Cup champions on a High
PAIR CLAIM FOUR GOALS APIECE TO DEFEAT ACADEMY
WINDY conditions greeted Highfield from Prudhoe and Northumberland Church of England Academy from Ashington at Astley High School for the Under -11 Laidler County Cup final.
Highfield eventually emerged the emphatic 8-2 winners.
NCEA were straight on the attack from the kick-off and scored after just 30 seconds when Aaron Chungh latched on to a loose ball to put his team 1-0 up.
Two minutes later the scores were level, however, when Jago Mullarkey cut in from the right-hand side and his cross-come-shot evaded Cameron Denton in goal to nestle in the top corner.
For a while the game proved to be a stalemate until Guy Bloomer went on a mazy dribble and shot home to make it 2-1.
At the beginning of the second half Bloomer did the same straight from the kick-off.
He outstripped the defence and then, with the outside of his right foot, curled the ball past Denton to make it 3-1.
NCEA fought back and Chungh shot just wide.
Brandon Wright then forced Robert Mitchell into a terrific save.
With the wind on the backs, NCEA were in the ascendancy.
It was therefore no surprise when Chungh saw Mitchell turn his drive on to the bar - only for the rebound to be turned back into the middle for Wright to force it home.
NCEA’s tails were up and they put Highfield under a lot of pressure looking for the equaliser.
Highfield weathered this storm and then went up the other end, Mullarkey scoring twice with two drives to complete his hat-trick.
Not to be outdone, Bloomer twice cut across the box and shot right-footed into the net to take his personal tally to four and seven for Highfield.
Mullarkey had the last laugh when he shot home for his fourth and his team’s eighth as Highfield became deserved champions.