Westend Lions were grateful for the 3G all-weather pitch at Salendine Nook High as they avoided a postponement and beat Ilkley Town 4-0 in the Under 12 West Riding County Shield.
The Harrogate Junior League First Division side started the game as brightly as the sunshine and Westend found themselves camped in their own half for the first 10 minutes but, despite the pressure, some fine defending from Harry Martin, Ben Mellor, James North and the excellent Kye Cockburn left keeper Tom Haseldine with little to do.
Westend finally began to get a share of the ball and Callum Durrans went close, but his powerful shot was finger-tipped around a post by the Ilkley keeper and Alfie Westwood then saw a close range shot bravely headed off the line by a defender.
Liam Farrell was now beginning to cause the visitors problems with some strong running on the right, and it was a Farrell cross that gave Thomas Brook time to find Alfie Westwood who drilled a shot into the bottom corner to give Westend a slightly surprising lead after 15 minutes.
The goal marked a turning point in the game and the Lions doubled their advantage within a minute when, with the Ilkley defence at sixes and sevens, Marcus Mangoro guided a pass across the penalty area to Brook, who side-footed the ball into an unguarded net.
Ilkley remained a threat on the break with some clever inter-passing and fast forwards but, again, the Lions defence stood firm.
A third goal arrived after 20 minutes when Mellor’s defence-splitting pass found the speedy Mangoro, who slid the ball under the despairing keeper to leave Westend with a very comfortable 3-0 lead.
Despite winning a series of corners the visitors were unable to force a shot on goal while, at the other end, Jarrel Quashie’s pace and skill opened a chance for Westwood, but the midfielder was unlucky to see his header crash against the bar.
Ilkley’s best chance of the game arrived just before the break but, unfortunately for the visitors, the striker’s header was straight at keeper Haseldine.
Westend re-started the game with confidence and Westwood was again unlucky with a shot from a Mangoro cross.
In an effort to get back into the game, Ilkley’s commitment to attack inevitably left them exposed at the back and Mangoro was happy to take full advantage of the extra space with a powerful run and shot that ended in the bottom corner to seal a fine victory.
The score fails to reflect the big part that Ilkley played in a fast free-flowing game, however the fact that keeper Haseldine had only one stop to make was the difference. Westend’s reward is another home tie against either Albion Sports or Bingley.
