In a commanding display, Lads Club Juniors U11 faced off against Ledbury Swifts Athletics U11 at Ledbury RFC on 30 November 2024, with kick-off at 10:30 am. The match concluded with a resounding 7-0 victory for the Juniors, showcasing their dominance throughout the encounter.
The Lads Club Juniors adopted a 2-5-1 formation, with Lucas Price in goal, flanked by central defenders Archie Rigby and Romeo Roberts. The midfield was packed with five players: Musa Touray on the right, Chase Bracegirdle on the left, and a trio of central midfielders comprising Thomi Scoular, Theo Lewis, and Finn Jones. Oscar Jones led the line as the sole striker, tasked with converting chances into goals. The substitutes for the match included Charlie Arnold, Flyn Watkins, and Louis Howells, ready to make an impact from the bench.
The match began with an early attempt from Oscar Jones, whose shot was saved just three minutes in, signalling the Juniors' intent. However, it was Chase Bracegirdle who opened the scoring in the fifth minute, netting a goal from inside the box after a precise short pass from Finn Jones. The Juniors continued to press, with Theo Lewis and Finn Jones both testing the Ledbury goalkeeper, but their efforts were thwarted.
In the twelfth minute, Oscar Jones doubled the lead, finishing with his left foot from inside the box after receiving a short pass from Thomi Scoular. The Juniors were relentless, and Archie Rigby added a third goal just three minutes later, converting a direct free-kick from outside the box with a powerful right-footed strike. The first half saw further attempts from Theo Lewis and Oscar Jones, but both were saved, while Archie Rigby’s sailed wide of the post.
As the first half drew to a close, the Juniors maintained their pressure, and just as the whistle was about to blow, Archie Rigby scored a penalty to make it 4-0 after a foul in the box. The teams went into the break with the Juniors firmly in control.
The second half commenced with substitutions for the Juniors, bringing on Thomi Scoular for Oscar Jones and Lucas swapped the No.1 shirt with Romeo. The Juniors continued to dominate, with Chase Bracegirdle and Finn Jones both attempting to extend the lead, but their shots were saved or went wide. In the 36th minute, Thomi Scoular battled hard through a tackle and found the net, scoring from inside the box after a clever assist from Finn Jones, pushing the score to 5-0.
Oscar Jones returned to the pitch and the Juniors continued to press for more goals. Finn Jones had another shot saved but within minutes of coming back on Oscar ran onto the end of a defence splitting pass from Lucas Price and slotted the ball under the keeper with his right foot. As the match progressed, Musa Touray, who had also been substituted back into the game, scored a stunning solo goal in the 51st minute, showcasing his skill and determination. Archie came close to a hat trick when he thumped a long range free kick against the far post but the Juniors were relentless, and despite several attempts from Finn Jones and Charlie Arnold, the score remained at 7-0.
Finn Jones had another shot saved, and the second half was a one sided affair, Ledbury Swifts Athletics kept thier heads raised and didn't give up, they showed great resilience but the Lads Club Juniors showed them that the step up into the top league isn't going to be easy. The final whistle confirmed a comprehensive 7-0 victory for Lads Club Juniors U11, a performance that highlighted their attacking prowess and solid defensive work.
Chase Bracegirdle was named Player of the Match for his influential performance up and down the left side of the pitch, contributing significantly to the team's success. The Juniors will take great confidence from this emphatic win as they look forward to their next challenge.
