Ecclesfield Red Rose 3–3 Abbey Lane JFC

Ecclesfield Red Rose and Abbey Lane JFC played out a thrilling 3–3 draw in an end-to-end contest that showcased determination, resilience, and some excellent football from both sides.

The first half was a scrappy affair, with neither team able to settle into a rhythm early on. Abbey Lane struck first to take the lead, but Ecclesfield responded well, drawing level through Riley, who showed great composure to finish. Moments later, Abbey Lane regained the advantage to make it 2–1, which remained the score at half time.

During the break, the coaches spoke to the players about positioning, winning first balls, and made a few tactical tweaks to the shape.

The response in the second half was outstanding. Ecclesfield Red Rose came out as the better side and completely dominated the half. The team won every ball, played some brilliant football, and showed tremendous work rate and desire. Abbey Lane were firmly put under pressure as Ecclesfield controlled possession and territory.

Ecclesfield were rewarded with two second-half goals to complete the comeback, with Harry adding to his goal tally and Riley grabbing his second of the game. Despite Ecclesfield’s dominance, the match finished level at 3–3.

Key Performances

• Harry – Endless running and unreal desire to win every ball. Delivered brilliant crosses, worked tirelessly, and was the most dangerous player in the final third. Capped off a superb performance with a well-taken goal.

• Riley – Non-stop effort, linked up brilliantly with Trent, Tommy, and Harry, and showed great quality on the ball. Two goals added to his growing tally.

• Tommy (Captain) – Led by example with passion and commitment. Unlucky not to score after a glancing header just went wide. Captain fantastic once again.

• William – Pulled off some cracking saves in the first half and commanded his area superbly. Had very little to do in the second half due to Ecclesfield’s dominance.

• Maximus – The vocal point of the back three. Endless effort to recover, made crucial tackles, and kept the scoreline down. Solid and reliable as always.

CPOTM – Cooper Wilson

(In Last season’s home shirt??)

A fully deserved award. Cooper played numerous positions, ran his socks off, linked up well with teammates, and consistently made excellent decisions. His endless effort to force the ball through and set up the equaliser summed up his performance. On his day, Cooper is unstoppable — and there’s plenty more to come.

On another day, with a better pitch, Ecclesfield Red Rose would have gone on to win this game based on the second-half performance alone. The conditions were difficult, but the players gave everything and continue to improve week by week. This is a top group of boys, and they are going to go to the top