COSTESSEY CROWNED U12 CHAMPIONS 

Costessey Sports became the winners of the 2019 High Altitude U12’s Cup last night after beating Reffley Youth 2-0 at the FDC.

It was an exciting and competitive final; however first half goals from Jacob Duffy and Lennon Thompson made the difference on the night for Costessey.

Costessey started the game well, putting Reffley under pressure from the first whistle. Thompson tested goalkeeper Cameron Seals early on with a well struck free kick which was palmed away and then cleared to safety.

The deadlock was broken early on when in the 8^th minute Sonny Sistern delivered a brilliant free kick into the Reffley box. Duffy met the ball with an excellent header that looked destined for the bottom corner, and despite a slight deflection from a Reffley defender, the ball evaded Seals and found its way into the net.

Reffley were absorbing pressure well and continued to try and play out from the back despite conceding. However Costessey were winning the midfield battle and almost doubled their lead when Thompson put Captain Oliver White away down the right, with the youngster’s cross finding its way through a crowded box and back into the path of Thompson who shot wide.

Reffley had their best chance of the game when a throw in resulted in a long range effort from Harvey Pightling which almost beat keeper Max Kirby. The stopped stretched up to catch the ball but tipped it backwards, watching gratefully as it bounced past the post.

Costessey doubled their as the half approached with some excellent play down the left from Jack Cook saw him beat multiple players before side footing a pass across the box for Thompson to slot across goal into the bottom right corner.

On the stroke of half time Kyle Kelly almost put the game out of reach with a half volley from outside the area. Seals made the save but couldn’t hold it, and with the ball spinning back towards goal, did well to palm it off the line and then clear.

Half Time: Reffley Youth 0 – 2 Costessey Sports

Reffley began the second half a lot more composed and began to take the game to Costessey more. They had a good chance to get a goal back when Pightling threaded Harrison Holland through to the right of the box, however the shot was gathered comfortably by Kirby in the Costessey goal.

Costessey were in no mood to sit back and defend however, and moments later Sistern found himself in some space just inside the area on the left had side and fired a fierce shot towards goal. Seals showed excellent reflexes to not only stop the shot but push the ball over the bar to safety.

With both teams desperate to get the third goal of the game the play became stretched with every player working tirelessly to win back possession. Neither side could keep hold of the ball for long with White for Costessey and Holland for Reffley as the stand out characters winning battles for their respective teams in the heart of the pitch.  

Ryan Banda made some mazy runs through the middle and down the right, he also had some excellent touches and good link up play causing all sorts of problems for a tired Reffley defence. Nevertheless every player continued to work tirelessly to keep the Costessey attack at bay, buoyed on by Captain Finlay Hunter working box to box.

With Reffley committing more players forward, Costessey were able to counter as Seals was called into action again to make a double save after Dylan Henry followed up Rhys Woods effort.

Up the other end, Costessey’s Marley Reynolds was key in winning battles on the floor and in the air as he had done all game, as Reffley threw all they had to try and get a goal. As the final whistle loomed the King’s Lynn based outfit looked to have run out steam, with every attack being thwarted by either the Costessey back line or gathered by an alert Kirby in the net.

With a short amount of stoppage time to play Costessey were able to see out the remaining moments to become the first ever victors of the High Altitude U12’s Cup.

Full Time: Reffley Youth 0 – 2 Costessey Sports

Thank you to our partners High Altitude for sponsoring the 2019 U12's Cup, to find out more please visit https://highaltitudepk.co.uk/.

PHOTOS: A big thank you to Dave Richardson of Big Phat Photos for shooting the fixture, a full album of photos from this fixture can be found here: po.st/U12sCupPhotos

Line ups:

Reffley Youth: Harvey Pightling, Cameron Seals, Tommy Lee, Joseph Fowler, Charlie King, Finlay Hunter ©, Vinny Marchetti, Presley Gilham & Aidan Billing.

Subs: Ryley Plumley, Harrison Holland.

Costessey Sports: Max Kirby, Lewis Andrews, Kyle Kelly, Oliver White ©, Sonny Sistern, Jacob Duffy, Jack Cook, Lennon Thompson & Marley Reynolds.   

Subs: Max Voutt, Dylan Henry, Rhys Woods, Ryan Banda.

Referee: Tom Rampling
Assistants: Sam Downing & Kian Peek
Fourth Official: Will Coglin-Hibbert
Attendance: 243
Player of the Match sponsored by High Altitude: Ryan Banda