Stellar second-half turnaround sends U12Bs to ESFA Semi-Final
By Jack Morris
In the ESFA quarter-finals, Hampton U12Bs battled out a hard-fought game against Richard Hale school, that ended with a freezing-wet but cheery-faced Hampton side leaving the pitch after a historic win.
The match started with Hampton dominating possession and chances, with Eric Mackasey causing all sorts of problems on the right wing. A big chance came when Richard Hale broke down the right wing and swung in a fabulous cross to an unmarked played on the 6-yard line, to somehow strike it powerfully straight into Al Malston’s gloves. After this, Richard Hale looked threatening, giving Hampton’s back line much bother and forcing Hampton to sit deep for a while; a goal was on the horizon. As Richard Hale cleverly worked it out to the right, they pulled a cross in after some delay, Hampton could not clear the cross and the away side’s striker looked to pull off a magnificent bicycle kick and struck it high over everyone, landing right in the bottom corner of the goal. 1-0.
Directly after this, Richard Hale broke away again, this time down the left, and although they slotted a superb finish into the far corner from a bouncing ball, Hampton were saved by the offside flag being raised by the linesman. Hampton ended the first half with a nice period of possession but could not crack open the away defence.
After a rousing pep talk, Hampton walked onto the pitch full of confidence and despite being 1-0 down, they began positively.
Within 5 minutes, that positive start paid off, as Mackasey was able to run in behind on the left, and with brilliant ease worked his way to the by-line before cutting it back for a simple tap-in for Alex Dale. After this the game slowed up and became scrappy, with both sides struggling for control. Hampton could have scored with a couple of half-chances but not much fell for either side due to some brilliant work from both defences.
With only minutes left, the game opened up and Hampton were presented with a fabulous chance to gain the lead with 5 minutes left to play. The ball was worked up by Henry Lawrie straight to Richard Hale’s keeper, but Miguel Badimon showed great determination to run the keeper down, and after blocking the kick from the keeper, he prodded the ball into the net to establish a lead for the home side with minimal time to play.
You would have thought that Hampton would then sit back and defend, but showing great mental determination, they won a corner deep into normal time. Swinging in from the right, Mackasey was able to flick the ball on, and Inigo Martin saw the chance and hooked the ball back in from the edge of the box. It sailed high over the keeper and dropped into the net for his first goal this season for the B team.
3-1.
So, after a well fought battle, it was only going to be the home side that was to progress into semi-finals of U12Bs ESFA, eyeing the big day of the final.
