Sprowston Vs Wroxham – The John Savage Cup Final 2021, in association with Veo

FDC Field of Dreams, 09.06.21, KO 7:45pm

Final Score: Sprowston 0 – 4 Wroxham

WROXHAM WIN FIRST YOUTH COUNTY CUP

In the opening passage of play, resulting in a Wroxham corner, there was a lengthy stoppage due to injury for Riley Wilson-Towns who was replaced by Connor Dyke.

From the resulting corner, Sprowston could only clear the ball to the edge of their penalty area where Wroxham’s Danno White was waiting to hammer the ball through a group of bodies and into the bottom left corner, giving his side the lead after four minutes.

Moments later Alex Balding had a huge chance to double his side’s lead when he latched onto a through ball. However, Balding could only blaze his shot wide after a skilful Cruyff turn to send the defender the wrong way.

The Blues got a second as Nel Lemos converted from 12 yards into the bottom right corner after he had been brought down in the penalty area.

The Yachtsmen got their third just after 20 minutes when a well-worked one-two allowed Luke Newman to shoot from 20 yards out. His venomous strike could only be parried back into the danger area by Sam Wharton allowing Daniel Miller to slot home the rebound.

Despite the scoreline the Sprowston frontmen, Ruben Gomes and Owen Lane, were causing problems with their energy and pace. However, George Howes in the Wroxham goal was still yet to be called into action.

As the end of the first half approached Wharton’s goal was again threatened with shots from distance. No more goals meant that Wroxham took their 3-0 advantage into the break as Referee, Harley Golder blew his whistle at the end of the 40 minutes.

Half time – Sprowston 0 – 3 Wroxham

Sprowston started the second half the brighter of the two sides, causing Howes to have more touches of the ball than he did in the entirety of the first period.

After a period of sustained possession around the Sprowston area Lemos found himself in space at the corner of the six yard box. His effort was greeted by a magnificent save from Wharton, diving at full stretch across his goal.

Less than a minute later, Lemos made no mistake from a similar position after running onto a perfectly weighted through ball from substitute Sammy Imessaoudene. His powerful strike across the goal left Wharton no chance this time.

Howes, in the Wroxham goal, made his first real save of the match around the hour mark and it was well worth the wait. It was an incredible one-handed reaction save that he touched onto the crossbar from a short-range Connor Dyke strike.

After picking the ball up in his own half, Lawrie Babington, glided past three Sprowston defenders at speed before reaching the byline and cutting the ball back to Newman. Newman’s shot cannoned against the crossbar and the rebound went further than the initial shot back over his head.

More great saves from Wharton and last-ditch blocks from Sprowston defenders meant that the game finished 4-0 to Wroxham. This is the Yachtsmen’s first victory in a youth County Cup.

Final Score: Sprowston 0 – 4 Wroxham

Line ups:

Sprowston: Sam Wharton, Riley Wilson-Towns, Danny Gonzalez, Charlie Clarke, Freddie Collings, Kai Thurston, Grant Barron, Alfie Mann (C), Ruben Gomes, Reuben Hazelby, Owen Lane

Subs: Dylan Lowe, Connor Dyke, Joe Pinches, Thomas Spurgeon

Wroxham: George Howes, Daniel Miller (C), Ben Hollis, Sam Gowing, Danno White, Shadrak Mushengezi, Luke Newman, Alex Balding, Nel Lemos, Lawrie Babington, Harry Secker

Subs: Finan Shaughnessy, Noah Marron, Sammy Imessaoudene, Victoire Mushengezi

Referee: Harley Golder

Assistants: Auberon Limmer and James Sneddon

Fourth Official: Matt Steward

Attendance: 166

Player of the Match: Lawrie Babington