Bevis brace wins it for Young Boys
Young Boys vs Moose Park Rangers – The Chaplin Farrant Sunday Senior Cup Final
Harrod Sport Arena, 07.05.23, KO 10.30pm
Final Score: Young Boys 2 – 1 Moose Park Rangers
BEVIS BRACE WINS IT FOR YOUNG BOYS
Young Boys became the 22-23 winners of the Chaplin Farrant Sunday Senior Cup earlier today, beating Moose Park Rangers 2-1 at The FDC's Harrod Sport Arena.
An early brace from Ricky Bevis saw Young Boys go 2-0 up inside the first ten minutes and go on to dominate most of the game. The home side created a multitude of chances in the first period before Moose Park Rangers found their feet in the second half.
A late penalty decision saw Charlie Brindle claw one back for the away side, setting up an exciting end to the fixture, but they couldn't find the equalising goal.
Young Boys started on the front foot and almost took an early lead when Shane Cox rattled the cross bar with a header from a corner inside the first four minutes. Possession was regained and a second dangerous ball was delivered into the box for Cox to meet again, this time the tall centre half looped his header over the woodwork.
The pressure continued when Ryan Haylett found Jake Mann with a nice through ball into the box, his pull back on the by-line was blocked. The resulting corner wasn’t met in the air and Haylett’s toe poke effort was then cleared off the line and scrambled away.
A great start paid off for the home side when the deadlock was broken in the tenth minute. Captain Kieran Money received the ball just inside the box and drove towards goal with a mazey run around two defenders. He then executed a simple but hugely effective cross into the six-yard box where Ricky Bevis was waiting to tap home from a yard.
Within a minute Young Boys had doubled the advantage, showing slick play that Moose Park Rangers were struggling to deal with. After regaining possession and surging forward, Haylett sent in a dangerous cross between the Rangers’ defenders. Bevis rose for a free header and made no mistake directing it past the stranded Sam Downes for his brace.
Rangers had their first chance of the game when a poor clearance fell to Charlie Brindle and his cross into the box was set back first time by Louis Bobbin. Marcelo Ramos surged forward to strike a fierce shot on the half volley but sliced his effort high and wide.
On the half an hour mark Young Boys almost put the game out of reach when Money’s cute flick through put Bevis one on one with keeper. With the number 10 looking to get his hat-trick, the forward fired a fierce strike from the left that produced a brilliant reaction save from Downes who had to dive quickly down to his right.
Some good play between Bevis and Jamie Smith saw the home side continue to turn the Rangers’ back line around frequently, while Lewis Malin was working extremely hard at right back to keep Young Boys’ Connor Delaney from having his desired impact on the game. Sitting low and compact, Moose Park continued to defend valiantly, with a lot of tired legs hoping to get in at the half without the score increasing.
Young Boys showed no signs of taking their foot off the gas and continued to move the ball quickly, searching for an opening. However, a disciplined and focused Rangers managed to hold on to the half with just the two goals separating the sides.
Half time – Young Boys 2 – 0 Moose Park Rangers
Against the run of play for the game so far, the opening 30 seconds of the second half saw a chance for Moose Park Rangers. A long ball was well flicked on and saw Brindle power through to the edge of the box. In what would have been a tremendous effort, the number seven scuffed his shot which saw it bobble into the grateful arms of Ruslan Stefanov.
Moments later Brindle found himself in again, with runs from the right across to the centre of the box proving effective. He received the ball and niftily turned his marker on the move inside the box, but as he shaped up to fire his shot past the keeper a recovering foot appeared just in time, getting the important touch to block and send it off course.
The increased impetus from Moose Park seemed to almost anger Young Boys who continued to apply pressure of their own, making the game more end to end in the opening ten minutes of the second half, than all of the first period.
Haylett was enjoying a good spell on the right, pushing high and creating multiple chances with quality deliveries from the side of the box. Bevis came close to securing his hat trick once again, with one effort going wide and another being cleared off the line. And half-time substitute Brannan Soloman headed agonisingly wide from a Seamus Bobby free kick.
Young Boys had another great opportunity to get their third when Money received the ball in space and found Haylett with an excellent defence splitting pass. The right winger beat his man for pace and found himself one on one with Downes but snatched at his shot, blasting it over.
Moose Park attempted to exert themselves on the game once again, with Louis Bobbin dropping deeper and trying to link play with the pacier forwards running in behind, but the Young Boys’ back line held firm. Adam Thorley then stepped out from defence looking composed as he drove past two players into the middle of the pitch. He then lofted an excellent long-range ball across the pitch and found Ramos on the right side, but he was well defended by Young Boys left back George Edwards.
Rangers were pushing for their chance to get back into the game and after good tenacity from their forwards, were awarded a free kick 25 yards out. Josh Malin fired into the box and the ball took a wicked bounce which saw it travel all the way through to Stefanov who had to tip wide for a corner. The set piece was placed well into a crowded area but the stopper rose high to make a great grab.
More positive play from Brindle saw Moose Park get forward once again, with Ramos and Tom Burt getting on the ball playing some nice passes. The away side were looking threatening and got their reward with ten to go when Bobbin’s first-time ball over to Luke Coldham saw him chest the ball into the box and it strike the hand of a Young Boys defender.
Brindle stepped up to take the penalty and sent Stefanov the wrong way to reduce the deficit to a single goal as the game approached the final minutes.
As the fourth official announced five minutes of stoppage time Rangers pushed further forward than they had all game. With the Young Boys defence creaking the away side won a free kick 40 yards out which Ramos delivered into a crowded box. With multiple people competing for the ball, it landed in the middle of the box and a goal mouth scramble ensued before Lewis Perretta’s effort was cleared away by a defender.
As the time ticked away Young Boys managed the game with experience, making substitutions, winning fouls and taking their time with set pieces. A contentious free kick awarded to Young Boys in front of both dugouts would be the last action of the game as the home side who had dominated for most of the match, ended up holding on for the win to become this season’s Chaplin Farrant Sunday Senior Cup Winners.
Final Score: Young Boys 2 – 1 Moose Park Rangers
Line ups:
Young Boys: Ryan Stefanov, Ryan Haylett, Kieran Money ©, Graham Hinton, Shane Cox, Ricky Bevis, Connor Delaney, Jamie Smith, George Edwards, Seamus Bobby, Jake Mann.
Subs: Brannan Soloman, Daegan Watts, Coren Norman, Evan Hubbard, Harry Blossom.
Moose Park Rangers: Sam Downes, Callum North ©, Adam Thorley, Lewis Perretta, Matthew Thorley, Charlie Brindle, Josh Malin, Marcelo Ramos, Luke Coldham, Lewis Malin, Louis Bobbin.
Subs: Tom Hill, Alex Laskey, Tom Burt, Charlie Lambe.
Referee: Richard Daniels
Assistants: Jason Ding & Steve Hemp
Fourth Official: Paul Elliott
Attendance: 151
Player of the Match: Ryan Haylett
Photography: Ben Cunningham