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Match report NMJFC Under 18s - 10 Oct 21

Writer's picture: R.OakesR.Oakes

Match report NMJFC Under 18s - 10 Oct 21 Richmond Sky’s 4-8 New Mills U18’s


After several frustrating weeks of postponements due to opponents being unable or unwilling to fulfil fixtures The Millers Under 18’s finally played their third league game of the 2021/22 season and, having lost a league game for the first time in almost two years last time out, they returned to winning ways.


Manager Chris Culkin changed the system having been responsible for the tactical change in the previous fixture that certainly contributed to the defeat, reverting to the 3-5-2 formation favoured by luminaries such as Carlos Bilardo, Louis van Gaal and Antonio Conte, who were all thrilled to be mentioned in the same sentence as The Millers boss. It was a playing system that worked so well in the second half of the Championship winning 2019/20 campaign and the players immediately settled into the contest, Jake Brooks, Nathan Lees and Harry Wyatt seizing control of the midfield while Harvey Smith and The Sicilian Incantatore Alex Capraro provided thrust out wide.


After several promising opportunities were wasted The Millers finally took the lead on 11 minutes, Brooks jinking infield from the right and firing a low left footed effort past the keeper from 25 yards out. A minute later and the lead was doubled, this time Brooks the provider playing in Frank Woodrow who blasted past the goalkeeper from just inside the area. On the quarter hour mark Brooks curled in a corner from the right and Woodrow headed home his second of the contest and The Millers were firmly in control. Kit Maddox cleverly guided a 25 yard effort past the goalkeeper on 23 minutes to make it four, before the home side battled back. A wonderful free-kick reduced the arrears on 25 minutes before a penalty just after the half hour mark sent the sides into the half time interval with The Millers lead reduced to two.


Just five minutes into the second half Woodrow smashed in from 20 yards to settle the nerves, completing his hat-trick in the process but the home side battled back again, pulling one back three minutes later. As the game neared its conclusion The Millers were finally able to put their hosts to the sword, Harvey Smith finishing cleverly after being sent clear by Lees, before he became creator a moment later his long pass dummied by Woodrow and AJ Theyer raced clear on goal to slot in his second of the season. With three minutes to go the home side pulled one back, but any hope they held was extinguished immediately as Lees curled in from 30 yards out to restore his sides four goal advantage.


Am entertaining game, many thanks to Richmond Sky’s and their coach Neil Sutton for ensuring that the game went ahead, best wishes to them for the remainder of the season. The Millers move on to face Richmond Blues next weekend with revenge on their mind, Blues of course having denied the Yellow and Blacks a league and cup double last season with their penalty shoot out victory at Poynton in late May.




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