Kentish Express Ashford & District
Ashford's sweet spot
Ashford United won a pulsating penalty shoot-out to triumph in the Kent Merit Under-15 Boys Cup Final.
An entertaining cup final saw Greenway Aces twice lead before being pegged back in the third minute of stoppage time.
After 20 minutes without a goal in extra-time, the tie went to penalties with both teams taking eight spot-kicks before they were finally separated.
“I’m really pleased with the boys,” said Ashford manager Gary Gibbs. “They totally deserved it and have put in a hard shift all season.
“We didn’t have a ground at the start of the season because Ashford were putting in a new pitch so to go and win the cup final is brilliant.
“It was a brilliant game and fair play to Greenway Aces but someone’s got to win and someone’s got to lose.
“Before the shoot-out we just told the players that if they miss, they miss, but we’re going to be behind them whatever happens.”
Aces’ bright start was rewarded inside the first eight minutes when Aston Freeman put them ahead. They nearly doubled the lead as Callum Dunlop headed over a deep cross and Emmanuel Markis hooked wide from inside the penalty area.
Ashford levelled on 24 minutes, an excellent pass split the Aces defence and midfielder Ollie Fagg got ahead of the last man before slotting past keeper Zachary Keeble.
Aces were in the ascendancy but Ashford remained in the contest, thanks largely to their terrific centre-back pairing of George Wright and the faultless Frankie Minns - deservedly named player-of-the-match as he often kept his side in the contest with some fine interceptions, not to mention excellent distribution from a calm head on young shoulders.
The willing Jack Eyre headed over for Aces, whose play was often dictated by the silky skills of captain Freddy Falconer from the middle of the park.
Ashford went in level thanks to an excellent stop by keeper Scott Podger King, who denied Markis following a swift break from Aces.
Ashford started the second half on top, Oscar Kendrick’s free-kick from 25 yards found the roof of the net before the striker latched onto Wright’s long free-kick but his lob hit the crossbar.
Fagg headed over from a corner before Ashford’s Johnny Duke saw his effort come back off the inside of the post.
Aces, disrupted by injuries and with just the bare 11 players available despite naming two token substitutes, had a spirit that was going to take this game the distance, however.
They regained the lead just past the hour mark when a delightful Dunlop cross from the left was expertly headed in by Markis.
Freeman nearly made the game safe with two minutes left but he was thwarted by the excellent Ashford keeper, Podger King.
It was to prove a crucial stop, as Fagg again arrived unmarked in the third minute of stoppage time, scoring from close range to make it 2-2 and take the game to extra-time.
While Ashford could afford to make changes with the on-off substitution rule available to them, Aces were having to dig deep into their energy reserves.
Nonetheless, it was Aces who created what few chances arrived in the additional 20 minutes, Dunlop flashed a shot wide, the tricky Clive Anderson nearly produced a moment of magic and then, with the final kick of the game, Freeman’s curling right-foot shot agonisingly hit the post.
To penalties it was, both keepers made notable saves and when Aces missed their eighth attempt, Ashford stepped up to convert and spark wild celebrations.
Greenway: Zachary Keeble, Thiago Ferreria, Callum O’Donovan, Aston Freeman, Clive Anderson, Callum Dunlop, Freddy Falconer, Ricardo Beckham, Jude Rabey, Jack Eyre, Emmanuel Markis, Rhys Sherwin, Carter Ryan. Ashford: Scott Podger King, Reggie Gibbs, George
Wright, Frankie Minns, Blake Goddard, Jaylen Koduah, Fergus Cahill, Ollie Fagg, Oscar Gray-Nunez, Johnny Duke, Oscar Kendrick, Joe Dehara, Oskaras Rascas, Sam Potter, Harry Collins, Bobby Hugget.
Referee: Tyler Diminieux.