LONGCROFT LIONS became the first team to defeat YMCA Under 12s this season when they gained a narrow 1-0 win at Laund Hill.
The crowd, which was around 160 due to spectators and players waiting for the next game to start, were treated to a superb display of attacking football.
Few felt the Lions had much of a chance as they were up against the odds by facing a side top of Division I with a 100% record to protect.
The Lions, meanwhile, had won three and drawn two of their opening seven games and, despite getting the best of the early encounters, there was nothing to suggest an upset was on the cards.
A series of corners led to nothing as the Lions pressured, but YMCA looked confident and, when Luke Hill skimmed the top of the Lions’ bar and Cephas Turibamwe went close on a couple of occasions, it seemed just a matter of time before the home side found the back of the net.
Lions man-of-the-match Fazal Abbas worked hard in midfield and carved out a couple of openings for the visitors, but nothing was getting past defenders Lloyd Collinson and Daniel Holmes, while keeper Tom Stewart was tested only when Abbas let loose a 20-yard shot just before the break.
YMCA were surprisingly slow out of the blocks as the second half got under way but, although the Lions were enjoying a lot of possession, they were still unable to carve out any clear-cut chances and, as the game entered the last 15 minutes, it looked as though the Lions might be made to regret their missed opportunities as midfielders Matthew Wensley, Daniel Holmes and Turibamwe took control for YMCA.
Once again YMCA were threatening to break the deadlock at any moment as Hill fired over from 15 yards before Turibamwe forced a brilliant save from Lions’ reliable keeper Matthew Burns.
With the minutes ticking away, Luke Hill looked certain to score as he flung himself at a Turibamwe cross, but the header flew just wide, and it was from the goal kick that Lions finally made the break that led to the winning goal.
A hopeful clearance from midfield deceived keeper Stewart and Jordan Floyd, who ran half the length of the field, grabbed what proved to be the winning goal.
There’s no doubt YMCA will still be somewhere near the top at the end of the season but, on this display, Longcroft Lions will have a big say in the title race.
