SUNDERLAND BOYS LOSE OUT IN SEMI-FINALS
FIRST GET TOGETHER OF THE SEASON SEES BOYS NARROWLY BEATEN BY THE WIRRAL
Sunderland Boys kicked off their season with a semi-final place finish in a tournament organised by Leeds Primary School’s Association.
The boys’ - in their first outing together - first group game saw them face Scarborough Primary Schoolboys and they duly took the lead when pressure from Evan Clark forced a defender into an error and the ball kindly fell to Bailey Corner, who fired home from the edge of the area.
The boys then missed a number of chances to increase the lead and were punished in the second period when a Scarborough player was allowed to run from his own half before firing past Finley Robertson to ensure the game finished in a 1-1 draw.
The following group game against Leeds ‘Blues’ saw a much improved performance and the boys were soon ahead when Ryly Deehan unleashed a shot which the Leeds keeper spilled into the path of Corner, who reacted first to fire home.
The boys were pegged back when a failure to clear their lines saw Leeds equalise.
Deehan then regained the lead for the boys when he reacted quickest to turn the ball home after the Leeds’ keeper parried a shot from outside the area.
The same player secured the victory in the second half when he raced on to a through ball and coolly fired home to make the final score 3-1 and secure progress to the quarter-finals and a game against York Primary Schoolboys.
After a goalless first half the boys took the lead when Evan Clark rounded the York keeper before firing into an empty net.
He then increased the lead when he raced into the area before confidently firing home.
The boys were then forced to dig deep and defend as York piled forward looking to get back in the game, but Corner secured the win when he fired home from close range to complete a 3-0 victory.
The semi-final saw the boys face old friends, The Wirral.
The boys made a good start and should have taken the lead when Corner broke into the area, but he couldn’t find the unmarked Deehan with his square ball.
The Wirral took the lead shortly before half time when a midfielder bundled his way into the box before firing home.
Despite this setback, the boys responded well and put their opponents under pressure with a series of corner kicks.
However, with the side chasing an equaliser, the Wirral broke to secure their place in the final with a late second goal.