CHEW VALLEY U16 6-4 WELLS CITY U16 (AET) CHEW VALLEY OUTLAST WELLS CITY IN TITANIC 10-GOAL EPIC

Chew Valley U16 produced a devastating spell of attacking football deep into extra time on Sunday afternoon to overcome a superb Wells City U16 side, in one of the most mesmerising Somerset County Youth Shield matches in recent history, writes Neil Scott.

Two teams equally matched. Two defences difficult to breach. Two teams with attacking players who can turn a game on its head. This was a duel which promised to ignite the Somerset County Youth Shield and my goodness it did not disappoint.

Chew Valley came blistering out of the blocks and in the opening minute, Littlewood drew the Wells City fullback out-wide, before electing to cut inside and square to Davis. Davis had the wherewithal to move in front of his marker and pulled the trigger, with his effort swirling just over the bar.

The pressure from Chew Valley continued to build and in the 14th minute, Brilliant played an excellent one-two with White and then played in Thorn, who beat the offside trap, but could only shave the outside of the Wells City post with his strike.

Full credit to Wells City, who continued to weather the Chew Valley storm and showed excellent discipline to extinguish Chew’s attacking threat. Wells were rewarded for their stubbornness during this phase of the contest and in the 29th minute, took the lead when their midfielder riffled the ball from 30 yards, beyond Thomas and into the top corner of the net. A truly thunderous strike. 1-0 Wells City.

Wells City, now in the ascendency and with their tails up, searched for a second. During this spell, Captain, Williams, and Dunning were outstanding defensively and did extremely well to neutralise the Wells City attacking play. Thomas was called into action twice as Wells City continued to push and he did well to collect the aerial ball and regain possession for his team. Scadding was also covering a lot of ground during this period, keen to stop the Wells City midfielders from having too much time on the ball. In the 38th minute, having soaked up sustained pressure from Wells City, Chew Valley countered rapidly and having won back the ball, midfielder, Weaver, showed his class when he spotted Davis’ run and lofted the ball over the Wells City centre back to play him in. Davis obliged, firing the ball past the Wells City goalkeeper to level the match.

1-1. Game on.

The second half started like the first. Two teams locked in battle. Great football played in great spirit on the field, with two experienced managers trying to gain the tactical initiative for their teams. Dangerous winger, Littlewood, had already caused all sorts of issues for the Wells City back line and in the 43rd minute, having picked up the ball from White, flummoxed them once more with a scintillating turn to beat the Wells City fullback, before striking home to move his side into the lead. Absolutely spellbinding. Littlewood was on fire and there was nothing Wells City could do to stop him. 2-1 Chew Valley. In the 55th minute, Wells City responded, when their influential Number 11 played a magnificent one-two with the oncoming winger, breaching the Chew Valley back line and hammering past Thomas to level. 2-2. What a game this was turning into.

In the 67th minute, the Wells City midfielder did well to switch play to his teammate, who then drove the ball into the Chew Valley penalty area. Thomas looked set to collect, but the ball took a huge deflection off of Boyles, pushing it into the post and beyond the goal line. The Wells City players, technical area, and spectators celebrated wildly. 3-2 Wells City. Time was running out for the Home side and with Wells City stifling play with men behind the ball, a piece of magic was required to carve an opening. In the 76th minute, right on cue, Selwood, having curved his run, picked up the ball in space and outmanoeuvred both Wells City centre backs, before drilling the ball past the Wells City goalkeeper to square the game. The technical area was rocking. The home spectators in raptures. 3-3. More was to come.

In the 78th minute, Coles, who was having a sensational game, worked the ball into the midfield and overlapped with Lashenko, to carry the ball out wide. Coles drove forwards, prompting one of Wells City’s centre backs to press. Before the centre back could get there though, Coles unselfishly squared to Selwood, who secured his second of the game when striking from 15 yards to beat the Wells City goalkeeper. 4-3 Chew Valley, but this titanic duel was far from done.

There was a high number of spectators in attendance for this contest and they could scarcely believe what happened next. Wells City earned themselves a free-kick around 30 yards from the Chew Valley goal. Bang. For the second time in the match, this time in the 79th minute, the Wells City player delivered with a wonder strike from the Gods. Again, top bins. It was a phenomenal strike. Two goalkeepers weren’t stopping this one. 4-4. Scores level. This classic was continuing and as the official signalled the end of normal time, extra time was required.

Fitness was going to prove critical here, with both teams entering unfamiliar territory. Wells City blinked first though, as Chew Valley produced a relentless spell of attacking football, taking Wells City into the deepest of waters. The visitors continued to resist, but it had been coming and in the 103rd minute, Chew Valley talisman, Thorn, who had been hammering at the Wells City door, produced perhaps the move of the game when he sent the Wells City midfielder the wrong way, before playing a reverse pass through the centre backs’ legs to play in Davis. Davis struck the ball first time, sending it beyond the Wells City goalkeeper to put his team back into the lead. 5-4 Chew Valley. The Chew Valley players and their spectators rose as one.

Wells City scrambled to level, throwing players forward and pressing extremely high in attempt to take the game to penalties, but White extinguished the threat, reading play impeccably and in the 109th minute, played a through ball into Davis, who dropped his shoulder to send the goalkeeper in the opposite direction, before firing home at the near post to extend his team’s lead and end what had been one of the most pulsating county cup ties in recent memory.

Captain, Williams, is confident his charge can make a deep run in the competition, commenting, “It was a decent game to be involved in and thought the boys were brilliant in extra time. Wells City are a quality side and there’s more quality teams left in the competition, but we believe we can go all the way. There’s a lot of belief in the squad right now.”