theFDC – Field of Dreams - 24.11.18 KO 12:00pm

Final Score: Norfolk U18’s 3 – 1 Isle of Man U18’s

Norfolk reach this year’s FA County Youth Cup Quarter-Finals by beating Isle of Man by three goals to one.

Norfolk started the game with a real desire to keep the ball and kept the Isle of Man out of the game by playing the ball around. It was clear to see early on that Norfolk wanted to play on the front foot and pressure the Isle of Man goalkeeper.

On the thirty-minute mark a low bouncing cross from Norfolk’s left was met by the head of James Bemrose who put the ball over the bar, the best chance for either team so far. Five minutes later Norfolk won a free kick on the left in the Isle of Man defensive third. George Quantrell whipped a dangerous ball into the box and the Isle of Man just managed to clear their lines with Norfolk looking dangerous as the half was approaching its end.

The continuous pressure from Norfolk finally lead to the opening goal of the game when Josh Ford launched a long throw into the opposition box. With the ball bouncing around in the Isle of Man penalty area Emre Upston poked the ball home to give Norfolk the lead just before the half time whistle.

Half Time – Norfolk U18’s 1-0 Isle of Man U18’s

With less than three minutes played in the second half Norfolk were caught out when a shot from the edge of the area beat Connor Milligan in the Norfolk goal causing the Isle of Man to draw level

The early second half goal for the visitors received an instant reaction from the Norfolk boys when Bemrose latched onto a through ball from the midfield. He used his pace to go round the keeper and calmly slot the ball home, giving the boys in green the lead once more just three minutes after the visitor’s goal.

The Isle of Man team didn’t give up though and managed to force good saves from Connor Milligan, with the match becoming very scrappy as each team often gave the ball away cheaply in pursuit of another goal.

As we entered the final 15 minutes of the match the Norfolk team stepped up a gear and proceeded to really threaten the Isle of Man defence, with the Islanders keeper pulling off three incredible saves at full stretch in the space of five minutes to keep them in the game.

Norfolk managed to put the game to bed when a cross from Norfolk’s overlapping left back Brady Philpot found the head of Bemrose who buried the ball into the net for his second goal of the game.

The Draw for the Quarter-finals will be made in early December with the match having to be played by the 19^th January 2019.

Final Score: Norfolk U18’s 3-1 Isle of Man U18’s

Line ups:

Norfolk U18’s: Connor Milligan, Connor Bagley, Brady Philpott, George Quantrell, Josh Ford, Lewis Johnson ©, Jordan Forbes, Owen Murphy, James Bemrose, Emre Upston, Daegan Watts

Subs: Harrison Gilding – Hewitt, Max Lane, Sam Tinkler, Cameron Wing, Reuben Lane

Isle of Man U18’s: Harry Horbury, Dylan Wood, Lewis Bridson ©, Joel Ibanez, Jacob Crook, Jack Camarda, Sid Batty, Sam Baines, Taylor Andrews, Jonny Quirk, Tom Chatel

Subs: Jay Skelcher – Maxwell, Dan Smith, Harry Walters, Danny Lane, Adam Cooil

Referee: Andrew Hitchcox (St. Ives)

Assistants: Robert Stanley (St. Ives) and Aimee Keir (Spalding)

Player of the Match: Josh Ford – Norfolk U18’s

Norfolk FA would like to thank Portable Toilet Hire Specialists, Toilets+ for being the Official Squad Sponsor of the Norfolk under 18 Representative Squad.