Tingley Athletic U15s Green Triumph 7-2 At Wrenthorpe Rangers

Tingley Athletic travelled to Wrenthorpe Rangers Yellow on Sunday 2 Novembe for an 11-a-side league encounter kicking off at 10:00am. The visitors produced a commanding performance to secure a 7-2 victory in an 80-minute match, showcasing attacking prowess and defensive resilience. The referee officiated with distinction, earning a 95 performance rating.

Tingley Athletic lined up in a classic 4-4-2 formation, deploying Josh Shepherd in goal. The defensive line featured Anthony Dobke at right back, Alfie Chalkley and Eli Dexter as central defenders, and Austin Wade on the left. The midfield quartet consisted of Harley-Jay Eastwood on the right wing, Harvey Crawshaw and Luke Wilson centrally, and Lucas Kinder on the left flank. Up front, Kieran Bamforth operated as the right forward with Abhi Manda leading the attack from the left. The substitutes available were Jayden Day, Sam Richardson, and Abdul Ali.

From the outset, Tingley Athletic imposed themselves on the game. Within four minutes, Harvey Crawshaw delivered a precise cross into the box, which Kieran Bamforth met with a close-range header to open the scoring. The early goal set the tone for the visitors, who pressed relentlessly. At nine minutes, Crawshaw tested the opposition goalkeeper with a shot that was well saved, illustrating his intent to influence the match.

Defensively, Eli Dexter was alert at 11 minutes, blocking a dangerous attempt and maintaining the clean sheet. The visitors doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Bamforth confidently converted a penalty, demonstrating composure under pressure. Two minutes later, Abhi Manda’s effort was thwarted by the home keeper, keeping the scoreline intact.

Tactical changes came swiftly as Luke Wilson and Lucas Kinder were replaced by Jayden Day and Sam Richardson respectively at the 21-minute mark, signalling a fresh approach from the bench. Despite Wilson’s immediate attempt going wide a minute later, the defensive solidity was maintained, with Anthony Dobke executing a crucial tackle at 23 minutes to prevent a Wrenthorpe chance.

Bamforth was again at the heart of the action at 24 minutes, heading home another cross from Crawshaw to extend the lead to 3-0. Shortly after, Harley-Jay Eastwood was substituted for Abdul Ali at 28 minutes, adding energy to the right midfield. Austin Wade’s wide effort at 31 minutes and Manda’s high attempt at 34 minutes showed Tingley’s continued attacking intent, while Alfie Chalkley intercepted an opposition move to disrupt their rhythm.

Kinder’s high shot at 36 minutes was followed by a full-stretch save from Shepherd at 37 minutes, keeping the visitors firmly in control. Wrenthorpe pulled one back at 39 minutes to reduce the deficit before the half-time whistle blew at 40 minutes with Tingley leading 3-1.

The second half began with Tingley quickly reasserting dominance. At 44 minutes, Crawshaw’s long pass found Manda, who calmly tapped in from close range to restore a three-goal cushion. The visitors’ fluid attacking play continued as Crawshaw himself scored inside the box at 53 minutes, assisted by Bamforth’s short pass.

Attempts from Manda at 55 minutes and Day at 57 minutes (which went high) kept the pressure on Wrenthorpe. At 60 minutes, Wade and Wilson returned to the field, replacing Kinder and Day, respectively, while Eastwood came back on for Bamforth at 65 minutes, signalling further tactical adjustments.

Shepherd’s agility was again on display at 69 minutes with a dive at the feet of an attacker, denying Wrenthorpe a chance to close the gap. Tingley’s dominance was rewarded at 70 minutes when Manda scored his second goal, assisted by Eastwood, reinforcing the visitors’ commanding lead.

Defensive changes followed at 74 minutes with Wade replacing Dexter, and Abdul Ali making a vital tackle to prevent a home chance. Two minutes later, Bamforth returned to the pitch for Manda, maintaining attacking threat.

Wrenthorpe managed to score again at 78 minutes, but it was too little too late. Bamforth sealed his hat-trick and the emphatic win for Tingley Athletic at 80 minutes with a close-range finish, assisted by Eastwood.

Kieran Bamforth’s clinical finishing and aerial prowess earned him the player of the match accolade, as Tingley Athletic u15s Green delivered a comprehensive and confident performance on the road.