In an exhilarating cup tie at Ferndown Leisure Centre on 13 October 2024, Greenfield Youth FC U15 Panthers and Clanfield Youth U15 played out a dramatic 3-3 draw after 80 minutes of intense action, with the Panthers ultimately triumphing 4-1 in the penalty shootout. The match kicked off at 12:00pm, and both teams showcased their talents in front of a modest crowd of 27 spectators.
The Panthers lined up in a 4-2-1-3 formation, designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for attacking flair. Dylan Bingham took his place in goal, shielded by a back four comprising Thomas Hunt and Brian Goga Jashari as right and left defenders, respectively, with George Adlem and Aaron Scullion forming the central defensive partnership. In midfield, Nickolas Mieszkowski and Dominik Chudy operated as central midfielders, tasked with both breaking up opposition play and supporting the attack. Ahead of them, Josh Akpagbula played as the attacking midfielder, while Noah Iglewski and Jamie Gray occupied the right and left forward positions, respectively, with Daniel Goodson leading the line as the striker. The substitutes for the match were Olly Ray and Jamie Moore.
The match began with a shocking start for the Panthers, as Clanfield Youth took the lead just two minutes in, capitalising on a defensive mistake to score the opening goal. The early setback rattled the Panthers, and things went from bad to worse when Clanfield was awarded a penalty in the 10th minute for a shirt pull in the box, which they converted to double their advantage.
As the first half progressed, the Panthers struggled to find their rhythm, and tensions flared, resulting in Aaron Scullion receiving a yellow card for a bad tackle in the 29th minute. The Panthers made a tactical change, bringing on Olly Ray for the injured Dominik Chudy and substituting Tom Hunt for Jamie Moore to adjust their attacking approach.
With the scoreline at 2-0 at the break, the Panthers emerged for the second half with renewed determination. Their efforts paid off in the 59th minute when Noah Iglewski found the back of the net, finishing a well-placed short pass from Daniel Goodson inside the box, igniting hope for the home side. Just two minutes later, Jamie Moore capitalised on another defensive error from Clanfield, scoring to level the match at 2-2.
However, the drama did not end there. Clanfield responded with a goal of their own in the 70th minute, scrambling the ball home from close range to regain the lead at 3-2. The Panthers, undeterred, continued to push forward and were rewarded with a penalty in the 78th minute after a foul on Josh Akpagbula in the box. George Adlem stepped up to take the spot-kick and coolly converted, bringing the score to 3-3 and ensuring the match would go to penalties.
As the match concluded, the referee, Paul Moore, signalled the end of normal time, and the teams prepared for the shootout. The Panthers displayed composure under pressure, converting four of their penalties while Clanfield could only manage one, securing a hard-fought victory for Greenfield Youth FC U15 Panthers.
Brian Goga Jashari was named Player of the Match for his outstanding defensive performance, contributing significantly to the team's resilience and eventual triumph in this thrilling cup encounter.
