DEFENDER Max Thorpe’s sensational 51st-minute winner sealed an Essex Cassels Under 16s Cup supported by GoCardless title for Takeley as they edged out Aveley in the final.
Aveley hit the crossbar three times in the first half at Heybridge Swifts FC, but Manager Calvin Barnes’ side remained resolute and went on to net the only goal of the game. Having won the Essex Rosser Under 15s Cup last season with the same set of players, Barnes reacted: “Absolutely buzzing! The boys put an absolute shift in for us today. Great team, absolutely fantastic team.”
“We’ve coached a lot of them for a very, very long time, and I’m just delighted to get our hands on the trophy again for the second time. A really, really talented set of players. Just stay together, just work together, just the training these boys put in, the commitment from the parents, the other coaches that work with them. It’s a special group, and they’ve achieved some amazing things. The last two years have been fantastic.”
Luke Kelly was the first to be unlucky to rattle the Takeley crossbar with a free kick on 17 minutes though, at the other end ten minutes later, Takeley almost opened the scoring themselves. Freddie Harris showed neat footwork on the left and sent in a low shot from distance, which goalkeeper, George Miller, couldn’t quite gather. The previous season’s impressive County Cup winner, Freddie Babb, fired wide from the close-range rebound.
Either side of a shot from distance by Takeley’s Jaden Obaretin just after the half-hour, Aveley hit the goal frame again. Teddy Tomlinson was next, watching his effort from the corner of the penalty box on the left bounce back off the bar, which saved Takeley once more as Kelly thumped the ball at goal from outside the area. He had his head in his hands after it hit the goal frame.
This was a well-matched encounter, and it was always possible that a single goal could decide who’d emerge victorious. Six minutes into the second half, Takeley progressed down the right via Skye Thorne-Springer, and the ball was worked inside to Thorpe, who classily volleyed home from around the penalty spot. Barnes agreed that it was a goal fitting to win any final.
He commented: “Top goal! A centre-half! I think he swung his foot at it, and it ended up in the top corner! He’s been on a bit of a charge, scoring some really good goals lately. Brilliant finish, brilliant moment for Matt. Gave him man of the match as well.”
The remainder of the game was highly-competitive, but Aveley couldn’t quite break through. Kelly has a knack of scoring crucial goals and he controlled a square Millers delivery into the goalmouth on 69 minutes, then flicking at goal, but the ball finished up just over the bar. Barnes reflected on a very close game, and was able to forecast a positive conclusion to Takeley’s campaign: “Credit to Aveley – they were top side. Well coached, really, really organised.”
“Probably got the better of us in the first half – we rode our luck a little bit, hit the bar two or three times in the first half. But we had a good chat at half time, and I felt like we’d come out and slightly changed the shape, and I think it worked to our benefit. We nicked it on the day. We’ve put this under our belt today. We’ve got a couple of league games to go and, hopefully, we can win the league. We’re in another semi-final as well in a few weeks so, hopefully, some more success to come.”
Aveley: George Miller, Teddy Tomlinson, William Turner-Smith, Rocco Savill, Archie Austin, Luke Kelly, Max Shoben, Matthew Mia, George Twist, Noah Tundervary, George Safwat. Substitutes: Liam Thomas, Charlie Yellop, Joseph Princiotto-Halls. Manager: Andy Tomlinson.
Takeley: Eli Balski, Skye Thorne-Springer, Nathan Wilkins, Jaden Obaretin, Freddie Babb, Freddie Foster, Charlie Jackson, Freddie Harris, Max Thorpe, Ollie Carter, Ralph Clark. Substitutes: Hayden Amaning, Robbie Murray, Isaiah Okorie. Manager: Calvin Barnes.
Referee: Matthew Hills.
Assistant Referees: Charlie Parkes and Jack Scherer.
Fourth Official: John Magill.
Attendance: 161.
