Youth Football: Theo hits three as Plantation wilt

Spartak Reds U-10 6

Plantation 0

THEO Hutchinson hit a second half hat-trick as the home side completed a comfortable win against neighbours Plantation.

Spartak started the match very strongly and scored straight from the kick off with Hutchinson putting away his first of the match.

There was a constant flow of Spartak pressure and shots from George Powell, Nathan Bayford and Domenic Wilson before Spartak went two up when Kieren Hunt went to shoot and the plantation defender tackling him put the ball into his own net.

Towards the end of the first half, there were two spectacular long-range shots from Hamish Ritchie, one which hit the bar and the other that was cleared off the line.

The second half brought more Spartak pressure and Tom Daniels scored an early goal.

Hutchinson had his scoring boots on with a superb second half treble taking the final tally to 6-0.

Needingworth U-15 1

Newport Dynamos 3

DYNAMOS won a close encounter at Needingworth in the Cambridgeshire Colts League with two late goals to go top of the league for the first time since forming three years ago.

Jack Gower opened the scoring with a fine chip from 25 yards wide on the right, when he spotted the goalkeeper off his line.

Needingworth then deservedly equalised just before half-time and continued to pressurise Newport after the break.

Matt Hooper turned in a man of the match display in the Newport defence, repeatedly halting the home side's attacks and restricting the opposition to a few long-range efforts.

The whole Newport team defended and tackled magnificently and started to come back into the game late in the second half.

Dario Glinnan then settled the Newport nerves by going on a solo run, beating two players and scoring with a low drive, before Dan Holt scored on his birthday close in following a corner.

Little Paxton Colts U-12 0

Saffron Walden Town 2

THE young Bloods registered their first win of the year with an impressive, spirited performance, despite fielding a side depleted by illness and without the luxury of substitutes.

Walden showed determination from the outset and their persistence in midfield was rewarded when Nathan Lang finished decisively mid way through the first half.

In response, the well organised and capable home side tried to force the pace and exert pressure on the Walden back four.

Throughout the match, however, the defence dealt with what was thrown at them in an accomplished fashion.

The match was decided by Lang's second soon after the break - a cool finish after latching onto a through ball from Alex Lupton.

Manuden Juniors U10 3

Hatfield Youth 0

MATTHEW Carter blasted a hat-trick to give Manuden the Crow League points.

After a slow start in which Manuden's defence of Will Robson, Chris Bond, Harry Horton, Thomas Baiss and Alex Bayley stood firm, the quality of Manuden's play at times was excellent with some great play in midfield.

Manuden went 1-0 up three quarters of the way through the first half with Carter poaching a rebound off the post from a Lewis Pegrum shot.

In the second, Manuden's passing made it difficult for Hatfield and they doubled the lead with a great strike from Carter after good work by Will Sparks.

Carter completed his hat-trick after another great move and excellent cross from Lewis Pegrum.

n Riley Frost and Fraser Marjoribanks scored a brace apiece as Manuden under-13s beat local rivals Bishop's Stortford Jets 5-1, with Jackson Griffith getting the other goal.

Spartak Reds U-9 2

Linton Aztecs A 1

A GREAT battling performance by both teams produced a really competitive match.

Spartak fell behind to a speculative shot that dropped just under the bar, giving keeper Joshua Flack no chance.

A flowing move between Coby Game and Jesper Walker saw Max Barker level the score.

After the first break, a great passing move between Game and Ben Weedon, released Elliot Olds who powered forward and a defence splitting pass found Barker who placed the ball in the net.

The Aztecs goalkeeper was in fine form and pulled off some impressive saves.

However, the save of the game was in the next period when the Aztecs forward hit a great shot that was going into the top left hand corner of the goal when Spartak keeper Joshua Flack dived full stretch to claw it away and seal the home side's win.

Spartak U-13 5

St Ives Rangers 2

ON A heavy pitch at Herberts Farm Spartak were hoping to put in a strong performance against St Ives in a bottom of the table clash.

Spartak raced into a rapid two goal lead when Andre Ellalasigham drilled in the rebound after a shot from Baker rocketed against the post, followed by a shot from Baker which the Saints keeper should have dealt with.

With a two goal cushion Spartak should have consolidated their advantage but let St Ives back into the game with two goals before half time.

Playing with the slope in the second half Spartak dominated the half and further goals by Geen and two penalties from Jack Baker to complete his hat-trick rounded off an excellent performance.

Saffron Walden Town U-10 B 3 Saffron Walden Town A 3

THIS league game between two skilful and hard working teams finally ended as a draw after Oliver Bennett equalised for the B team with almost the last kick of the game.

In the first half the A team went two goals ahead after Sam Payne and Jel Baxter scored well taken goals following a period of sustained pressure, during which, Adam Sellers hit the bar and went close with another shot.

The B team fought back and deservedly reduced the deficit before half time when Jonah Lovell headed in from a corner.

Earlier A team keeper Joe Templeman made an outstanding save from Oliver Bennett which had all of the players and spectators applauding.

The beginning of the second half continued as the first half had finished and eventually Oliver Bennett equalised for the B team.

The skilful and hard working Giuseppi Jafari and Charlie Davies then battled for midfield supremacy before Adam Sellers finally broke the deadlock with a skilful solo effort and accurate shot.

However, it was the B team that produced the final excitement of the game to claim a draw.

Spartak Blacks U-10 4

Bottisham 1

DESPITE heavy muddy conditions not conducive to good passing football, Spartak were rewarded for their efforts with a deserved win.

In the first few minutes both sides tested their opponents with early exchanges, but it was the Blacks who gradually began to look the stronger and after 10 minutes the deadlock was broken.

A pass out of midfield found Luke Diana in space up front, and when he reached the right side of the penalty area everybody expected a cross into the centre, but instead he blasted his shot from a tight angle to the near post and the keeper could not hold onto the shot.

This goal signalled the start of more sustained pressure and the Blacks won a succession of corners, the last of which was neatly converted by Mathias Swerdlow following a goalmouth scramble, giving Spartak a 2-0 lead at half time.

After the break, Spartak pushed forward looking for the third but after five minutes they were caught on the break with a fine solo goal by Bottisham, when a forward took the ball from the halfway line, eluded the defence, and slotted home past the keeper and inside the far post.

This could have signalled a switch in momentum, but the Blacks held firm and continued to press forward.

Then, a neat pass found Diana once more, just inside the Bottisham half. Collecting the ball and turning deftly to elude the defender, he then ran towards the goal, and one-on-one with the keeper, buried his shot into the net from just inside the box.

With the two goal cushion restored Spartak continued to press and created further chances with good midfield work from David Boyd, Harry Goddard and Joseph Minter and several fine corners by Sean Kirk.

It was Minter who wrapped up the scoring for Spartak with a close range header with 10 minutes of play left.

Histon Hornets U-12 1

Walden Spirit 0

A FIRST half goal consigned Spirit to defeat against high-flying Hornets, on Saturday.

Histon were the first team to mount an attack, which saw the ball go wide but then Walden started to develop some good passages of play themselves.

Flora Warren saw her first effort from a corner go wide and then Jodie Atkins and Hannah Parker stretched the defence with some good passing play only to shoot wide.

Emma Jenkins had three attempts on goal, all of which were saved, but then Histon, from a quick counter-attack, were unlucky not to score themselves.

The only goal of the game came 10 minutes from half-time when Histon forced the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble.

Walden nearly replied almost immediately from a corner, when Atkins' superb volley was blocked on the line by the Histon goalkeeper.

The second half saw plenty of end-to-end action with both teams having opportunities to score.

Warren, Jenkins and Parker all had attempts either saved or going wide, while Anna Carter-Gladwin pulled off a couple of great saves to make sure Histon did not go further in front.

Spartak Blacks U-9 2

Saffron Walden 3

DESPITE a sticky pitch spectators enjoyed a thrilling game of entertaining football.

The Spartak defence were caught napping early in the game and Daniel Murphy-Moore ran through the middle to slot home the opener.

A short period of pressure saw Charlie Sangster make four important saves for Spartak.

This spurred on Spartak to equalise through a crisp shot from Mathew Green.

Josh Charge gave Walden the lead again after being replaced in goal by captain Matthew Tookey, but Spartak's top scorer Mathew Maynard took the ball wide on the right and equalised with a ferocious drive.

A nerve wrangling finish saw Daniel Murphy-Moore grab his second and the winner for the visitors.