Cademy FC Red hosted Whitton Wanderers Youth Eagles, in one of the Middlesex FA Graham Rigby Under 16 Cup semi-finals on Sunday, 10th March, and your Roving Team visited their impressive home venue at Osterley Cricket Club. 

The Under 16 Youth Cup was first competed for in season 1971-72, when it was won by Oxford & Kilburn FC. The current holders are Parkfield Youth Red. 82 teams entered the competition this season.   

Both sides had recorded some impressive victories on their way to this season’s semi-final. Cademy Red started their campaign with two huge home victories. They beat Isleworth Youth Whites in round 1 and Old Actonians Youth White in round 2, by 20-0 and 16-0 respectively.  They were then drawn away in their next three games. They beat Limitless FC 3-1 in round 3, Ickenham Youth Red 1-0 in round 4 and then required a penalty shoot-out, following a 2-2 draw in the quarter final, to progress against Norsemen Youth Blues. 

Whitton Wanderers Youth Eagles received a bye in round 1. They then beat Ashford Town (Middlesex) Juniors Warrior 16-0 away from home, Powerhouse Whites 10-0 also away, Hampton & Richmond Borough Youth in a penalty shoot-out after a 3-3 away draw and 360 Talent FC 2-1 at home in the quarter final.

Matches in this competition consist of 40 minutes each half.

An entertaining and skilful encounter was played in an excellent spirit between two expertly coached sides. After an evenly contested opening 15 minutes, Whitton Wanderers took firm control of the match, with 3 goals in 5 minutes and never relinquished it. They added a 4th goal before the interval and 2 more in the second half, before Cademy pulled one back.   Wanderers completed the scoring, with a 7th goal in the closing minutes. It should be said that, although Whitton Wanderers were the better team on the day and thoroughly deserved their win, the score did not really reflect the play. The six-goal margin exaggerated the difference in the abilities of two good footballing sides.

Cademy made the first goalscoring attempt, a shot from 25 yards by Mark Keanu, which cleared the crossbar. Then Wanderers’ keeper, Leo Walsh made a brave save at Leonard Appiah-Mensah’s feet and he was temporarily winded.

In the 15th minute, Alex Gavin Manuel burst through the home defence and was tripped in the penalty area. Thomas Madigan hit the resulting spot kick high into the net.

4 minutes later, Yusuf Hewavitarne’s header, from Thomas Madigan’s corner, was blocked at the expense of another corner, which eluded the keeper and was touched in by Oliver Makowski for Wanderers’ 2nd goal.

Less than a minute later, Oliver added a 3rd goal, with a cross-shot, which the keeper touched but couldn’t stop.

Alex Gavin Manuel found the corner of the net for Wanderers’ 4th goal, in the 26th minute, after being set up by Kayden Brimah’s pass.

Kayden’s freekick into the Cademy box was intercepted by a defender’s head and then held by keeper, Szyman Gerasik.

A long shot by Cademy’s Kuba Krawezyk was wide. Mark Keanu’s ball into the Wanderers’ box was collected by George Armstrong, whose shot was turned for a corner. Then Wanderers’ keeper, Leo Walsh turned Anish Chetri’s header over the crossbar.

The home keeper left his penalty area to foil Oliver Makowski with his feet.

Mateo Vucicevic then fired over the Whitton crossbar.

Half time score: Cademy Red 0 Whitton Wanderers Youth Eagles 4

Oliver Makowski made another run through the Cademy defence but was again thwarted by the goalkeeper.

A good passing movement by Cademy ended with a timely defensive interception on Mateo Vucicevic. Another home raid, involving Chase Jones and Mateo, ended with Leo Walsh saving from the latter player.

Toby Dane scored Whitton Wanderers’ 5th goal, in the 55th minute, with a low shot into the corner of the goal, from Oliver Makowski’s pass.

Whitton Wanderers survived a spell of Cademy pressure, during which Leo Walsh saved at close range from defender, Milan Laylan, who had gone up-field for a Cademy corner.

Thomas Madigan cleared the Cademy crossbar with an overhead kick. Jake Symington ran through the defence and brought a fingertip save from Szyman.

Toby Dane netted his sides’ 6th goal, with a low shot, in the 65th minute.

Szyman thwarted Oliver again and Alex Gavin Manuel netted with a low drive but was adjudged to be offside.

Cademy pulled a goal back in the 75th minute, when Milan Laylan’s freekick from wide on the left, eluded everyone in the goalmouth on its way into the net.

Cademy were reduced to 10 players in the 80th minute, when George Armstrong was sinbinned for dissent.

Oliver Makowski completed his hattrick in added time, when he collected the ball in his own half, took it on and lobbed it over the keeper for Wanderers’ 7th goal.

Result: Cademy Red 1 Whitton Wanderers Youth Eagles 7

Referee Mo Kauser controlled the match very well, ably supported by his assistant referees.

Our thanks are due to Jason Norris, the Cademy FC Operations Manager for his warm welcome and assistance, on our first visit to their complex. We were equally well received by the members of Whitton Wanderers, who we have previously enjoyed visiting. It was a pleasure to attend the match and witness, first hand, the dedication and expertise of the people behind both of these  excellent youth set-ups.

TEAM LINE-UPS

Cademy Red: Szyman Gerasik, Nikita Zadoroznu, Leonard Appiah-Mensah, Mateo Vucicevic, Ruben Shakya, Decanio Mekain, Chase Jones, Armaan Ansari, George Armstrong, Arun Joyce and Kuba Krawezyk.

Rolling substitutes: Louis Broomfield, Mark Keanu, Milan Laylan and Anish Chetri.

Whitton Wanderers Youth Eagles: Leo Walsh, Oscar Marques, Kabir Sandhu, Toby Barnes, Thomas Madigan (capt), Kayden Brimah, Yusuf Hewavitarne, Maxime Yazdanbaksh-Gola, Oliver Makowski, Alex Gavin Manuel and Jake Symington.

Rolling substitutes: Oliver Byron, Zephaniah Fyleman, Oscar Mo and Toby Dane.

Referee: Mohammed Kausar   

Assistant Referees: Mark Sennett and Solomun Younas.

Whitton Wanderers Eagles will play the winners of the semi-final between Colney Heath EJA and Northwood Youth EJA, which is scheduled for Sunday, 17th March

Report: Jim Taylor

Photography: Chris Benn

PICKS 

FULL SET