Today’s game was the first round of the cup where all the big boys joined the competition and the boys from Almondbury were looking to go further than last year’s first round exit. Almondbury were handed a home tie against the boys from Northowram (no idea where that is either just googled it, it’s near Halifax.) with the weather behaving itself again for this time of year, even though the pitch was heavy in places, all was set for an 11 o’clock kick off on this Remembrance Sunday. Manager Graham Mcdonald stayed faithful to the lads who currently sit top of the league table.
Joe Moutell
Rico St Hilaire Briayar Maghdeed Aidan Wilkinson
Luke Broadbent Alex Mcdonald Jacob Costello
Cain Wilkinson Harry Smith
Subs Billy Farely Jack Curren Raman Kirkel and Harry Baines
For the first time this season the young lions started this game slowly and looked unsure of themselves as both teams failed to gain control and with that the ball was like a hot potato at times, eventually the young lions started to make in roads and test the home keeper. It took till the thirteenth minute for the deadlock to be broken when Alex Mcdonald fed Harry Smith and the young number ten rolled the ball past the oncoming keeper and into the onion bag. With Almondbury having most of the pressure and a continuous supply of corners from Aidan Wilkinson, last ditch tackling or fine saves from the goalkeeper it somehow kept the score one nil. Now and again Northowram would break and make a nuisance of themselves at the other end.
HT 1-0
Once again the away team keeper was doing his best to single handily save his team with save after save (I bet his piggy bank is full) but from a Harry Baine’s corner the ball somehow found its way into a crowded box and H Smith flicked out a leg his left one at a guess to steer the ball into the right corner. This goal seemed to calm the boys from the Hippodrome and began to make their possession count, on the stroke of fifty minutes when the number ten got his hat trick when clean through on goal beating the keeper at his near post. With manager Mcdonald rotating his squad for the last ten minutes Jacob Costello found himself upfront and went on to grab two goals the second a screamer after good work by himself. Just as full time was approaching Luke Broadbent capped off a fine display to get himself on the score sheet when he coolly slotted home when left unmarked and bagged the man of the match trophy for his all round display.
FT 6-0
Editors thoughts, battled well today boys even when things were not going to plan you dug in and got your rewards, I thought Aidan Wilkinson and Rico had their best games of the season so far, along with midfield pair Alex Macdonald and man of the match Luke Broadbent, but as Graham and I say it’s a team game.
