FA YOUTH CUP
Bashley 2 Hamworthy United 3 (aet)
Wednesday evening saw our South West Counties team take on a strong Bashley side in the FA Youth cup.
Both teams started very strongly and it took just 20 min for Bashley to have there first chance, Tom Rees saw a looping volley hit the bar then post and luckily bounce out before Jack Smith cleared.
11 minuets later the Hammers took the lead when Dean Macklin passed the ball through for Lewis Williams, once he’d out paced the the defence he confidently slid the ball past the oncoming keeper to make it 1-0.
The game stayed like that until the half time whistle with both teams finding their opposing keepers in fine form.
The second half again was started with a fast pace with Dean Macklin and Lewis Williams both going close but finding no way through.
Bashley equalized in the 50th minute when a shot was tipped onto the bar by keeper Tom Rees only to fall at the feet of their front man whose shot was just over the line.
As the final whistle approached two substitutes, Sam Lanahan and Luke Pidgley were brought on, and it took just 12 minuets for Luke Pidgley to make his mark as he slotted the home from 10 yards in the 92 minuet of extra time.
In the 95th minute, Lewis Williams was replaced by the up and coming Danny Gale.
And again it took just 5 minuets for Danny Gale to try and finish the game as he turned his marker to fire home from 10 yards to make it 3-1.
In the 100th minute of extra time the Hammers found themselves down to 10 men as Ritchie Norris was harshly sent off for two bookable offences.
As the game drew to a close Bashley applied the pressure and it paid off when they bundled home a free kick to make it 3-2.
Despite all the pressure and being down to 10 men, The Hammers stood firm as they defended with all they had.
There was huge relief when the referee blew for full time, and the Hammers celebrated going into the next round of the FA youth cup.