HUNTINGDONSHIRE FA COUNTY YOUTH CUP FINAL
ST NEOTS TOWN U18 2 ICA YOUTH 2 (St Neots won 4-1 on penalties)
St Neots U18 side picked up the Huntingdonshire County Youth Cup for the fourth time in the past five completed seasons gaining some revenge over Peterborough side ICA Sports who are the only side to have beaten them in the competition since 2015.It was a closely fought tie with St Neots coming back from two goals down in the first 23 minutes to send the match into a penalty shoot-out which they won comfortably. It was a great recovery by the St Neots side after a slow unconvincing start where they looked disorganised and lacking in confidence.
They almost conceded in the fifth minute when clever footwork by Matteo Perkins saw him round the last defender before a well-timed saving tackle by Lil Francisco saved the day for his side. However, ICA capitalised on their solid start after 14 minutes when a shoddy back pass in defence by St Neots let in Byron Adiado and his shot was deflected into the net by a defender. Worse was to follow for nine minutes later the lively Matteo Perkins saw him tap in a second goal after his first effort had rebounded from a post. St Neots responded positively and two minutes later they were back in the game when Nico Costa’s cross from the right found Joe Jackson to net his 25th goal of the season from just seventeen appearances. It was then game on as both sides strove for superiority, but the important breakthrough came four minutes before the break when substitute Jaiden Bell converted another cross from Nico Costa.
After half time the sides seemed to have the measure of the other and defences began to dominate. The Peterborough side faded after a good start to the second half with Macy Jackson squandering their best second half chance when he skied his effort over the bar. St Neots almost snatched victory at the death when visiting keeper Christopher Brazil had to push an effort by Frankie Webster over the bar at full stretch, but then it was on to the penalty shoot-out. St Neots tucked away their first four through Finley Morris, Charlie Clark, Max Kimpton, and Frankie Webster, whilst Adrian Bilicz was the only successful ICA marksman with Harvey Robertson sending his effort over the bar and St Neots keeper George Anthony saving from Matteo Perkins.
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