Depleted Force show plenty of spirit to secure draw

Youth football

Faversham Strike Force under16s overcame a player shortage to claim a creditable 1-1 draw from their Kent Youth League clash with Hastings United Academy on Sunday. Holidays and injuries left the hosts with just 11 players and they spent much of the second half with a one-man disadvantage when an injury caused by a late challenge forced them down to 10. Force started well in the face of some robust defending and took an early lead when the Hastings keeper’s clearance found Ellis Holliday who, from just inside his own half, fired into the empty net. In the second half, and a man down, the home side defended valiantly with Craig Appleby and Tomasso Vitiello breaking up the play, but they were eventually undone as Hastings hit back for a draw. Manager Mike Juden said: “With a lot of players missing from the team today, it was going to be a tough game for us but we reacted better than I ever imagined we could. “The boys were unlucky near the end to concede the equaliser but we did ourselves proud and gave everything we had.” Strike Force’s East Kent Youth League side beat Bromley Green 2-0 on Sunday as Derek Mccamley finished a oneon-one and Adam Dickinson scored a penalty. Goalkeeper Tyler Griffiths pulled off a sensational fullstretch save and was named man-of-the-match. Archie Suter and Ollie Maguire found the net for the under-8 Lightning side in their Faversham District Football League match against Hernhill Herons. Suter also claimed man-of-thematch honours. The Thunder side travelled to Herne Bay Harriers Colts where they enjoyed a high- scoring thriller in the driving wind and rain. Toby Sears scored four with Ethan Taylor and Archie Brazil adding two each. In the under-7s, Thunder visited Whitstable Town where their burgeoning teamwork and spirit came to the fore in testing conditions. Austin Wanmer scored for Strike Force while Ethan Hickford, Ethan Whelan and man-of-the-match Kailan Walace all came close.

Kuame Clarke-hinds scored five as Canterbury Eagles under-13s extended their unbeaten run with a 7-2 win at Herne Bay Harriers in the East Kent Youth League. In difficult windy conditions on a sandy pitch, Eagles found themselves 3-1 up at the break courtesy of an own goal and a double from Clarke-hinds, with his second coming from a mazy run he started in his own half, beating several players before rounding the Harriers keeper. Eagles took control in the second half with Clark-hinds adding a further three and skipper Josh Hall completing the scoring, before Bay pulled one back late on. Dylan Saunders impressed with three assists but man-of-the-match went to Ellis Read. Squad: P. Hulks, A. Graña, L. Crowley, M. Gourlay, E. Reid, H. Leader, T. Hayes, D. Saunders, J. Hall (C), M. Saunders, K. Clarke-hinds, H. Peak, L. Ramos.

Eagles under-13s’ manager’s and parents’ player-of-thematch Ellis Read