Highbury under 10’s ‘A’ faced a top of the table clash against Chippenham Town Youth ‘A’ with home advantage at Sutton Veny on Sunday 25th April 2010. Chippenham were second in the league with Highbury third.
The game was an excellent advert for youth football with both teams playing eye catching high quality football in the right way. Both teams displayed the benefits of excellent coaching with good shape and formations, players knowing their roles and executing their skills with confidence and commitment.
Chippenham started the stronger side, the moved the ball quickly, inviting Highbury to attack them and hitting them on the break, they created a number of decent opportunities but found Adam Clark, Thomas McFerran and Harry Guerri-Fear making important tackles or blocks to protect their goal. Highbury were being stretched and Lyndon Parmley, who continued in the home goal, made two excellent saves, one was a full length dive and he responded by quickly scrambling to his feet and throwing himself at the oncoming Chippenham player to prevent a clear goal.
Highbury started to get a foothold in the match and Luke Woods delivered a perfect corner that Louis Cole met with a powerful header only for a Chippenham defender to head clear of the line. From another corner, delivered by Liam Gibbons, Joe Hardy lost his marker and hit a superb volley on the turn which flew just over the bar. Highbury continued to push for an opening goal and Luke Woods cut in from the left wing and fired a shot that looked a certain goal only for the Chippenham keeper to manage a fine save. Chippenham remained dangerous on the break and looked to be clear on goal but as the striker shot Harry Guerri-Fear stretched and managed to get a partial block on the ball and deflect the shot narrowly wide. The game was becoming stretched and Chay Andrews worked a good position down the right wing and centred for Hardy who controlled and shot just over.
The second half started with an excellent effort from kick off by Chippenham. The ball was worked forward and laid back into space for a Chippenham player who hit a thunderous shot that skimmed the crossbar as it went over.
Highbury opened the scoring with a fine goal that showed vision and skill. Louis Cole launched a long throw into the penalty area, the ball was headed clear to the far right corner of the area where Chay Andrews hit a perfect volley, the ball bounced in front of him and he adjusted his body shape and shot with the inside of his right foot. The ball arched over the home keeper and had just enough swerve to dip and curl in, clipping the underside of the bar as it did so. It was a superb goal that left the Chippenham keeper with no chance. Highbury had upped the tempo and were now dominating play, the nearly scored a stunning second that would have been goal of the season. Highbury were defending a corner, Adam Clark blocked the ball and slipped a short pass to Louis Cole. Cole saw Hardy in space on the right wing and curled a superb pass to feet, Hardy controlled and hit a first time diagonal pass on the turn, somehow seeing Luke Woods sprinting down the left side, Woods met the ball to the left of goal some 15yards out and struck a beautiful first time shot without breaking stride. The Chippenham keeper did not even move as the ball flew past him but agonisingly it struck the inside of the post and bounced out, across the goal where Chippenham managed to clear their lines.
Highbury were dominating and creating chances however this allowed Chippenham to play an excellent counter attacking game which they exploited with skill. Twice Highbury were faced with Chippenham players running at goal however a combination of blocks, headers and last ditch tackles by McFerran, Clark and Guerri-Fear protected the Highbury goal. Chippenham nearly snatched an equaliser following a free kick some 18 yards from with an excellent shot that cleared the wall and was heading under the bar until Lyndon Parmley managed to dive backwards and tip the ball over the crossbar. Chippenham continued to pressure but Highbury defended the corner well.
Highbury had a final chance to score the when Liam Gibbons delivered a corner which was met by Louis Cole who header goal wards but just too high.
The game finished with Highbury winning 1 – 0 and taking a well deserved and hard earned victory.
Team: Liam Gibbens, Adam Clark, Chay Andrews, Harry Guerri-Fear, Luke Woods, Louis Cole, Lyndon Parmley, Thomas McFerran, Joe Hardy.