Billing United U11 faced off against Bilton Ajax U11 Falcons in a thrilling league encounter at Great Billing Pocket Park on 22 February 2025, kicking off at 10:30 am. The home side emerged victorious with an impressive scoreline of 8-4, showcasing their attacking prowess and resilience throughout the match.
Billing United adopted a 3-2-3 formation, with Jackson Pearce stationed in goal, flanked by a defensive trio of Gerrard Afum Tutu on the right, Damaree Alexander in the centre, and Oscar Nawrocki on the left. The midfield was anchored by Jermel Williams and Theo Lee-Skepple, while the forward line comprised Justin Juszynski on the right, Oscar Luck as the central striker, and Layton Dewar on the left. This setup allowed for fluid attacking play, with the midfielders expected to support both defence and attack.
The substitutes for Billing United included Logan Lynch, Leighton Fletcher, Riley Abbott, and Max Soltanici, providing depth and tactical flexibility as the match progressed.
The match began with a bang as Justin Juszynski opened the scoring for Billing United just one minute in, setting the tone for a high-scoring affair. The early goal injected confidence into the home side, who continued to press forward. Jackson Pearce was called into action shortly after, making a remarkable point-blank reaction save in the sixth minute to deny Bilton Ajax an equaliser.
Billing United extended their lead in the twelfth minute when Jermel Williams converted a penalty, showcasing composure under pressure. Just four minutes later, Oscar Luck scored his first of the match, finishing expertly inside the box after a clever assist from Juszynski. However, Bilton Ajax responded quickly, netting their first goal in the nineteenth minute, briefly halting Billing United's momentum.
Not to be deterred, Billing United struck again in the twenty-first minute as Oscar Luck scored his second, this time with a left-footed effort following a well-timed assist from Nawrocki. The home side continued to dominate, and Luck completed his hat-trick just three minutes later, scrambling the ball home during a goalmouth melee, bringing the score to 5-1.
The Falcons managed to pull one back in the twenty-seventh minute, but Billing United's Leighton Fletcher capitalised on a defensive mistake to restore the four-goal cushion just a minute later. As the first half drew to a close, the score stood at 6-2, with Billing United firmly in control.
The second half commenced with a substitution for Billing United, as Max Soltanici replaced Oscar Luck, while Riley Abbott came on for Justin Juszynski. The Falcons continued to fight back, scoring their third goal in the thirty-fourth minute, but Billing United's resolve remained strong.
Jackson Pearce showcased his goalkeeping skills once more with a solid parry in the fortieth minute, maintaining the home side's advantage. Further substitutions saw Layton Dewar return to the pitch, replacing Leighton Fletcher, as the game entered its final stages.
Oscar Luck re-entered the fray in the forty-first minute, taking the place of Jermel Williams, and it wasn’t long before he was back on the scoresheet, netting his fourth goal of the match in the forty-seventh minute. The Falcons managed to score again shortly after, but Billing United's attacking flair was far from extinguished.
In the dying moments of the match, Oscar Nawrocki capped off a stellar performance with a stunning goal from outside the area in the fifty-eighth minute, assisted by Luck, sealing an emphatic 8-4 victory for Billing United.
The match was a testament to Billing United's attacking capabilities and teamwork, with Justin Juszynski earning the accolade of Player of the Match for his influential performance. The young side will take great confidence from this result as they continue their league campaign.
