This entertaining and captivating cup final always seemed destined to be decided in dramatic fashion – and Cory Bent’s extra-time winner for Lancashire ensured that was the case.
Both sides had put themselves in the driving seat, only to be pegged back, until Lancashire subtitute Bent produced a late strike to stun Suffolk and make it 3-2 with three minutes remaining.
Suffolk 2-3 Lancashire (AET)
FA County Youth Cup Final
Portman Road, Ipswich
Saturday 26 April 2014
Portman Road appeared the ideal venue for Suffolk who had won two of their three previous County Youth Cup Finals – in 2005 and 2008 – at the home of Championship club Ipswich.
However, they were up against a Lancashire outfit no strangers to finals themselves, having appeared in six and won four during the 70-year history of this competition.
It was the Under-18s from Suffolk who began the stronger and most of the early play was being conducted in the Lancashire half as the visitors took time to settle.
Harrison Ford, left, celebrates his opening goal with Suffolk team-mate Brendan Heath
Suffolk took an early lead after just five minutes when Harrison Ford showed a few touches Indiana Jones would have been proud of as he deceived his marker and fired past Marcus Burgess.
Lancashire remained on the back foot as a confident Suffolk continued to push forward, but the youngsters from the north-west showed good fighting spirit and were almost back on level terms.
Joel Khambay’s goal-bound shot was blocked bravely by Tevan Allen and when the ball came back into the box Khambay headed narrowly wide from six yards.
Those two, quickfire chances gave Lancs a boost and they went close to an equaliser moments later when Joe Noblet’s shot was deflected by Stefano Mallardo on to the Suffolk bar.
James Crisell fired over for Suffolk midway through the first half just before the first controversial moment of the game occurred.
Suffolk keeper James Bradbrook came rushing out of his goal and, in his attempt to clear a through ball, sent Jack Williams flying. It was a clear free kick but to Bradbrook’s relief the resulting card was yellow, not red.
Suffolk's Cameron Ward, right, attempts to keep Lancashire left-back Jake Higham in check
The writing was on the wall though for Suffolk as Lancashire found an equaliser after half an hour, and it was their diminutive centre-forward Williams who finally got his just reward.
Left-back Jack Higham's mazy and imaginative was concluded with a telling cross which Williams turned home in a poacher’s style of which Luis Suarez would have been proud.
Suffolk were back in the contest just after the hour mark when Sam Thrower, just on as a 60th-minute replacement for Ford, headed home the equaliser with virtually his first touch of the game.
Mallardo and Cameron Ward both went close in successive attacks as Suffolk went all-out for a potential winner, and Suffolk’s Jack Newman was brilliantly denied by Burgess in the Lancashire goal.
A last ditch-tackle by Ben Hope stopped Bent in his tracks, and Bradbrook saved well from Higham – a definite star in the making – as extra-time loomed.
Tired legs, and minds, began to affect the quality of the play, although Regan Linney almost produced a moment of magic that could have settled the tie, firing narrowly wide.
Lancashire finished the stronger of two excellent teams and when skipper Joe Noblet’s cross was poorly dealt with by the Suffolk defence, Bent poked the ball home off the post with minutes to go.
Suffolk: Bradbrook, West (Newman, 48), Mallardo, Heath, Hope, Carver, Ford (Thrower, 60; Kemp, 84), Crisell, Ward, Howell, Allen.
Goals: Ford 5, Thrower 58.
Lancashire: Burgess, Cooke, Higham, Southwell, Noblet, Williams Benjamin, Smith (Bent, 75), Khambay (Hartley, 65; Hutton, 85), Linney.
Goals: Williams 30, Khambay 38, Bent 117.
Referee Kevin Johnson (Somerset FA)
