On 13 September 2025, SKFC Blues U13 hosted Winsford Town FFF White U13s at Hazel Grove Sports Centre in a pulsating league encounter that kicked off at 1:30pm. The home side emerged victorious in a seven-goal thriller, prevailing 4-3 after 70 minutes of intense football plus added time.
SKFC Blues lined up in a 3-1-4-2 formation, deploying a three-man defence with Lucas Simpson at right defender, Daniel O’Keefe centrally, and Aaron Dooner on the left. Jasper Heselwood anchored the midfield in a holding role, shielding the backline. Ahead of him, four attacking midfielders operated across the pitch: Jake Blackburn on the right, Harry Horsfield and Alex Savage centrally, and Freddie Robinson on the left. Up front, the Blues paired Bradley Murrell on the right and David Matuszewski on the left as forwards. This setup aimed to balance defensive solidity with creative attacking options, expecting the wide midfielders and forwards to combine and create scoring opportunities. The substitutes available were Jack Lundy and Jenson May.
The match began with both sides probing cautiously, but the first significant incident arrived in the 22nd minute when a deliberate handball by a Winsford player earned the visitors a yellow card. Just three minutes later, SKFC Blues made a double substitution, bringing on Jack Lundy for Aaron Dooner and Jenson May for Jake Blackburn, signalling an early tactical tweak.
The Blues capitalised swiftly on this momentum. In the 27th minute, David Matuszewski confidently converted a penalty awarded to SKFC Blues, doubling as his own assist as he stepped up and dispatched the spot-kick with composure. Minutes later, Bradley Murrell showcased his set-piece prowess by curling a direct free-kick into the net in the 31st minute, extending the home side’s lead to 2-0.
As the first half drew to a close at the 35-minute mark, SKFC Blues held a commanding advantage. Early in the second half, a substitution saw Aaron Dooner return to the field, replacing Alex Savage in the 43rd minute, reinforcing the defensive line.
Winsford Town responded immediately after the break, pulling a goal back in the 48th minute through a well-placed header, signalling their intent to fight back. However, their challenge was dealt a severe blow in the 52nd minute when a red card was shown to a Winsford player for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, reducing them to ten men.
SKFC Blues capitalised on their numerical advantage instantly. Harry Horsfield struck a stunning direct free-kick in the same minute, assisted by Freddie Robinson, restoring the two-goal cushion at 3-1. Yet, the visitors refused to relent, pulling another goal back in the 55th minute following a defensive error from the Blues.
The tactical battle continued with further substitutions: Alex Savage re-entered for David Matuszewski in the 56th minute, and Jasper Heselwood came on for Aaron Dooner three minutes later, indicating a reshuffle in midfield and defence.
Winsford Town earned a penalty in the 60th minute and converted it, narrowing the deficit to 3-3 and setting up a nail-biting finale. SKFC Blues responded by introducing David Matuszewski back on for Bradley Murrell in the 63rd minute, injecting fresh attacking impetus.
The decisive moment arrived in the 71st minute when Harry Horsfield, assisted by Jenson May, netted the winning goal, securing a 4-3 victory for SKFC Blues. The final minutes saw the home side hold firm to claim all three points in a match that showcased resilience, tactical flexibility, and moments of individual brilliance.
