Lads Club Juniors U12 travelled to Orleton Recreational Ground on 21 September 2025 for a 10:30am kick-off in their latest league fixture against Orleton Youth U12 Wasps. The 9-a-side contest lasted 60 minutes plus injury time and ended in a 2-1 defeat for the visitors, with Orleton edging the match in the dying minutes by a single goal. The referee officiated the game with notable competence, witnessed by 33 spectators.
Lads Club Juniors lined up in a 2-5-1 formation, deploying two central defenders, five midfielders across the flanks and centre, and a lone striker up front. Lucas Price guarded the goal, with Archie Rigby and Louis Howells anchoring the defence centrally. The midfield was packed with Finn Jones on the right, Charlie Arnold on the left, and a trio of central midfielders in Zayn Prosser, Flynn Gething, and Charlie Swain. Oscar Jones led the attack as the sole striker, expected to spearhead offensive moves and convert chances. The substitutes named were Thomi Scoular, Charlie Clueit, Chase Bracegirdle, and Flyn Watkins, ready to impact the game as needed.
From the outset, Lads Club Juniors showed intent. Within two minutes, Oscar Jones came agonisingly close to opening the scoring, his shot curling into the foot of the post. The early exchanges saw solid defensive work from Charlie Arnold, who intercepted a dangerous pass in the third minute, and Archie Rigby, who executed a crucial tackle shortly after. Orleton looked a threat from thier corners when they hit the top of the crossbar from a corner in the 4th minute. Flynn Gething demonstrated his vision with a slide rule pass in the fourth minute that created a clear chance, although Oscar’s subsequent shot was saved by the home goalkeeper Jamie Stinton.
Archie Rigby continued to contribute offensively, delivering a precise slide rule pass in the sixth minute, but the Orleton keeper was equal to the shot from Oscar Jones, while goalkeeper Lucas Price made a confident catch a minute later to maintain the clean sheet. Oscar Jones remained a focal point, threading another slide rule pass in the eighth minute and then narrowly avoiding conceding possession as Archie Rigby intercepted an Orleton attack moments later.
The first goal came unexpectedly in the ninth minute when an own goal was scored after Lucas saved a cross that then bounced in the net from the defenders head, giving Orleton an early lead. Despite this setback, Lads Club responded quickly, and Oscar Jones’s muscling through the defence but his attempt went agonisingly wide in the tenth minute. Flynn Gething also fired wide a long range shot shortly after, but the midfield battle intensified with Zayn Prosser making a timely tackle in the 15th minute to disrupt the opposition’s flow. Finn Jones was battling well with his opposite number Teddy Hogan as they pressed up and down the wing.
Attempts on goal continued with Archie Rigby shooting wide in the 17th minute and Finn Jones seeing his shot saved in the 21st. At the 22-minute mark, Orleton's Russ Cresswell tested Lucas with a long range shot. Lads Club Juniors then made two substitutions: Thomi Scoular replaced Flynn Gething, and Charlie Clueit came on for Louis Howells, signalling a tactical tweak. Thomi Scoular immediately made an impact with a slide rule key pass in the 23rd minute that created another chance, for Oscar Jones seeing his shot saved in the 24th minute.
Further changes followed swiftly as Chase Bracegirdle replaced Finn Jones and Flyn Watkins came on for Charlie Swain in the 25th minute. Archie Rigby remained a defensive rock, clearing a header in the 26th minute, while Charlie Clueit cleared danger in the 27th. The half closed with Lads Club Juniors pushing forward but unable to level the score, and the referee blew for half-time at 30 minutes.
The second half began with Lucas Price pulling off a full-stretch save in the 32nd minute pushing it past the post and a dive at the feet to deny another attempt three minutes later. Oscar Jones continued to test the keeper but was again thwarted in the 35th minute when The Orleton Keep Jamie stretched out a foot to deny a goal. Archie Rigby’s free kick effort went wide in the 36th, and Charlie Clueit intercepted a pass in the 38th minute. Charlie Swain’s wide attempt and subsequent offside call in the 39th minute highlighted the visitors’ persistent attacking efforts, with Archie Rigby again clearing a header just before the 40th minute.
Another substitution saw Flyn Watkins replace Oscar Jones in the 40th minute. Chase Bracegirdle hit the crossbar from a high swooping left foot shot and Thomi Scoular shot wide shortly after. Finn Jones returned to the field for Charlie Arnold in the 42nd minute, and Zayn Prosser came back on for Flyn Watkins five minutes later. The visitors reintroduced Oscar Jones and Louis Howells in the 52nd minute, replacing Thomi Scoular and Chatlie Clueit respectively.
The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute when Archie Rigby volleyed home a corner delivered by Chase Bracegirdle, levelling the score with a well-taken right-footed strike. Chase Bracegirdle was substituted off for Flynn Gething just after, maintaining the team’s energy in midfield.
However, Orleton Youth U12 Wasps regained the lead in the 59th minute with a close-range tap-in when the ball bobbled in front of the keeper leaving an open goal to make it 2-1. Despite Lads Club Juniors’ efforts in the closing stages, they were unable to find an equaliser, and the match concluded with Orleton securing the vital three points on home soil.
Throughout the match, Lads Club Juniors displayed resilience and attacking ambition, with Lucas Price’s goalkeeping and Archie Rigby’s defensive and offensive contributions standing out. Yet, the narrow defeat highlighted the that Orleton were able to withstand the constant pressure put upon them by Lads Club and were able to break quickly on the counter attack.
A great game of football played by two equally matched teams.
