In an exhilarating league encounter at Hereford Lads Club on 23 November 2024, Lads Club Juniors U11 secured a convincing 5-2 victory against Pegasus Youth Flyers U11. The match kicked off at 10:30 am, and the home side showcased their attacking prowess and defensive resilience throughout the 60 minutes of play.
Paul Howells was drafted in to replace Jamie Rigby (who was hard at work in London ??) Howler spent time to motivate the Juniors before sending them out pumped up for the game ahead.
Lads Club Juniors adopted a 2-5-1 formation, which allowed them to dominate the midfield while maintaining a solid defensive structure. Lucas Price was stationed in goal, with Archie Rigby and Louis Howells forming a central defensive partnership. The midfield quintet comprised Musa Touray on the right, Charlie Arnold on the left as wing backs, and a trio of central midfielders: Theo Lewis, Charlie Swain, and Thomi Scoular. Oscar Jones led the line as the lone striker, expected to exploit any defensive lapses from the opposition.
The highly skilled substitutes for Lads Club Juniors included Mali Lewis, Chase Bracegirdle, Romeo Roberts, and Finn Jones, who would all play a crucial role in the match as the game progressed.
The highly anticipated match began with both teams testing each other, but it was Lucas Price who first made his mark, executing a confident catch in the 4th minute to deny an early attempt from Pegasus. He followed this up with another catch just two minutes later, demonstrating his reliability between the posts.
In the 6th minute, Lads Club Juniors took the lead when Oscar Jones scored with a well-placed left-footed strike, assisted by a long looping goal kick pass from Price. However, the lead was short-lived as Pegasus responded swiftly, equalising just a few minutes later with a lob from outside the box just dropping under the bar.
Undeterred, Oscar Jones quickly restored Lads Club's advantage, scoring a another goal in the 21st minute, showcasing his skill and determination. Lucas Price continued to impress in goal, making another catch in the 25th minute to maintain the lead as the first half drew to a close. Thomi Scoular worked well with his driving runs through the Pegasus midfield to disturb thier formation.
As the teams returned for the second half, Lads Club made tactical substitutions, bringing on Romeo Roberts and Chase Bracegirdle for Musa Touray and Mali Lewis respectively. The match resumed with Oscar Jones continuing to threaten the Pegasus defence, though his attempt in the 31st minute went wide.
Charlie Swain had a chance to extend the lead in the 32nd minute, but his effort was saved by the Pegasus goalkeeper. Lucas Price was called into action again in the 36th minute, pulling off a save to his right hand side keep his team ahead.
In the 39th minute, Finn Jones came off the bench adding fresh legs to the midfield. Theo Lewis then had a chance from outside the box but shot high in the 41st minute, while Oscar Jones, relentless in his pursuit of goals, saw another effort saved in the 42nd minute but just a few minutes later Oscar Jones completed his hat trick taking on a player down the right side cutting in and tucking the ball under the keeper.
The match took a decisive turn in the 53rd minute when Chase Bracegirdle scored from inside the box, extending Lads Club's lead. Just two minutes later, Bracegirdle struck again, this time from outside the box, unleashing a screamer that left the Pegasus goalkeeper with no chance.
With the game nearing its conclusion, Lads Club made further substitutions, bringing back Musa Touray and Mali Lewis for Finn Jones and Thomi Scoular. In the 57th minute, Archie Rigby made a crucial interception, preventing a potential chance for Pegasus.
As the match approached its final moments, Pegasus managed to score goal in the 60th minute, Archie slid in the 6yd box to intercept the Pegasus cross but the ball struck his foot at a bad angle and found it's way into the back of the Lads Club net, the Pegasus striker was waiting to tap it in if Archie hadn't attempted to clear, but it was too late to alter the outcome. Lads Club Juniors U11 celebrated a well-deserved 5-2 victory, showcasing their attacking flair and defensive solidity, with the whole team sharing the player of the match accolade. Well done Lads Club a big win today with maximum effort from everyone. ?? ????
