Moreton Hall Raiders vs Kirkley & Pakefield Youth
2 - 0
30 April 2023 · Cambridge & District Colts League<br>U14 Stanley
Neutral league match played on 30 April 2023.
Kicked off at 10:30 AM
2-0
vs Kirkley & Pakefield Youth F.C. U12 Royal
Neutral league match
Division 1 champions Moreton Hall Raiders turned their attention to cup football, as they faced Kirkley & Pakefield in the semi final of the Suffolk FA County Cup.
For the first time in a while, the Raiders came up against unknown opposition. This made the game interesting in the opening exchanges, as each team tried to size up the other, and work out how they would play. Soon enough, though, it was the Raiders who established their authority and began to look much more likely to score.
Kirkley set out to utilise long balls, but this tactic did not trouble the Raiders defence in the first half. The Kirkley goalkeeper, meanwhile, was extremely busy; doing well to keep out a number of efforts as the Raiders piled on the pressure.
The breakthrough goal came towards the end of the first half when a Deeks corner was met superbly by Hugo Andrews. The midfield dynamo got great contact on his header, which flew into the net. The goal was greeted with a huge cheer by the travelling support, and the Raiders were good value for their 1-0 half time lead.
The beginning of the second half was Kirkley’s best spell, as they came out with intent and showed great desire to get back into the game. Nonetheless, they lacked the necessary quality up front to create any clear-cut chances and it was Raiders who then reclaimed control of the game.
It was difficult for the Raiders to play their usual football on the postage stamp-sized pitch, but they kept probing and made some good chances in the second half. There were a few near misses, notably long shots from Everard and a flying header from Pospisil that went just over. But the game was sealed in the 47th minute, when Everard turned at the edge of the box and lifted a beautiful looping shot over the stranded goalkeeper and into the top corner.
The Raiders saw the game out comfortably and not even a succession of jaw-droppingly awful decisions from the match officials could stop them in their tracks.
So it’s on to the final, where either IVR or Cornard Dynamos await the Raiders.
The league-cup double is still on.
Kirkley & Pakefield U12 Royals 0-2 Moreton Hall Raiders