The FA County Youth Cup
The Final
3pm, Saturday 19 April 2008
Portman Road, Ipswich Town FC
Suffolk's youngsters made up for losing The 2007 FA County Youth Cup Final on penalties by winning the competition for the second time in four years after defeating Cambridgeshire 2-1 in a pulsating encounter at Portman Road.
Goalkeeper Tom Ross was the hero for Suffolk, pulling off a string of top-class saves in a second half which saw Cambridgeshire virtually camped in the Suffolk half.
The game could not have started differently, however, as Suffolk raced into an early two-goal lead. Luke Read took advantage of some indecision in the Cambridgeshire box after just four minutes when he pounced on a loose ball following a corner to stab home from close range.
The lead was doubled after 16 minutes when a left-footed shot from outside the box by Ben Garnham was deflected past the unfortunate Cambridgeshire 'keeper Sam Beagle.
However, Cambridgeshire pulled a goal back just two minutes later through Adam Marriott, whose half-volley from eight yards followed a corner.
They were unlucky not to go into the break on level terms after some great work from Ross denied them a second goal on numerous occasions. The Suffolk 'keeper thwarted the lively Marriott three times before pulling off a world-class save from a Deiers Wixon header to maintain his side's lead.
If anything, Ross performed even better after the break, with at least five saves right out of the top drawer. The best of these denied Marriott again when his header looked to have levelled matters five minutes from time before Ross' right hand somehow palmed the ball away for a corner.
When Cambridgeshire did finally beat the Suffolk stopper on 75 minutes, the goal was ruled out for handball by the luckless Marriott.
Cambridgeshire can count themselves hard done-by after dominating a game in which they could not find a way past Suffolk's heroic 'keeper.
Both Suffolk and Cambridgeshire are still going strong in this season's competition. The holders will travel to Worcestershire on 3 January for a Third Round tie, while Cambridgeshire will host Wiltshire on 17 January in a Fourth Round encounter.
