95th minutes, giving the visitors the lead. However, the joy was short-lived as Berlin Swifts struck back immediately, equalising in the 96th minute and then managed to take the lead on the 98th minute. 4:3
As the match drew to a close, Mathew Burke received a yellow card for persistent infringements in the 105th minute, reflecting the frustration of Abbey Villa as they battled to try and get that elusive equaliser to take the game to penalties. But it was the Swifts who sealed the win after 109 minutes played, to make the final score 5:3 after extra time.
Despite their valiant efforts and a standout performance from Mark Gilliland with 2 goals, who was named Villa's Man of the Match, unfortunately Villa's young reserve side were unable to overcome the relentless Berlin Swifts on the day, and they exit this seasons Junior Shield in what was a thrilling encounter.
