On a crisp morning at Catshill Middle School, Catshill FC U-11s faced off against Cookley Sports in a gripping cup match on 9th November 2024, kicking off at 11.15. The home side emerged victorious with a narrow 4-3 win, showcasing their resilience and attacking prowess throughout the encounter.
Catshill FC lined up in a 3-3-2 formation, with Ethan stationed in goal. The defensive trio consisted of Harry S in central defence, flanked by Arthur on the right and Seb on the left. The midfield was anchored by Logan in the centre, supported by Mason on the right and Freddie on the left. Up front, Charlie A and Luca T operated as the two forwards, tasked with converting chances into goals. The substitutes for the match included Harry H, Archie, Tommy, Charlie R, Seth , Stanley and Lucas.
The match began with an electric start, as Mason struck the post within the first minute, signalling Catshill's intent. Just moments later, Freddie had a shot saved, but the home side continued to press. In the fourth minute, Ethan was called into action, parrying a shot to keep the score level. Freddie's next attempt in the fifth minute went wide, as Catshill sought to break the deadlock.
Ethan's goalkeeping skills were on display again in the sixth minute, where he made an interception to deny Cookley Sports. Charlie A then had a chance in the seventh minute, but his effort was saved. It was Cookley Sports who struck first, scoring a well-worked team goal in the seventh minute, taking a 1-0 lead against the run of play.
Catshill responded positively, and in the twelfth minute, Logan equalised with a close-range finish, assisted by Mason. The home side took the lead in the twentieth minute when Freddie found the net, courtesy of an assist from Luca, making it 2-1. Logan had another opportunity shortly after but missed the target in the twenty-fourth minute.
The home side continued to dominate, and in the twenty-seventh minute, Charlie A scored his first goal of the match, again assisted by Mason, extending the lead to 3-1. Just a minute later, Charlie A struck again with a stunning effort from outside the box, putting Catshill 4-1 ahead. However, Cookley Sports responded quickly, scoring in the thirtieth minute to reduce the deficit to 4-2 as the first half drew to a close.
The second half began with a tactical substitution for Catshill, bringing on Harry H for Arthur. In the thirty-fifth minute, Harry H created himself a chance but shot wide from distance. Cookley Sports capitalised on their momentum, scoring another goal from outside the box in the thirty-seventh minute, narrowing the score to 4-3.
As the match progressed, Catshill made further substitutions, introducing Archie and Tommy for Luca Toole. Charlie A had another opportunity in the forty-seventh minute but shot just wide from a free-kick. The home side continued to make changes, with Charlie R replacing Logan, and Seth coming on for Seb in the fifty-first minute.
In the fifty-third minute, Stanley replaced Mason and Lucas came on for Charlie A in the fifty-fourth minute. Ethan showcased his goalkeeping prowess with a remarkable point-blank reaction match-winning save in the fifty-fifth minute, followed by a solid catch in the fifty-eighth minute to maintain the slender lead.
As the final whistle approached, Catshill FC held on to their lead, securing a thrilling 4-3 victory against Cookley Sports. The match was a testament to their attacking flair and defensive resilience, with Harry S earning the accolade of Player of the Match for his commanding presence at the back.
