U12 Knockout Cup, Round 3:  10th December 2006
Comberton Crusaders  5 – 6  Cherry Hinton Lions B
 
Wow! What a pulsating game – undoubtedly the most thrilling of the season. Having gone 0-3 down to Cherry Hinton Lions B, current runaway leaders of Division C, Crusaders fought back to 5-5 with tremendous determination and some superb passages of play, only to be edged out 6-5 by a late winner.
 
Crusaders lined up without two regulars in TomB and CT, knowing that their opponents had been sweeping all before them in Division C. Nevertheless, Crusaders were in no mood to be overawed, and successfully resisted the early pressure from the visitors. First Teddy and Paul were called into action, with Harry also coming out to catch a high ball, and in attack it was a similar battle as Callum and Huw had to work hard to create space on the flanks. It was Crusaders, however, who went closest in the opening exchanges when Huw’s cross found SamB with space to shoot, his blocked effort rebounding for Joe to volley just wide.
 
With Cherry Hinton continuing to press forward both SamH and Paul showed pace and determination to dispossess their attacker, but some uncharacteristically static defending then allowed the visitors to get in behind and score with a rising drive to go 0-1 up. More Cherry Hinton pressure drew brave blocks from Teddy and James, and Crusaders responded with Huw and SamH combining to send Callum on a weaving run for a shot that was saved. The visitors then showed again how it should be done, their sweeping right-flank move encouraged when Crusaders stood off, leaving Harry exposed to a powerful shot that dipped under the bar to double the lead. Prospects soon looked even bleaker for Crusaders when a buoyant Cherry Hinton attacker made it 0-3 with a speculative punt, the goalmouth mud hindering Harry in his attempts to get across to the ball before it crossed the line.
 
At this point Charlie came on for Peter up front, and Crusaders mounted a swift attack when Callum sent Joe running in to round the keeper before the offside whistle intervened. Huw then battled with two defenders to win a corner that was headed clear, but James knocked the loose ball back in for Joe and Callum to combine, the latter’s cross finding Huw with enough space to drill a left-footed cross shot inside the far post. With Crusaders back in the game at 1-3 Alex came on for SamH, and the hosts continued their fightback with Joe sweeping the ball wide to Alex for Huw to shoot wide, and Alex volleying powerfully at the keeper after good work from Charlie and James. Crusaders deserved a second goal, and just on half-time Joe released Callum to fire a dipping shot against the bar before Joe himself collected the rebound and fired home from twelve yards to make it 2-3.
 
At the break the only change was SamH replacing SamB, and when play resumed Crusaders made the initial foray but were soon on the defensive as Huw tracked back to concede a corner. Cherry Hinton swung the ball in dangerously, and Crusaders were guilty of ball-watching as the visitors bundled it over the line to restore their two-goal lead. Commendably, Crusaders quickly responded by stepping up the pace, and the game then witnessed one of the most devastating attacks this reporter has ever seen. It started in defence when Paul picked up the ball in the left back position, stepping effortlessly outside his man to find Callum further up the left touchline. The winger quickly weaved outside one tackle and inside the next before threading the ball forward into Joe’s path, the onrushing striker controlling and flicking the ball ahead in one movement for strike partner Charlie to outsprint the last defender and slot coolly past the advancing keeper. Absolutely brilliant!
 
As can sometimes happen, however, the sublime was followed by the ridiculous as Crusaders, seemingly dazzled by their own play, were too slow to cover the next Cherry Hinton attack and let in a soft goal to go two behind for the third time. However, Crusaders were to respond yet again, with Joe receiving a pass from SamH on the turn and executing a perfectly weighted chip over the tight defensive line for Charlie to race through and rifle into the far corner to make it 4-5. Crusaders could have been punished yet again had it not been for two great saves by Harry, the second sliding in bravely at the feet of a Cherry Hinton attacker who hardly knew what hit him. More defending by Huw and SamH kept the margin to a single goal, and Crusaders then stunned the visitors with a breakaway equaliser from a throw-in close to the corner flag. First Joe collected the ball and dribbled into the area before cutting a ball back which the keeper failed to intercept, presenting Charlie with the scoring opportunity which he duly lashed home for a well-deserved hat-trick.
 
With Crusaders back on level terms it was all hands to the defensive pumps as Cherry Hinton pressed for a winner. Paul and SamH were both tested to the full by pacy runs from midfield, and James also put in some timely blocks before Crusaders unluckily conceded the decisive goal. Already at full stretch, the Crusaders defence were caught flat-footed as the visitors swept the ball across and made inroads into the area, and despite a last-ditch slide from SamH the visiting attacker had just enough time to pick his spot, sparking wild celebrations. To Comberton’s credit they picked themselves up and went in search of another equaliser, with Jamie showing tremendous energy and similar contributions from all over the pitch as the end-to-end play continued unabated. Crusaders’ last chance fell to Peter but his snap shot from Joe’s pass flew wide, and despite ending on the losing side the only disappointment was when the final whistle brought an end to such a fantastic game.
 
Squad: Peter Atkin, Jamie Baker, James Biswell, Joe Dickens, Teddy Elbourn, Huw Gordon, Paul Hardy, Sam Hills, Harry Houghton, Callum Pinner, Charlie Wetton-Smith, Alex Willis