YEAR 7 v SANDBACH (ESFA CUP)- 11th November

Year 7 suffer first defeat

Year 7 were knocked out of the under-12 Playstation 9-a-side schools’ cup tonight (Tuesday 11^th November) against an impressive Sandbach side.

Congleton rarely got out of their half in the first half and they didn’t really threaten the Sandbach goalkeeper except for two successive corners in the fifth minute of the match.

It was Sandbach who had the first chance of the match but they saw their striker’s curling shot, from the edge of the area, go over the crossbar. CHS’ goalkeeper Jacob Heard had to be alert to deny Sandbach from taking the lead minutes later, blocking a shot from close range with his foot.

It took Sandbach ten minutes to break the deadlock, when they were awarded a free-kick, on the right edge of the Congleton area, following a handball. Jacob Heard could not prevent the free-kick from opening the scoring, despite getting his fingertips too it.

Sandbach doubled their lead just three minutes later. A run from Sandbach’s striker saw him through the CHS defence and he was now bearing down on the CHS goal. Goalkeeper Heard made himself big, but the striker powered the ball home to Heard’s left. 2-0 Sandbach.

Half-time- Congleton 0-2 Sandbach

CHS started the second half much better and were in fact the brighter team in the opening exchanges.

CHS’ winger picked the ball up on the right, drove into the box and perhaps should have had a go at goal himself but instead his cross was too high for the CHS players waiting in the area.

Sandbach had to wait until ten minutes into the second half to have their first real chance of the half and it came out of nothing. Sandbach’s midfielder picked up the ball outside of the box before seeing his effort strike the inside of the post before being cleared by the CHS defence.

Moments later, Sandbach extended their lead. Another run from Sandbach’s striker saw him through on goal. He fired a shot from the left of the area across the CHS goalkeeper and into the right side of the net. 3-0 Sandbach.

Mr Holmes, the CHS manager, encouraged his player’s saying that there were still fifteen minutes left for Congleton to get back into the game. However, their task to get back into the game got even greater, two minutes later, when Sandbach added their fourth goal.

Sandbach’s player rising half-volley, from the edge of the area, was just beyond the reach of goalkeeper, Jacob Heard, who had to pick the ball out of the back of the net for the fourth time in the match.

The fourth goal seemed to take the sting out of CHS but they still kept on fighting and they came close to having the ball in the back of the net on seventeen minutes. Mikey Lennon found space in Sandbach’s half; he advanced with the ball before playing a great through ball to Matthew Owen on the left side of the area. Owen took a touch before shooting. His shot struck the inside of the far post before a defender cleared the danger.
Sandbach raced down the other end and their winger slotted the ball past the on-rushing CHS goalkeeper to make it Congleton 0, Sandbach 5.

Jacob Heard was then forced into making two good saves including one from a shot from distance, which he did well to stop. However, he was unable to stop Sandbach extending their lead further despite getting his hands to a long range shot he could not prevent the ball from finding the goal.

Sandbach had enough time to add a seventh goal and it was a great all round goal. Their defence broke up a CHS attack before playing the ball to their left-back, who passed the ball to Sandbach’s winger. He then raced down the right flank before playing the ball inside, the Sandbach player crossed the ball to the back post, where the waiting striker fired the ball into the roof of the net.

Full-time- Congleton 0-7 Sandbach

The result was year 7’s first defeat since joining Congleton High School, despite the scoreline you cannot fault the work ethic of CHS as they kept on fighting until the end. However, Sandbach were the stronger team and had too much for Congleton.

Mr Holmes said after the match that Sandbach definitely deserved to win as they were the “much stronger side, with many talented players” but he says that it bodes well for the future with this only Congleton’s first defeat in six games.

The under-16 girls remain Congleton’s only hope now on the national stage and they will face either Helsby High School or Ellesmore Port Catholic High School at home in the last-32. However, before that they face Eaton Bank at home this Friday in the Cheshire Cup.

Written by Adam Bailey