Thorley Manor Football Club round-up: Under-8 White, Grey and Black acquit themselves well on tournament debuts
Thorley Manor FC’s U8 White and U8 Grey sides performed brilliantly on their tournament debuts in Melbourn, South Cambridgeshire.
Playing teams from divisions above them, both Stortford sides did well to progress from the league phase to the knockout stage.
Grey played some great football and forced their opponents to a penalty shootout, which they unfortunately lost.
White made it to the semi final where they were narrowly beaten. Both teams gave a great account of themselves.
Thorley Manor U8 Black played in their first summer tournament at Biggleswade Town FC and reached the semi final by coming second in the group stages.
The team and parents showed great togetherness, which gave the boys confidence to do so well.
U10 Orange wrapped up the season with an outstanding performance from start to finish in a fantastic final game against Baldock U10 Crusaders.
Jackson led the charge with a hat-trick, supported by two impressive goals from Ralph and contributions from Owen and Henry.
The entire squad played with energy, focus and a real sense of unity, creating a memorable send-off for the season. It was a game filled with skilful play, great teamwork and plenty of moments to celebrate.
A fast-paced first half saw Reuben curl in a brilliant free kick for U11 Blacks against SSFC U11 Eagles. Jack added two more: one from a corner and the other after a smart run onto a throw-in.
The opposition replied with a questionable penalty, but the Thorley Manor boys stayed focused.
The second half turned physical, but the team kept their cool. Player of the match was shared between Zayd, for his solid defensive work, and Jake, for relentless running and strong link-up play.
U14 Orange faced Bury Rangers U14 Black in a competitive double header.
The first match ended in a hard-fought 2-1 win, with well-taken goals from Billy and Rex securing the victory.
The second game was more frustrating. Thorley Manor led for most of the match, only to be denied all three points by a last-minute Bury equaliser, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
