More cup final cheer for Havering’s under-12 boys squad

Havering’s U12 district squad celebrated a second cup win in two years at Aveley’s Parkside ground.

They finished their league campaign as runners-up to Redbridge after a 3-3 draw with Chelmsford & Mid-Essex at Noak Hill, thanks to goals from Joe Hurrell, Reggie Mudd and Jack Barry.

And that set up Dale Drury and Nick Mulholland’s side for a semi-final against Thurrock, which they won 5-0 thanks to doubles from Lewis Bishop and Archie Sykes and another goal from Albie Yates.

Chelmsford & Mid-Essex beat Redbridge 2-1 after a last-minute goal in the other semi-final to set up the showdown at Aveley, where family and friends enjoyed the much-anticipated game.

Havering came under early pressure, but goalkeeper Lucas Flack, captain Joe Hinton, Jack Forman and Freddie Osbourne held firm, with the latter picking up a yellow card for a robust tackle.

It sparked Havering into life and Osbourne, after a driving run into the midfield, played a brilliant through ball to striker Sykes who held it up and shrugged off a defender to slot past the keeper to open the scoring.

Midfielders Hurrell, Barry and Toby Drury then took control and were constantly feeding out to the wings for Nicky Mulholland and Mudd to terrorise the defence and a second goal came when the ball was played in from right to Barry, who beat two defenders and netted with a tidy finish.

It was 3-0 a few minutes later when a cross from the left found substitute Lewis Bishop to slot home, but Chelmsford & Mid-Essex had a goal disallowed from a corner just before half-time after a foul on Flack, who had claimed the ball from the set-piece.

Havering introduced the excellent Nathan Antwi, Albie Yates and Trey McKenzie at the break, which gave them an outlet on the counter attack and led to several chances to settle the game.

Chelmsford & Mid-Essex pressed for goals but Havering’s defence soaked up the pressure and Flack never looked like conceding.

The excellent Osbourne made way for Barry to revert back to defence to finish the game and a few more rolling substitutions towards the end of the game helped Havering hold on before captain Hinton lifted the silverware.

Havering: Lucas Flack (Redden Court), Toby Drury (Coopers), Freddie Osbourne (Redden Court), Jack Forman (Royal Liberty), Joseph Hinton (Coopers), Joe Hurrell (Marshalls Park), Nathan Antwi (Coopers), Jack Barry (Emerson Park), Archie Sykes (Sanders Draper), Albie Yates (Gaynes), Nicky Mulholland (Coopers), Reggie Mudd (Emerson Park), Lewis Bishop (Redden Court), Trey McKenzie (Emerson Park), Dylan Taylor (Redden Court).