North East Leeds U-11s 4
Garforth Rangers A 3

This friendly game provided North East Leeds U-11s with an opportunity to prove what they can achieve against top flight opposition.

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It allowed us to give those players who have trained all year and been unable to play due to age restrictions the chance to display what they can do for us next season.

On both counts it was a successful day and the players should be
extremely proud of their performance.

We started excellently and dominated possession from the off but just couldn't convert the half chances we were creating and against the run of play Garforth caught us on the counter with a swift break resulting in a cool finish. We pushed on straight away but once more we were caught out too high up the pitch and remarkably found ourselves 2-0 down on seven minutes.

We knew we were capable of getting back into the game and within two minutes we pulled a deserved goal back with a typically good finish from Markel after a quick free kick from Stephen put him clean through. We held the lying share of the possession and the passing was as good as we have seen all year. We should have been awarded a penalty on 18 minutes, as clear cut as you will ever see but the referee waved play on. From the resulting corner a flick was cleared off the line and we just couldn't get the equaliser. On 21 minutes, we conceded once more after a good move down the left from Garforth and a good finish.

We went in 3-1 down at half time but the players were assured if they carried on as they were we would get a result which proved to be the case.

Four minutes into the second half we pulled one back through Lawrence who followed in well at the back post and tapped home and four minutes later scored his second after some superb dribbling and skill from Taf who then shot only for it to hit the cross bar and Lawrence to head in the rebound.

We looked the most likely to get the winner and once again had several glimpses at goal but we were grateful to Jay (who came on for Trust in goal) for making a crucial save in a one-on-one situation. On 53 minutes we scored the winner with a goal worthy of winning any game, scored by Markel who shot high into the net from distance chipping the Garforth goalkeeper.

We should really have added a few more goals from then on but it wasn't to be and in the end made no difference to what was a superb, hard working performance as good as we have seen this season. We have developed at an unbelievable rate this season as we have shown in the last couple of games against the now, champions of our league and today against first division opposition. Well done lads!

The squad: Trust Ncube, Dom Roberto, Billy Clarke, Jay Yaffe, Stephen Carr, Aiden Yaffe, Josh Baggott, Lawrence Roberts, Taff Mumbanya, Markel Henry, James Baggott, Oliver Batley, Michael Chukwu, Declan Denison