Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Bay’s extra-special win!
Herne Bay Youth needed extratime before getting their hands on the trophy after a pulsating Kent Merit Under-16 Girls Cup Final on Sunday.
Bay were two goals to the good before Bromley hit back, only for two clinical finishes to turn the contest back in Bay’s favour at the Gallagher Stadium. “I’m chuffed for the girls,” said Bay manager Ian Hills. “They’ve worked so hard all season.
“We narrowly missed out on a cup win last year so to get one over the line is amazing - we’re really proud of them. “There were some good goals, we’ve always been able to do that. Going 2-0 up and then being pegged back for extratime, to go again and get two more goals was amazing.” An early indication of what was to follow came after 50 seconds when Bromley’s Sy’ria Thompson-campbell turned past two players before forcing a save from player-of-the-match Maggie Town.
Bravery was certainly near the top of Town’s qualities as she was out smartly to save at the feet of Jasmine Gouveiabarnett early on.
Darcie Hills also stood out in defence for Bay while the silky skills of midfielder Lily Harris were a feature of their attacking play. Thompson-campbell was a livewire in attack for Bromley. But, having used her pace to get beyond the last defender, her shot was kept out by Town. The breakthrough arrived on 26 minutes when there appeared no danger with a ball over the top of the Bromley defence. But Bay’s Drew-marie Hogben ghosted in from the left and reached the ball ahead of keeper Kelsey Pink before slotting into an empty net.
The lead was doubled seven minutes later when the gifted Harris beat her marker out wide and then delivered an audacious
right-foot finish from an acute angle into the far corner. Bromley reintroduced the excellent Thompson-campbell
and it was no surprise that she got her side back into the contest just past the hour mark as her persistence paid off and she fired low beyond the keeper. Town then made some excellent saves - coupled with good handling - to stop Thompsoncampbell’s drive and Zoe Cozma’s long-range attempt. Bromley’s persistence was rewarded three minutes from time when Thompson-campbell burst through and produced another composed finish while a fine near-post save by Town thwarted Gouveiabarnett in the final minute. An excellent covering tackle by Hills denied Thompsoncampbell a clear run at the start of extra-time, a telling contribution as her team went ahead. After a Bay penalty appeal was turned down, Ffion Sharp scored from an acute angle. And early in the second period of extra-time good work down the left by Chloe Mccann set up Kira Necker for a clinical farpost finish.