Oundle Town U18 3 – 1 Bourne Town u18
A cup quarter final with the two highest positioned teams in the leagues coming together with the eventual winner becoming slight favorite for the title, but this is cup football and as this tie showed upsets can happen.
Bourne came into the game unbeaten throughout the season, unbeaten in 8 in the league with a couple of cup wins to go with it they came into the game clear favorites against an Oundle side with huge talent but struggling for consistency.
The match began quite frantically with both sides enjoying spells of possession and the occasional half chance on goal, the evenly matched start seemed to give Oundle the confidence they needed to take the game to Bourne and put them on the back foot for the opening 25 minutes.
Then came the eventual sucker punch, after a poor corner the ball was picked up on the side of the 6 yard box before the Bourne player on the turn left footed sent a lofted cross come shot across goal.
The acute angle and surprise of the shot seemed to take Oundle players, especially the goal keeper by surprise as It dropped into the far corner.
Oundle 0 – 1 Bourne.
It wasn’t long however before the home side reacted, spurred on from the confidence they had built before hand they fashioned a chance down the right-hand side and after two attempts Sam Greenhalgh slotted past the keeper.
Oundle 1-1 Bourne.
This goal seemingly having the opposite effect on Bourne who seemed to lose focus for the next 10 minutes gave Oundle more possession of the ball in the opposition half. Some neat combination play led to a free kick just inside the Bourne half, looping up into the air held up by the days strong wind, Charley Hockey Oundle’s strong number 9 (who for some reason wears 2) rose above everyone to head into the bottom corner.
Oundle 2-1
Half time came at the right time for the away side who took the time to reorganise and refocus their efforts. Oundle potentially conscious of the fact they had something to hold on too started to play deeper and found themselves defending for the majority of the second half.
Until a fast counter attack from a Bourne attack that had committed many players forward found Hockey who released Freddie Davies into the left channel, entering the box he opened his body slotting the ball underneath the keeper.
FT Oundle 3 – 1
A great achievement by all involved and we look forward to welcoming Glinton Northborough to Station Road this Sunday 2pm kick off.