Vital Leeds: Oakwood Batter Barca!

The Oakwood Owls have notched up yet another victory in the Soccer City U15 Premiership campaign with a fine 8-2 win over 6th placed Barca Athletic.

Match Report
Barca began the match above the Owls in the table, however a solid defence kept Barca’s lively forwards to one goal, before strikers Kinghorn and Rodley hit them early doors in a 4 goal, 4 minute blitz. A stunned opposition were made to pay again in the 11th minute, when Oakwood caught on them with a swift counter attack. Kinghorn completing an early hat trick with a first time finish following after a quick pivot turn in front of goal to make it 5-1.

Our opponents then resorted to a physical game from here on, with 5 double quick substitutions (even though the rules only allowed a maximum 3!) and the Owls were forced to battle out the final 14 minutes under intimidation and over the top physical challenges.

Barca reduced the arrears on 17, when a lapse of concentration allowed an easy finish for their main striker. Owls vice captain and defender Coldwell then went on a mazy dribbling run to fire an unstoppable shot past Barca keeper, beating him all ends up with his fantastic finish to make it 6-2 Owls.

In the final minutes Owino linked well with Rodley, who threaded a brilliant through pass to Kinghorn. The move again managed to rip Barca’s defence apart, with Rodley scoring a virtuoso goal to end the contest. A last minute flurry saw the Owls on the scoresheet once more, with Owino hitting a left driven thunderbolt from his own half to make a final score of Barca 2 Owls 8. The win moves Owls up to a respectable 4th in the table, with 5 games to go.

Manager Rod Christopher views on the game:

''The boys are playing with loads of confidence right now and it's all very much a team effort. All of them know each others main strengths and weaknesses on the field and all we do is try to play to it. This knowledge can only help us as a unit. Our goalkeeper is currently on trial at Newcastle and Everton, but the whole team is playing some great stuff in front of him.

I'm watching some high quality stuff from our boys and a lot of the time we are being forced to put up with over physical games due to our talented squad. Our opponents now see us as a massive scalp to be had.

However, I'd like us to get more wins here and finish as high as we can and it's not impossible for us to end this campaign in the top 3, so we will go for it full throttle from here on. Given that we began the season 12 points adrift of all of the others, 3rd place would be a thrilling achievement for us in our very first season''

Squad Vs Barca Athletic

1. Leader 2. Coldwell 3. Owino 4. Kinghorn 5. Rodley (Capt)

Man of the matches; Leader and Kinghorn

For more information on the Oakwood Owls, visit www.oakwoodowls.leedslearning.org/

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