In a thrilling league encounter at the Leafy Lane Playing Fields on 22nd September 2024, Trowbridge Town U14s emerged victorious with a 4-2 win against AFC Corsham U14 Jaguars. The match, which kicked off at 9:00 am, showcased an impressive performance from Trowbridge, particularly from Jake Wells, who played a pivotal role in the outcome.
Trowbridge Town set up in a 3-5-2 formation, a tactical choice that emphasises both defensive solidity and attacking flexibility. The back three consisted of Charlie Amor in central defence, flanked by Josh Bailey on the right and Leo Shepherd on the left. In midfield, Ruben Reeves, Dan Jackman, and Alfie Nyarko formed a trio, while Josh Dines and Roman Snow provided width as right and left midfielders respectively. Up front, Jake Wells and Leon Jones were tasked with leading the line as forwards, focusing on creating scoring opportunities.
The bench included Ollie Curtis, Austin Cooper, and Roy Mufalo, who would later be called upon to make an impact.
The contest opened energetically, and it wasn't long before Trowbridge Town benefited from an own goal by an AFC Corsham player in the 7th minute, which put them ahead early and set the tone for the match. However, Trowbridge's lead was threatened when Ruben Reeves received a yellow card in the 20th minute. Moments later, tactical adjustments were made with a flurry of substitutions: Ollie Curtis and Austin Cooper replaced Reeves and Leon Jones respectively in the 21st minute, with Roy Mufalo coming on for Jones just a minute later.
As the game progressed, Trowbridge extended their advantage in the 25th minute when Jake Wells netted inside the box, courtesy of an assist from Josh Dines. Despite Trowbridge’s growing dominance, AFC Corsham managed to pull one back against the run of play with a fluke goal in the 33rd minute, which injected renewed hope into their ranks.
The first half concluded with Trowbridge leading 2-1. Upon the resumption of play, Trowbridge continued their assault, and Jake Wells struck again in the 47th minute, this time assisted by Dan Jackman, further solidifying their lead with another inside-the-box finish.
Wells was not done yet; in the 54th minute, he completed his hat-trick with a simple tap-in, assisted by Ollie Curtis, making it 4-1 and seemingly sealing the game for Trowbridge. However, the match saw further changes as Leo Shepherd came on for Josh Bailey in the 57th minute, followed by additional substitutions in the 58th minute, where Leon Jones and Ruben Reeves entered the fray for Jake Wells and Alfie Nyarko respectively.
As the match approached its final quarter, Trowbridge made another tactical switch, bringing Josh Bailey back on for Charlie Amor in the 70th minute, and shortly after, Jake Wells re-entered the game in place of Dan Jackman in the 71st minute. Alfie Nyarko also returned to the pitch, taking over from Josh Dines in the 72nd minute.
In a match that had been relatively controlled by Trowbridge, the final minutes became chaotic. Alfie Nyarko and Roy Mufalo both received yellow cards, in the 77th and 81st minutes respectively, as tensions rose. Roman Snow followed suit in the 82nd minute, receiving a caution of his own. Just moments later, AFC Corsham capitalised on the confusion, scoring from a goalmouth scramble to bring the score to 4-2.
Despite the late surge from AFC Corsham, Trowbridge Town held firm, securing a well-deserved victory. Jake Wells' standout performance, highlighted by his hat-trick, earned him the accolade of Player of the Match, and Trowbridge Town U14s will take great confidence from this result as they progress through the league.
