Southend land the double after Graun thriller
Southend United team celebrate after winning the WSFL Brian Cuddihy U12A Cup Final. Photos: Paul Elliott.
Southend United won a dramatic WSFL Brian Cuddihy Under 12A Cup final in what was a great spectacle for Schoolboy football with two late goals following a titanic battle against Villa to win the double at Graun Park on Saturday morning last.
The victors took up much of the early running in the contest and created the first chance with eight minutes on the clock. Aaron English laid the ball off into the path of Daniel Rakel 25-yards from goal, and he let fly with a cracking effort that seemed destine for the net, but Villa keeper Adam Sielanczyk tipped the ball around the posts.
It was route one football at its best that gave Villa the lead with their first attack two minutes later when keeper Sielanczyk played the ball long that was superbly controlled by Giovanni Annecchiarico, who in turn fed Conor McLoughlin out on the left, and he drilled a low left-footed shot to the far corner.
The league champions drew level in the final minute of the first-half when Villa keeper Adam Sielanczyk failed to clear a Daniel Rakel delivery from the right, and when the ball fell to Dale Elliott at the back post, he swept a left-footed shot back to the far corner of the net.
Villa regained their lead within a minute of the restart of the second-half when O’Loughlin got space down the left before setting up Kayden English, who in turn teed up Ethan Szeflinski, and he beat keeper James Dalton with a fine right-footed shot that found the left corner of the net.
A third goal nearly arrived for the workLAB Connors Park club on 33 minutes when Conor O’Loughlin cracked in a shot from the left-side of the penalty area, but Southend keeper Dalton produced a top save to keep his effort out.
James Dalton came to Southend’s rescue once again four minutes later when Kyle Lonergan cut in from the right-side before firing in a shot that was saved, and when the rebound fell to Kayden English, his shot was superbly blocked before Erik Moldovan had a goalbound effort deflected for a corner soon after.
As Villa tried to get a third goal to kill the game, they found the Southend netminder equal to the task on 41 minutes when Giovanni Annecchiarico got on the end of Conor McLoughlin’s left-wing cross, but Dalton saved his close-range effort with the same two players denied soon afterwards.
Southend levelled the contest against the run of play on 50 minutes despite the best efforts of Villa keeper Adam Sielanczyk. The netminder firstly kept out a stinging effort from Aaron English, and after tipping the rebound from Gabriel Korzeniowski onto the post, the full-back followed up to score.
A thrilling cup final was decided three minutes from the finish when a right-wing cross came into the area that saw the ball cleared into the path of Korzeniowski, and he gave keeper Adam Sielanczyk no chance with a close-range finish.
Liam Dooley scored a stunning third goal in second-half injury-time when he arrowed an unstoppable free-kick past the Villa keeper as his side claimed the double with Ray Cuddihy brother of the late Brian, presented the cup to a delighted Southend captain
James Dalton, Evan Walsh, Gabriel Korzeniowski, Liam Dooley, Aaron English, Daniel Rakel, Conor Douglas, Dale Elliott, Michael Edward O’Reilly, Colm Widger, Jack Roche, Luke Casey, Emily O’Reilly.
Adam Sielanczyk, Cuinn Carroll, Ethan Szeflinski, Giovanni Annecchiarico, Filippo Annecchiarico, Kayden English, Erik Moldovan, Conor McLoughlin, Kyle Lonergan, Harry Jackman, Tom Hearne, Ollie Hughes, Erik Sarana.
Stuart Kennedy assisted by Trystan Russell and Noel Connolly.
