Nottinghamshire U16 2 v 1 South Yorkshire U16
Nottinghamshire Under 16 Boys representative squad extended their excellent run in the ESFA Inter County national knock out competition by beating South Yorkshire at Rainworth MW FC to reach the semi-finals with a typically committed and determined display.
On an excellent pitch, considering how the snow had arrived the previous night, a very cold but still evening provided ideal conditions for the tie. South Yorkshire began the game in the same way that we have become accustomed to seeing Nottinghamshire adopt – a very high tempo and tight pressing of the opposition. This probably unsettled the home side in the early stages and it was no real surprise when the visitors took the lead on twenty one minutes with a powerful header from a corner with the Notts defence failing to pick up and mark the scorer.
Nottinghamshire forced their way back into the game and had the better of the exchanges in the last fifteen minutes of the half but still went in at the interval 1-0 down.
The second half, however, was a completely different picture with Notts back to their usual selves taking control of the game and their confidence was further boosted by the award of a penalty soon after the break. Ben Rafferty’s powerful run down the left hand touchline before cutting in to round the fullback on the byline brought a clear foul from the South Yorkshire defender and Ross McParland stepped up to lash the ball home. A second Nottinghamshire goal always looked likely and it was McParland again who forced his way into the penalty area, this time from the right and past the defender, to rifle in a fierce shot from a fairly acute angle.
South Yorkshire did not provide the same threat as they had done in the opening period and although Notts keeper Broadley did well to push a shot onto his left hand post mid way through the half and the visitors did hit the outside of the post late on, Notts held on for a deserved 2-1 victory.
They must now wait until next Monday to learn their opponents in the semi-finals.
