In a commanding display of football, Kirkburton Juniors F.C. U14 Panthers triumphed over Beacon Rangers U14 with a staggering scoreline of 11-1 in their league home match held at King James' School on 6th October 2024. The match kicked off at 9:30 am, showcasing the Panthers' attacking prowess and solid teamwork throughout the 70 minutes of play.
The Panthers lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, which provided a balanced approach between defence and attack. Jack Campbell took his position as the goalkeeper, shielded by a back four consisting of Sam Ward on the right, James Bolton and Gray Bower in central defence, and Stanley Simpson on the left. The midfield was structured with Jack Munt on the right, Jacob Hennell and Sam Banerjee centrally, and Mischa McConnell on the left. Up front, Jackson Lickess and Noah Bailey formed the striking partnership, tasked with converting chances into goals. The substitutes for the match included Finley Castle-Parkin, Samuel Robinson, and Blake Merritt.
The match began with an explosive start as Jacob Hennell opened the scoring for the Panthers just three minutes in with a stunning long-range strike using his left foot. This early goal set the tone for the match, and shortly after, Finley Castle-Parkin replaced Hennell in the fifth minute.
By the eighth minute, Jackson Lickess doubled the lead, finishing off a well-placed assist from Castle-Parkin. The Panthers continued to dominate, leading to a series of substitutions in the 15th minute, where Jacob Hennell returned to the pitch, replacing Jack Munt, and Samuel Robinson came on for Gray Bower. Blake Merritt also entered the fray, taking the place of James Bolton five minutes later.
The Panthers' relentless attack saw Mischa McConnell score in the 25th minute, further extending their lead. Following this goal, McConnell was substituted off for Jack Munt, while Sam Ward was replaced by Gray Bower, both in the 25th minute. The substitutions continued as James Bolton came on for Noah Bailey in the 30th minute.
In the 33rd minute, Sam Banerjee found the back of the net with an assist from Gray Bower, making it 5-0. The first half concluded with a commanding performance from the Panthers, leading 5-0 at the break.
As the second half commenced, Mischa McConnell returned to the pitch, replacing Stanley Simpson, while Sam Ward came back on for Jackson Lickess. The Panthers maintained their momentum, with Jack Campbell scoring from close range in the 42nd minute during a goalmouth scramble, pushing the score to 6-0.
Beacon Rangers managed to pull one back in the 44th minute with a solo goal, but the Panthers quickly responded. Sam Banerjee scored his second goal of the match in the 53rd minute, showcasing his clinical finishing.
Jackson Lickess added to the tally in the 56th minute with a close-range tap-in, assisted by Mischa McConnell. The Panthers were relentless, and in the 58th minute, McConnell converted a penalty, further extending the lead to 9-1.
The substitutions continued as Jack Munt replaced Noah Bailey in the 60th minute, followed by Jacob Hennell coming on for Gray Bower, and James Bolton replacing Sam Ward.
Sam Banerjee completed his hat-trick in the 62nd minute, assisted by Jack Munt, before James Bolton scored the final goal of the match in the 67th minute during another goalmouth scramble.
The match concluded with Kirkburton Juniors F.C. U14 Panthers securing an emphatic 11-1 victory over Beacon Rangers U14, demonstrating their attacking flair and teamwork throughout the encounter.
