Thursday 5th September 2024 | Buckhurst Hill U18’s 4-3 Woodford Town U18’s | FA Youth Cup | Attendance : 132
By Harry Biggs.
‘History is made tonight’, those were the words of club Chairman Simon Cornwall as Buckhurst Hill are through to the First Qualifying Round of The FA Youth Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
A strong side was picked by Kev Molan & Mark Profeti with a mix of U18’s and younger being selected including some who have already been given a chance by Mark Williams in The Stags’ fist team with Harrison Lamb and Alfie Paddington being available to start.
Onto the game now and The Stags started well as they dominated possession with their Roding rivals Woodford Town struggling to get a touch on the ball but looked dangerous on the counter attack when the ball was theirs.
It took 8 minutes for a proper chance to appear as Stags keeper Hill was seen off his line and a Woodford player looked to capitalize on this as his shot fired against the crossbar from the halfway line.
5 minutes later, Buckhurst Hill picked the ball up from the back and created a brilliant attacking move and eventually the ball would find it’s way into the net but the referee disallowed The Stags opener for offside.
It took only a minute after for the deadlock to be broken as Lamb was given too much space and was able to glide through the Woodford defense and have a shot at goal which would end up going in to give The Young Stags a 1-0 advantage.
The Stags were given a few more chances before they made it 2-0 as Paddington made a brilliant run to receive the ball and released a pass to Lamb but his shot was blocked by a Woodford defender.
Buckhurst Hill would then make it 2-0 just after the half an hour mark as Lamb again was given too much space out on the wing and went onto beat two Woodford defenders and then pass the ball to Illett who calmly finished a shot into the bottom corner of the visitors net.
The visitors would go onto grab one back before half time at the 35th minute mark. Hill would then go onto make a brilliant save to deny a Woodford equalizer before the break as they tipped a Woodford shot onto the crossbar.
The Stags would then make it 3-1 two minutes into the second half as Lamb strikes a brilliant effort into the Woodford goal from outside of the box. Buckhurst Hill nearly made it 4-1 5 minutes later after a fantastic chance was somehow saved by the Woodford keeper.
Woodford went searching for a goal to get them back into the game but Edmans was there to stop a promising attack for the visitors and put the ball out for a corner. The Stags would then grab a fourth as Alfie Paddington gave Buckhurst Hill a three goal advantage inside 64 minutes.
It ended in a nervous last ten minutes for The Stags as the visitors grabbed two goals back in the space of 5 minutes. Woodford had one last chance as a ball was launched into a crowded penalty area and the cross met the head of a Woodford shirt at the back post who’s header was saved magnificently by Hill to win The Stags the game.
