Shelley Under 16s are still striving for their first win of the season in Division I of the RCD Huddersfield Junior League – and their fortunes didn’t look any brighter when they were drawn against last year’s Under 15 champion YMCA in the Cup.
So it proved, as YMCA ran out 5-2 winners.
Shelley started brightly but they were unable to find a way past the YMCA defence of Sam Gee, Alec Jakeman, Harry Gill and Jay Littlewood, who have conceded only five goals in six league games so far.
Despite Shelley’s start, the visitors soon found their range and took the lead after 10 minutes when Tom Calvert found space on the right to fire a shot across goal that ended in the back of the net via the foot of a post. (0-1)
A second YMCA goal seemed inevitable as midfielders George Doyle and Mitchell Cummings piled on the pressure and it arrived with just 15 minutes played, when a Jonah Mellor corner from the left was turned into the net at the far post by Jay Littlewood.
Shelley began to rally and were unlucky not to pull one back when Josh Sedgewick’s pass found Fynn Nettleton free on the right, but his quickly-taken shot past the advancing keeper was inches wide.
The best move of the game ended in disappointment for YMCA when Lewis Peters’ header rebounded from a post after some excellent work from Mitchell Cummings, Louis Hepplestone and George Doyle.
Another good Shelley chance arrived on the half hour mark but Peters skewed his shot wide.
Jack Tintor, Brandon Hardy and Josh Sedgewick worked hard to hold off the visiting attack but corners and goal chances were now arriving thick and fast and Shelley found themselves three down when Frasier Beckett picked up Harry Gill’s chip over the defence to drive a fierce angled shot into the bottom corner. (0-3)
Shelley rallied again, but yet another chance slipped away when Gary Brook-Lomas fired straight into keeper Jake Moor’s arms.
YMCA looked to have settled the issue when Tom Calvert turned George Doyle’s pass into the path of Beckett, who fired home YMCA’s fourth.
Despite the scoreline, the game was far from over as Shelley started the second half with a renewed determination and when Joe Cross burst into the penalty area he was brought down by the advancing keeper. Cross picked himself up and scored from the spot to give Shelley a lifeline at 4-1 down.
And the visitors were stunned a few minutes later when Harvey White headed Tintor’s cross into the YMCA net to set up a frantic final half hour.
Peters, Tintor and Harvey White worked hard to put the YMCA defence under pressure but, despite dominating the remainder of the game, they were unable to find another goal.
With 10 minutes remaining Shelley keeper Ryan Brooke made a superb stop at the feet of Mellor but, with Shelley pressing everyone forward, the result was finally settled when Beckett
raced through to place a fine chip volley over the keeper to seal a personal hat trick.
