WORCESTER RAIDERS U13S 2,

NEWTOWN SPORTS JUNIORS U13S 9

NEWTOWN Sports Juniors U13s eased into the semi-finals of the Trophy World U13 Cup with this comfortable victory.

The referee just passed the pitch as playable with large pools and plenty of surface water that would only negate the Juniors pass and move football. With the match under way Juniors had to adapt to the conditions and played a more direct style but found the Raiders goalkeeper in inspired form as he denied all attempts. He was however powerless in the tenth minute when beating out a Turner shot the ball fell to Rock who rolled it home. Still Juniors pressed but resolute defending and glaring misses from the Junior forwards kept the score down.

It took some fine opportunism from Bannister to double the lead. Once more the keeper made a fine save but Bannister fired the rebound home. Raiders continued to defend in numbers but a three goal salvo just before half-time saw the Juniors dominance reap rewards. Bannister swept home from a Turner cross and then volleyed past the keeper to make it four. Rock notched his side's fifth with a well-placed drive.

The second-half started in the same vein and the Raiders' keeper was forced to leave the field with an arm injury. His replacement was soon in action but powerless to prevent Turner poaching his team's sixth and when Parker beat all with an astute pass he rolled in the seventh. Rock then completed a fine hat-trick with a fizzing drive in off the post only for Turner to repeat the feat moments later to score a ninth.

Raiders never gave up and were awarded a penalty that Jones converted. This spurred the Raiders into a spell of attacking football, Freeman made a fine save but from the resultant corner Juniors had several chances to clear but Shepherd made the most of the space around him to score a second. It was too little too late for the Raiders and the Juniors were comfortably through to the last four.

Man-of-the-match was Matthew Turner.