English Schools' Football Association

Seaton Burn v Ibstock Place School

Friday 3^rd May

Banks’s Stadium, Walsall Football Club

Seaton Burn College

Another sunny day welcomed was upon us as Walsall welcomed us back for the second of our Small Schools’ National Finals.

As the game kicked off it took only three minutes for Ibstock Place to go a goal up as Julius Fenn-Evans dashed down the left wing and crossed well for Jonathan Kemp to score with a great left footed shot into the top corner.

1-0 to Ibstock Place before the dust had barely settled.

It took Seaton Burn only five minutes to get back into the final as centre midfielder James Mcauley won the ball back from an Ibstock goal kick and drove forward to hit a long shot into the bottom corner past Will Harned and get the Seaton Burn crowd up out of their seats!

1-1 with less than ten minutes played, what a great start to the final!

Seaton Burn continued to press on and looked to control the game further, with another breakthrough coming five minutes later, as Ben Noble took a corner from the left hand side of the pitch which tall centre back Joe Wilson got up highest and headed into the back of the net to put the boys in orange 2-1 ahead in a whirlwind start to the game.

The tempo of the game was high as both sides aimed to gain control of the ball and move it around the pitch at Banks’;s Stadium. Seaton Burn looked to use their physical dominance to control the midfield as Ibstock Place were spurred on by their supporters and looked dangerous with their pace and skill.

On the thirty minute mark Ben Noble of Seaton Burn laid the ball off for Josh Cullen who took a touch and rifled an unstoppable shot into the top right stanchion to put them securely in a 3-1 lead.

The last piece of action which could have seen the game over by half time came as Nathan Jeffrey waltzed through the Ibstock defence and flicked the ball over the Goalkeeper only for Max Cove to brilliantly clear off the line with a superb last ditch clearance.

3-1 to Seaton Burn at half time with Ibstock place struggling to control the ball through the midfield.

As the second half kicked off Toby Weston carried the fight for Ibstock Place and had the first goal-scoring opportunity, although his shot was forced wide.

James McCauley and Ben Noble have been the star performers thus far today, really controlling the centre of the park for Seaton Burn. Scott Beattie also added the creative spark for the oranges as he worked behind the front two to help create opportunities.

As time ticked on and we entered the last ten minutes of the game IPS goal-scorer Fenn Evans continued to work hard but couldn’t make use of the opportunities that presented themselves as he was closed down very quickly by Seaton Burn.

Nick Burchell also had a strong game for Ibstock Place at the back after coming on as a substitute making some strong tackles and looking solid whilst trying to launch counter attacks for his school.

The game fizzled out as neither school could force any further chances and the game finished 3-1 to Season Burn crowning them National Champions.

Seaton Burn perhaps won the game in midfield where they controlled the ball better, but Ibstock Place worked hard to create chances for themselves but perhaps didn’t quite have the luck they needed to get themselves back into this game.

Congratulations to both teams for taking part, we hope to see you next year!

Squads:

Seaton Burn; M Parker, J Shanley, J McCauley, Les McCauley, J Wilson, B Clark, C Reid, B Noble, N Jeffrey, S Beattie, J Cullen, L Betts, C Robson, L Taylor, L Sutherland, N Calvert.

Ibatock Place: W Harned, M Cove, G Jago, H Sempers, C Rattigan, A Smirnov, T Weston, T Bradley, J Fenn-Evans, J Kemp, K Addison-Abe, N Burchell, J Ballard, A Capel, R Jones.

Photos provided via RWT Photography