In a stunning display of football prowess, Witham Friary U13 faced off against AFC Corsham U13 Tigers at the Leafy Lane Playing Fields on 26 January 2025. The match, a cup tie, kicked off at 2:00 pm and ended with an emphatic scoreline of 10-0 in favour of Witham Friary, showcasing their dominance throughout the encounter. The game was played out in horrendous conditions which saw the referee end the game at half time with Witham having scored the goals required to take them through to the Quarter Final.
The remaining seven other ties are not due to be played until next weekend meaning Witham will need to wait to see who they will face in the Quarter finals.
Witham Friary adopted a 4-5-1 formation, which allowed them to control the midfield while maintaining a solid defensive line. Finlay Patrick took his position as the goalkeeper, shielded by a back four consisting of Jahmiah Harding on the right, Elliott Atwood and Dylan Turner in central defence, and Dempsey Matthews on the left. The midfield was packed with creativity and energy, featuring Sullivan Collis and Archie Hansford on the flanks, with Zak Daniels, Max Norris, and Leo Griffin orchestrating play centrally. Up front, Cristiano Do Amaral Vanzil led the line as the lone striker, tasked with converting chances into goals.
The substitutes for the match included Seth Taylor, Isaac Gaiger, Matthew Lyons, and Ethan Oatley, providing depth and options for tactical adjustments as the game progressed.
The scoring opened early in the match when Zak Daniels found the back of the net just four minutes in, demonstrating Witham's intent. This was quickly followed by a brace from Sullivan Collis, who struck twice within the first twelve minutes, the second of which came from a well-placed assist by Max Norris.
With the score at 3-0, Witham made a series of substitutions all of whom would go onto make an impact. The fresh legs continued to apply pressure, leading to another goal from Archie Hansford in the 19th minute, courtesy of a Taylor assist.
Hansford was not done yet, as he added another goal just two minutes later, further extending the lead. The substitutions continued to pay dividends as Elliott Atwood re-entered the fray, replacing Zak Daniels, and Sullivan Collis returned to the pitch, taking Leo Griffin's place.
Archie Hansford completed his hat-trick in the 26th minute, showcasing his clinical finishing. Shortly after, Elliott Atwood scored a well taken goal from the edge of the box and his first for the club with Seth Taylor providing the assist, making it 6-0.
Max Norris then got in on the act, scoring inside the box with an assist from Cristiano Do Amaral Vanzil, before Jahmiah Harding added to the tally with a close-range effort, again assisted by Taylor.
Dempsey Matthews capped off the scoring spree in the 33rd minute, scoring directly from a corner kick, leaving the AFC Corsham U13 Tigers reeling. The ball did take a deflection of the Corsham defenders backside but VAR ruled it had crossed the line first.
As the referee blew for half-time at 35 minutes, Witham Friary had established a commanding 10-0 lead, and the game was called to an end.
In goal Patrick was untested which was testament to the dominance shown by Witham.
Harder challenges await in the Quarter Final but with this being their first win in league and cup in two months a morale boosting victory ahead of a run of crucial league games starting with Bath Arsenal next weekend.
