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Billericay Town Colts 1-1 Ridgeway Rovers (a,e,t Ridgeway won 3-1 on penalties, Essex Andrews Under 14s Cup Final, Sunday 2nd April 2006, Grays Athletic F.C.) By Rob Craven Ridgeway Rovers edged-out Chelmsford Youth League side Billericay Town Colts 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final of the Andrews U14s Cup. David Beckham’s boyhood club were indebted to goalkeeper Daniel Fitzsimons as he saved two vital spot-kicks in the shoot-out to win his side glory. The metropolitan Essex-based outfit were a goal to the good after just two minutes as Chris Bush burst down the left-hand side and crossed for James Wood to stab the ball past Matthew Haigh from close range. An enterprising first half saw both sides cancel each other out for much of the remaining 33 minutes, Jordan White lobbing Michael Marsh’s through-ball over both goalkeeper Fitzsimons and the crossbar for Billericay and Rovers’ Nicky Barrett flicking Bush’s long throw-in wide. After the break, Barrett set up Wood, who slashed over with just Haigh to beat, and just before the hour mark Town made them pay as a fine passing move was completed with captain Louis O’Sullivan bravely getting up to head Joe James’ cross into the net. James Burgess denied Tom Byrne as he raced into the penalty box and Byrne chipped Bush’s throw-in wide at the near post for Ridgeway, whilst Fitzsimons held Marsh’s chipped effort above his head. With the scores level at the end of the full 70 minutes, extra time was required, and Haigh was called upon to make an easy save from Josh Orgel’s weak effort in the first period of additional time. During the second, Billericay came within centimetres of pinching a winner during stoppage time. Connel Dunlop’s left-wing corner was swung into the penalty area and Nicky Irvin nodded the cross against the top of the crossbar, from where it bounced onto the terraces. Neither side was clinical from 12 yards, with Haigh saving from Bush and Marsh driving wide. However, from that point Mark Matthews, Nicky Barrett and Byrne all converted for Ridgeway, whilst Fitzsimons pulled off saves from Irvin (to his right) and O’Sullivan (to his left) either side of Jennings’ successful shot to earn his side the trophy. Boss Steve Morris was rightly ecstatic with his young shot-stopper. “We were quietly confident that we would win the shoot-out,” he said. “Daniel is a fantastic penalty saver, and the boys that we picked are all good penalty takers, but it is always a lottery. I’m delighted for Daniel as this is his first season back after a motorcycle accident, and he has made the Waltham Forest & District representative squad.” And Morris added that many could go on to bigger and better things in the future: “A lot of the lads have played in the Waltham Forest & District squad, and we had to overcome a really strong Billericay Town side today. It was a very good game – I think we shaded the first half and they shaded the second.” Billericay Town Colts: Matthew Haigh, Lee Pleasance, Max Rosenberg, Connel Dunlop, Nicky Irvin, Jordan White, Michael Marsh, Rob Edkins, Joe James, James Burgess, Louis O’Sullivan. Substitutes: Dave Jennings, Joshua Sumner, Callum Joyce. Goal: O’Sullivan (57). |
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