In a thrilling encounter at the Mander Cruickshank Solicitors Stadium on 19 January 2025, Stoneygate Lion Juniors faced off against Coalville Town Redwings U13 in a league away match that ended with a scoreline of 3-6. The match kicked off at 12:30pm, setting the stage for an action-packed 70 minutes of football.
Stoneygate lined up in a 4-4-1-1 formation, designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for quick transitions into attack. Neo Routledge took his position in goal, shielded by a back four comprising Theo Sebastian on the right, Priyan Purshottam and Alfie Roberts in central defence, and Charlie Malley on the left. The midfield was structured with Kabir Sian on the right, Harvyn Purewal and Owen Hopkins centrally, and Hamza Mukadam on the left, while Javyn Purewal operated just behind the lone striker, Will Neilson.
The substitutes for Stoneygate included Oscar Pickering, who would later be called upon to make an impact from the bench.
The match began with a flurry of activity, as Coalville Town Redwings took an early lead just one minute in, scoring from close range with a right-footed effort inside the box. The home side continued to apply pressure, doubling their advantage in the fifth minute with another close-range finish, again from the right foot of a Coalville attacker.
By the 16th minute, the Redwings had extended their lead to three goals, this time with a stunning strike from outside the area that left Routledge with little chance. Just three minutes later, Coalville struck again, tapping in from close range to make it 4-0, leaving Stoneygate reeling.
However, the Juniors began to find their footing and pulled one back in the 31st minute. Owen Hopkins scored with a powerful header from a corner delivered by Will Neilson, igniting hopes of a comeback as the score moved to 4-1.
As the first half drew to a close, the referee signalled for half-time at the 35-minute mark, allowing Stoneygate to regroup and reassess their strategy.
The second half commenced with a tactical substitution as Oscar Pickering replaced Javyn Purewal, who had been withdrawn for tactical reasons. The change seemed to invigorate Stoneygate, and they continued to press for goals.
Just after the break, in the 43rd minute, Will Neilson converted a penalty, awarded after a foul in the box, bringing the score to 4-2. The momentum shifted further in Stoneygate's favour when Neilson scored again in the 48th minute, this time from a cross by Kabir Sian, narrowing the deficit to just one goal at 4-3.
However, Coalville responded swiftly, regaining control of the match with a goal in the 60th minute, scoring from close range to make it 5-3. The Redwings then sealed their victory with another goal in the 66th minute, again from inside the box, pushing the score to 6-3.
Despite a spirited performance from Stoneygate Lion Juniors, they were unable to claw back any further goals, and the match concluded with a final score of 6-3 in favour of Coalville Town Redwings. The Juniors will look to learn from this encounter as they prepare for their next challenge.
