Grantham Town Under-16s lose by the odd goal in seven in Junior Premier League Cup at Netherton United

Junior Premier League Cup Under-16

Netherton United 4

Grantham Town 3

Grantham Town U16s travelled to Netherton United in Peterborough for their latest Cup match.

Netherton have been scoring goals for fun and were known to be aggressive and direct in play. Nevertheless, Grantham coaches agreed before the game that all players who were not regular starters would start.

Playing a 3-5-2, the young Gingerbreads could not get to half time quick enough. Despite some good play, possession and broadly repelling danger, once again there were three mistakes at the back.

Netherton’s directness into half-spaces paid off with three rather sloppy goals, despite a Grantham player getting there first or having the opportunity to clear to touch.

Second half changes were made and Grantham pressed and repelled better. Guest had come on for the ever hard working Cannon who had been trialling a new role at the heart of midfield.

A defensive headed clearance from Keeley and Guest went in head first to win the bouncing ball. Unfortunately, Yakuba from Netherton went in with a high foot, catching Guest in the head and shoulders. Guest came off rightly so to be seen too, while Yakuba was shown a straight red.

With the young Gingerbreads already playing better, Clements and Lewis dragged the team up the field further as the minutes ate away. Guest came back on and swung a corner in that found Keeley for a bullet header and 3-1; game on.

Grantham quickly won possession back through Kane and Lewis from the restart and Johnson and Redgate combined down the right, with Redgate crossing the ball to the feet of Wilkerson to tap in for 3-2.

Grantham realised the game was for the taking and pressed and stole again. Good speedy build-up play between Stevens, Price and Clements ended up with a parried shot which fell into the path of Gray who slotted home to level.

Varcianna had been yellow carded in the first half and was struggling with unfair decisions against him and so he was taken off to reset. With Netherton now throwing the kitchen sink at Town, Thornley who had done a solid job tweaked a thigh muscle.

Varcianna, Price and Kane were sent on to sure up defence and the excellent Poole was pushed slightly higher up the left side. Poole had done an excellent job at left back and his defensive contribution had been one of the key reasons Grantham had performed well down the left flank.

Town’s aim was to finish the game quickly and despite another half dozen chances by Wilkerson, Redgate, Price, Stevens, none of them found the net.

So it was inevitable that with three minutes to go, Grantham pressing high up the pitch that a simple break, two-on-two, occurred.

It seemed that Varcianna had the pace to match their forward and was forcing him towards the corner flag when he stretched to tackle and a penalty was awarded, tucked away by Netherton to steal the victory at the death.

Both teams complemented each other after a game that should really have ended all square.

This weekend the young Gingerbreads travel to King’s Lynn for their penultimate Cup match.