5th April Div. One
Canterbury Youth 7 – 1
Dover Rangers
Four, second half goals from Callum Hooper helped Canterbury Youth to a 7-1 win against Dover Rangers in the last game of the season for both teams.
The convincing final score failed to tell the whole story of the match, with a lacklustre
Canterbury performance in the first half giving the visitors the lead at the break.
Canterbury had the better possession early on but failed to test the
Dover keeper until the twenty-fifth minute with an easily saved shot. Will Chivers delivered a telling cross on the half hour, but the home side failed to capitalise.
Dover opened the scoring shortly after against the run of play, Wes Miller in the
Canterbury goal making a good first save but
Dover followed up quickly to tap in the loose ball.
Canterbury looked a different side in the second half, Dumo Mabhula scoring within three minutes of the restart to level the match. From that point the floodgates opened and Hooper scored his first from a flowing
Canterbury move to put the home side in front. Three minutes later, Hooper scored again from a fine Chivers cross.
Canterbury were in total control when Hooper scored his hat-trick, connecting with a Chris Wyver cross from the right to give the home side a 4-1 lead.
Dover had spells of attacking play but the
Canterbury defence held firm throughout the second half, Kane Smith, Dan Picton and Tom Bines all battling hard against the
Dover forwards. Smith, providing a long ball forward found Jack North who put Hooper through again to score his fourth with ten minutes to go.
Canterbury still had time to score two more before the end, the first coming from another Wyver cross. Mabhula touched on for Hooper who in turn passed to North for an easy tap in. North scored his second in the last minute of the game to give
Canterbury a deserved victory.
Team: Wes Miller, Dan Picton, James Whitaker, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, Sam Gransden, Chris Wyver, Jack North, Will Chivers, Callum Hooper, Elliot Bensted, Dumo Mabhula, Oli Braddy
16th March Under 12
Charles
Ridge Memorial Cup Semi-Final
Canterbury Youth 3 – 6 Ashford Borough
Canterbury Youth matched cup favourites Ashford Borough for 35 minutes and went in two all and quite rightly so having played some good attacking football and had a good amount of possession in the Ashford half. The two Canterbury goals coming courtesy of an own goal when a defender diverted a Jack North corner into his own net and right on half time a stunning 35 yard drive from Sam Gransden. You would have thought that
Canterbury would come out for the second half with their tails up having scored right before the break but it was Ashford who scored two goals in the first five minutes to take the upper hand which they never really relinquished despite
Canterbury making a real good effort to break them down. By now the conditions the elements were also in Ashford’s favour with the wind switching around and blowing the rain down the pitch into the valiant
Canterbury team who huffed and puffed but could not break down the Ashford defence. Ashford scored again ten minuets before the end before
Canterbury gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Elliot Bensted curled home a lovely curling shot from mid area but Ashford had the final say with another goal right at the end. It was a good game well refereed by Mark Graves and played in a very good spirit despite the appalling weather and Ashford Borough deservedly go through to the cup final for what could prove to be a league and cup double. Canterbury would probably have beaten pretty much any other team but Ashford proved too quick and strong particularly their forward players and Canterbury failed to deal with them for enough of the game however the team should be proud of themselves having made it through to a cup semi-final for the second year on the trot perhaps next season we could go one stage further!
Team: Wes Miller, Dan, Picton, Kane Smith, Tom Bines, Chris Wyver, Sam Gransden, Jack North, Elliot Bensted, Callum Hooper, Toby Vaughan, Jack Sandham, Dumo Mabhula, Will Chivers,
William Annoot.
9th March Div One Tyler Hill 3 – 2
Canterbury Youth
Another excellent performance from Canterbury Youth which sadly ended in defeat with Tyler Hill scoring from virtually the last kick of the match with both sides going all out for a win. Canterbury had dominated large periods of the second half and most surely look back on what might have been, there is a very fine dividing line in football between success and failure and luck is supposed to even itself out, I can only imagine we must be going to get lots of good luck at some stage! Canterbury Youth’s goals came from Callum Hooper and Elliot Bensted.
2nd March Div One
Canterbury Youth 4 – 1 Whitstable Youth
Another excellent performance from Canterbury Youth who were much the sharper side for the vast bulk of this match to comfortably defeat local rivals Whitstable 4-1. Canterbury were more determined in the challenge and carried much more threat going forward constantly probing for an opening and creating many more chances than Whitstable. The first Canterbury Youth goal came on 8 minutes when Callum Hooper again beat his man on the left flank raced down the touchline and crossed the ball which hit the bar and bounced down invitingly for Will Chivers to pass home from 3 metres out.
Canterbury continued to pile on the pressure and were rewarded with a second goal on 20 minutes when a Jack North corner was not cleared by Whitstable a melee ensured and Kane Smith crashed the ball home from 9 metres. Whitstable clearly sensed they needed to up their game but did not greatly trouble the Canterbury goal until just before half-time when they applied a little pressure that was ably dealt with by the Canterbury back-line of Gransden, Smith, Bines and Picton.
The second half followed much the same pattern with Canterbury first in most challenges and it was no surprise when they scored a third this one a beautifully worked move all the way from the back with Chris Wyver playing the ball to Jack Sandham whose first time pass to Toby Vaughan was controlled in one move before an inch perfect defence splitting through ball was played into Callum Hooper’s path and he neatly shot home. Then three minutes later the game was up as
Canterbury scored their fourth goal with a long pass from Tom Bines from defence by passing the Whitstable side to free Hooper who calmly lobbed the keeper from just outside the penalty box.
Canterbury switched off for a short period and allowed Whitstable a consolation goal in the 57th minute but that was all they would get as
Canterbury once more regained their concentration and pushed for more goals only to be thwarted by some good defending and goal keeping from the Whitstable team.
Team: Wes Miller, Kane Smith, Tom Bines, Chris Wyver, Sam Gransden, Jack North, Elliot Bensted, Callum Hooper, Toby Vaughan, Jack Sandham, Dan Picton, Will Chivers, Oli Braddy, Dumo Mabhula.
24th February Under 12
Charles
Ridge Memorial Cup
- Canterbury Youth beat the league leaders in an epic cup battle
Canterbury Youth 2 – 2
Margate Youth
Canterbury win 4-3 on penalties
At long last Canterbury Youth gained the upper hand over Margate Youth, twice this season
Canterbury had put in good displays and matched their opponents only to lose out in the end but not today! In both the earlier league matches there had been very little to choose between the teams and that was again quickly evident on Sunday.
Canterbury got out of the blocks earlier and looked more determined than the league leaders and they had an early fillip when they scored inside two minutes as a Jack North corner was flicked on by a
Margate defender into his own net. Canterbury continued to press and had more of the early territory and the better chances as they took the game to Margate and but for some good saves by the Gate’s keeper would have been more than one goal to the good however Margate came gradually into the game and Canterbury stopped playing to their strengths as Margate’s bigger team got to grips and started to apply pressure of their own. On 18 minutes
Margate equalised with an excellent shot from the edge of the box after they had carved open the home sides defence. A tactical change from the
Canterbury management moving to five across the middle ensured that
Margate were stifled in the attacking third and meant the teams went in one all at half time.
In a reverse of the first half Margate had the upper hand in the second half whilst Canterbury occasionally threatened on the break and 1o minutes into the half Margate were rewarded with a penalty which they duly dispatched to go two one up. The game went through a period where both sides cancelled each other out and defences were dominant until that is
Canterbury made a tactical change by going back to two up front supported by more attacking midfielders and really went for it! Within a few minutes this change paid off as neat inter play around the
Margate box by Toby Vaughan and Callum Hooper freed Will Chivers who shot past the
Margate keeper to level at two each. From then on
Canterbury kept the tempo high and pushed and probed and had much the better of the last ten minutes but could not score again whilst
Margate had the odd half chance at the other end thwarted by the resolute home defence and keeper. So another enthralling game between these evenly matched teams finished all square and the spectre of penalties was upon us!
Margate went first in the penalty shoot out and there first kick was spectacularly tipped onto the bar by home keeper Wes Miller to help ease the nerves of his team mates lined up in the centre circle. Canterbury’s first two penalty takers Kane Smith and Jack North dispatched their penalties to make it 2-1 then the third Margate player skied his kick only for Jack Sandham to have his penalty saved but still advantage to Canterbury.
Margate scored then William Annoot dispatched his kick,
Margate scored again and it was down to Tom Bines to win the shoot out for
Canterbury and he duly sent the keeper the wrong way for
Canterbury to win 4-3 and send the home supporters into raptures of delight whilst the team mobbed the hero of the hour keeper Wes Miller!
A really excellent game played in the right spirit by both sides and very well refereed. Congratulations to all the Canterbury team who played very well and showed that little bit of extra spirit today and that bit of composure when needed in the dreaded penalty shoot out and commiserations to Margate who will hope to go on and win their remaining match and with it the league.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Kane Smith, Tom Bines, Chris Wyver, Sam Gransden, Jack North, Elliot Bensted, Callum Hooper, Toby Vaughan, Jack Sandham, Dan Picton, Will Chivers,
William Annoot.
17th February Div. One Ramsgate Youth 2 – 8
Canterbury Youth
Canterbury Youth put in a decent performance on a lovely crisp and sunny afternoon in Ramsgate. Ramsgate given their league position surprisingly took the lead on 4 minutes with a fantastic strike on the half volley from wide on the left that left
Canterbury’s keeper with no chance.
Canterbury had already spurned several chances before they equalised on 8 minutes with Callum Hooper shooting home. Ramsgate then came under sustained pressure as
Canterbury opened up the home defence although it took until the 17th minute for them to take the lead when Toby Vaughan followed up a Jack North shot that the keeper could only parry. One minute later North got the third following a Bensted pass. On 22 minutes
Vaughan calmly slotted home past the keeper after a defence splitting pass from Hooper.
Vaughan completed a first half hat-trick when he out sprinted the home defence to latch onto a North pass before beating the keeper. Jack Sandham got
Canterbury’s sixth just before half time with beating the keeper with a low shot after another Hooper pass.
Canterbury scored within four minutes of the re-start with North touching home a cross from
Vaughan from wide on the right. Ramsgate pulled one back a minute later as the away defence went missing! The second half was somewhat disjointed with the away team making a number of substitutions and taking the opportunity of looking at boys playing in different positions. Also Ramsgate continued to put up a good fight and never let their heads drop and created some chances of their own. The scoring was completed 19 minutes into the half when
Vaughan again outpaced the home defence and shot home from just inside the area to score his fourth and
Canterbury’s eight goal of the match.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Kane Smith, Tom Bines, Chris Wyver, Sam Gransden, Jack North, Elliot Bensted, Callum Hooper, Toby Vaughan, Jack Sandham, Dan Picton, Dumo Mabhula,
William Annoot.
6th January Div. One
Canterbury Eagles 1 - 2
Canterbury Youth
Canterbury Youth welcomed the New Year in with a dominant display against their local rivals Canterbury Eagles to put three well deserved points on the board! Canterbury Youth took advantage of Eagles fielding a weakened team due to injury and illness and played much of the better football and had more of the territory on a very muddy and uneven pitch at Victoria Rec. Canterbury Youth took the lead on 6 minutes with a well worked goal Jack North opening up the home defence with a diagonal ball into Chris Wyver who finished well from 12 yards coming in from the right hand angle of the penalty box. This signalled more pressure but the home defence remained firm and against the run of play Eagles equalised with a swift break catching Youth out and Samson ? scored for the Eagles.
Play became disjointed at times because of the tricky service but the general pattern was for Canterbury Youth to do more of the pressing and have more territory whilst Eagles battled and defended well whilst offering the odd threat going forward. The Eagles forward forays were well dealt with by the away defence of Whittaker, Smith, Bines and Picton and meant that only a couple of clear chances were created and these were well saved by Wes Miller. Meanwhile Canterbury Youth pushed forward for more goals and on 43 minutes Elliot Bensted hit a screamer from the left side of the area to beat Eagles keeper Thomas Hadler who made several fine saves to keep his team within touching distance of Canterbury Youth. This goal was to prove the winner but only because some desperate defending and super goal keeping somehow denied Canterbury Youth a third goal particularly at one point when they peppered the Eagles goal and a series of saves/blocks and the woodwork somehow kept the ball out! All in all a good game played in a great spirit between two local rivals that on this occasion was deservedly won by Canterbury Youth.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Sam Gransden, Dan Picton, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, William Annoot, Jack North, Daniel Mabhula, Elliot Bensted, Toby Vaughan Will Chivers, Jack Sandham and Chris Wyver.
25th November Div. One Red Arrow Youth 1 – 4
Canterbury Youth
Canterbury Youth completed a quick fire double over Red Arrow Youth in the space of a fortnight with an excellent 4-1 away victory. Playing with a strong wind at their backs Canterbury spent a good deal of time in the Red Arrow half and on six minutes they went ahead when a long punt up field from Kane Smith released Will Chivers who lobbed the keeper to make it one nil. The away team tended to over hit the final ball because of the strong wind but also created several chances and on 17 minutes they doubled the lead when Jack North scored from wide on the right as the ball drifted over the keeper. On 28 minutes Will Chivers made it three nil when a Jack North through ball freed him for a run on goal.
Canterbury did not have it all their own way and Red Arrow broke away on several occasions but were denied by Wes Miller in goal and the defence of Whittaker, Smith, Bines and Picton who all had excellent matches. Meanwhile
Canterbury’s forward line of Chivers, Toby Vaughan and Jack Sandham were giving the home defence a torrid time ably assisted by midfield promptings of North, William Annoot, Sam Gransden, Chris Wyver and Elliot Bensted.
The second half was a completely different proposition with the elements favouring the home team however it was Canterbury who continued to play the better football and carved out more chances but were denied by the home keeper and some wayward finishing until a fine move involving Chivers and Bensted set North free to slot past the home keeper. Red Arrow gave themselves a chance scoring 20 minutes into the half but despite the odd scare Canterbury kept them at bay to secure an excellent 4-1 success.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Sam Gransden, Dan Picton, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, William Annoot, Jack North, Elliot Bensted, Toby Vaughan, Will Chivers, Chris Wyver and Jack Sandham.
18th November Div. One
Canterbury Youth 3 – 1 Red Arrow Youth
On the coldest day of the season so far Canterbury Youth and Red Arrow Youth served up a feast of football to warm their loyal supporters. The game had a frenetic opening with both sides going all out to attack and catching each others defence out. Canterbury took the lead on four minutes after some bright attacking play lead to a goal area melee and after surviving a couple of shots and clearing them off the line a Red Arrow player netted for the home team! It took Red Arrow less than two minutes to equalise when a good move down their left flank was not cut out by
Canterbury and when the ball was crossed the ball was slotted home. Not to be out done the home team went straight back up the other end with Sam Gransden passing to Will Chivers whose shot was saved but Toby Vaughan was alert to the situation and stroked home the loose ball. At this rate it looked like the match might be a repeat of last season’s 10 goal extravaganza but both sides settled down and defences got a grip to tighten things up. With both sides playing open passing football the first half flew by as more chances were created but not taken. Wes Miller the home keeper thwarting the Arrow’s forward when he was clean through and Kane Smith putting in a goal saving tackle. The home side also produced many chances of their own but the Arrow’s keeper was also in good form.
Having had a good half time pep talk Canterbury emerged the brighter of the two teams and took the game to Red Arrow with Jack North and William Annoot industrious in midfield and using the width created by Chivers and Bensted then Gransden when he came back on to open up the away team. Meanwhile Tom Bines and Kane Smith had control over the Red Arrow forwards and their sole shot on target in the half was a speculative punt that Miller clutched above his head as it threatened to sail in on the wind! It seemed only a matter of time before
Canterbury added to their tally with Toby Vaughan and Dumo Mabhula proving particularly willing and effective runners up front and both went close before Chivers put
Vaughan through who finished very coolly only to have the goal ruled out for a very marginal offside! However two minutes later a carbon copy move this time with Jack North the provider released
Vaughan whose pace proved too much for the Arrows defence and this time no flag and
Vaughan finished with aplomb! Red Arrow tried to hit back but were frustrated by some good organised play from the home side and did not create any clear cut chances whilst the home side were denied on a couple of more occasions to finish deserved winners 3-1. Well done to both teams on a very enjoyable match played in a very good spirit.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Sam Gransden, Dan Picton, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, William Annoot, Jack North, Daniel Mabhula, Elliot Bensted, Toby Vaughan Will Chivers and Chris Wyver.
11th
November
Charles
Ridge Memorial Cup
Canterbury Youth 6 – 0 Trinity
Canterbury Youth and Trinity played some nice football in this cup match with both teams getting the ball on the ground and attempting to play neat passing football.
Canterbury had the better of the opening exchanges and went ahead on seven minutes when Jack North accelerated onto the ball just outside the penalty area and hit a terrific shot into the top left hand corner of the goal. Three minutes later and it was two nil as North took the ball down the left and crossed where Toby Vaughan and then Will Chivers both had shots stopped by the Trinity keeper before William Annoot hit the ball home. Trinity came more into the game and threatened to score but were repelled by some stout defending by the home side and the game embed and flowed until a purple patch from
Canterbury produced three goals in five minutes. Jack Sandham produced some slight of foot to wriggle out of a tight spot down by the right corner flag advance and put a tempting ball across which Toby Vaughan met at the near post to slot home. Will Chivers then produced a good through ball to set Sandham free to advance on goal and coolly beat the keeper with a low shot. Then two minutes later there was a repeat of the move that produced the previous goal this time with Jack North putting Sandham through to score his second. Five nil at half time.
With the win assured barring a magnificent comeback from Trinity Canterbury set off in the same vein in the second half and played some lovely passing football but were thwarted at their every attempt to increase the score line with the away team putting in very sound defensive performance in a damage limitation move. Trinity did threaten themselves occasionally but the home defence of Whittaker, Smith, Bines and Gransden coped well and home keeper Wes Miller only had a couple of saves to make.
Canterbury finally managed to get another goal which was pretty much of his own making when William Annoot charged a clearance down and his strength took him clear of the away defence before shooting home. Final score six nil to
Canterbury and just reward for some excellent football.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Sam Gransden, Dan Picton, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, William Annoot, Jack North, Daniel Mabhula, Elliot Bensted, Toby Vaughan Will Chivers, Chris Wyver and Jack Sandham.
4th November Div. One
Canterbury Youth 4 – 1 Ramsgate Youth
Canterbury Youth dominated large periods of play and deservedly took all three points from this match against a dogged and determined Ramsgate side who stuck to their task well when they could so easily have dropped their heads!
Canterbury got off to an excellent start with a goal on two minutes as some good inter play put in Will Chivers whose shot was well saved by the Ramsgate keeper only for William Annoot to tuck away the rebound. Canterbury’s second came on five minutes when Ramsgate failed to clear a Jack North corner and Will Chivers shot at goal only for the ball to be deflected in off the leg of fellow striker Toby Vaughan giving the keeper no chance.
Canterbury continued to have the lion’s share of play and should have scored several more goals having created numerous chances but were denied by some good defending and goal keeping plus a little bit of poor finishing! Ramsgate did prove dangerous on a couple of counter attacks and some lax defending meant keeper Wes Miller made a couple of decent saves late in the half.
Canterbury put the match beyond doubt about 5 minutes into the second half when after a period of sustained pressure Ramsgate did not fully clear their lines the ball coming out to Will Chivers 23 yards from goal and Will hit a precise shot over the crowded area into the top right corner of the goal.
Canterbury continued to press for more goals and showed some glorious inter play often one or two touch football with Ramsgate rarely threatening the home defence of Smith, Bines, Picton and Whittaker. Despite all their pressure Canterbury only scored one more goal this coming around 22 minutes into the half but was probably the best of the match for team play with Gransden playing the ball from left back up the line to Elliot Bensted who passed to Vaughan who in turn slipped a through ball between defenders for Bensted to run onto and cross for Chivers to calmly beat the keeper from close in to score his second. From then on
Canterbury continued to press but were again thwarted by some determined defending from the Ramsgate team and keeper and were also guilty of becoming a little over elaborate at times. Ramsgate got a consolation goal in injury time.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Sam Gransden, Dan Picton, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, William Annoot, Jack North, Will Chivers, Elliot Bensted, Toby Vaughan and Daniel Mabhula.
28th October Div. One
Canterbury Youth 2 – 3
Margate Youth
In a very keen and closely contested match Canterbury Youth just failed to gain the point their efforts and performance deserved. For once
Canterbury matched their opponents from the start of the game and although
Margate went ahead with a neat move and finish down their left hand side
Canterbury fought back and had much the better of the first half in terms of possession with some very neat interplay between forwards and midfield.
Canterbury got the equaliser their play deserved on 23 minutes when Will Chivers turned in a loose ball from close range. It looked very much like a stalemate would ensue as both teams cancelled each other out in the second half but
Canterbury got a break when Callum Hooper challenged the seasider’s goalkeeper when a hopeful ball was knocked into the area only for the ball to break free and Hooper slotted home. Unfortunately the Canterbury team then lost their concentration and after Margate were denied by a good save from Canterbury keeper Miller they slotted home after several challenges were missed by the home team.
Margate got what turned out to be the winner three minutes later when some indecision in the home defence let in the away striker to shot home from 10 yards out. Despite a lot of effort neither side managed to create any more clear cut chances and
Margate went home with the three points when a draw would really have been a fair result.
Team: Wes Miller, Sam Gransden, Dan Picton, Jack Sandham, Kane Smith, William Annoot, Jack North, Will Chivers, Elliot Bensted, Toby Vaughan, Daniel Mabhula, Chris Wyver and Callum Hooper.
20th October Div. One Kennington 2 – 5
Canterbury Youth
Canterbury had a great day out in the Ashford sunshine beating Kennington 5-2 away from home. Both sides attempted to play good passing football all afternoon with more emphasis on style and less on hard tackling all of which made it an excellent game to watch.
Canterbury started the better of the two sides and took the game to Kennington from the start and were rewarded with their first goal on 13 minutes when the energetic Jack North hit a shot from outside the box which the keeper parried only for Will Chivers to tap home from close in. Kennington got back into the game and did their fair share of attacking as the game flowed from end to end with both keepers making good saves to keep the score at one nil at half time.
Canterbury got goal number two after a spell of pressure and it was a scrappy affair with Daniel Mabhula tapping in from close range after pin ball in the area. The Kennington keeper then proceeded to make a string of fine saves from Vaughan, North and Chivers before Canterbury got their third on 23 minutes with a fine move down their left hand side, Jack North released Toby Vaughan who advanced to the left goal line before crossing the ball and Mabhula finished from close range. The
Canterbury midfield continued prompting with good play from North, Annoot, Gransden and Wyver. Six minutes alter Chivers got his second (or was it an own goal) when his shot smacked the post came back hit the keeper and went in. All the while the
Canterbury defence of Smith, Bines, Whittaker and Picton stood firm giving the Kennington players little sight of goal and when they did threaten Wes Miller saved the day in goal. Canterbury got their fifth on 34 minutes when Toby Vaughan smashed the ball goal wards only for the keeper to safe at full stretch but parried the ball to Chivers who again tapped in from close range. With the referee playing added time
Canterbury switched off completely and Kennington scored two goals of their own to make the score line 5-2 to the visitors.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Dan Picton, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, Chris Wyver, William Annoot, Jack North, Sam Gransden, Toby Vaughan, Will Chivers and Daniel Mabhula.
30th September: Div. One
Whitstable
Town 2 – 2
Canterbury Youth
Canterbury Youth put in an excellent performance and out played Whitstable for long periods of the game dominating the territorial play but some how came away with a draw robbed from a very dubious refereeing decision. Canterbury used the width of the pitch well with Will Chivers often beating his man wide on the right and Sandham and Bensted doing likewise on the left however the final ball was somewhat lacking. Sandham hit the post very early on and the Whitstable keeper made some decent saves from half chances. Whitstable only had the one attack worthy of mention when they broke clear but were denied by some good work from
Canterbury keeper Wes Miller. Canterbury finally made the breakthrough just before half time when Jack North played a corner in from the right Toby Vaughan controlled the ball near the penalty spot with his right foot executed an great turn and thumped the ball left footed into the top left hand corner.
The second half continued in a similar way to the first when Canterbury scored their second after an excellent through ball from Jack North which Toby Vaughan ran onto shrugged off one defender rounded the keeper and shot for goal only to be denied by a defender clearly handling on the line! Penalty to
Canterbury and Jack North stepped forward to confidently strike the ball home. The game drifted for a bit with lots of central midfield action but nothing much created in the danger area until Whitstable broke clear to race onto a through ball of their own and the Canterbury keeper was slightly late with his dash for the ball and clipped the forward clearly giving away a penalty which was safely dispatched by the home team to make it 2-1.
Canterbury pushed more to open up their two goal advantage but four minutes from the end were caught again by a break albeit they got back to smother the attack only for the referee to award another penalty against the keeper for a foul! No one including the home team manager could understand the rationale for that one what a soft decision, again the penalty was scored and despite lots of effort and several pot shots
Canterbury were unable to score their third and get the three points their display deserved.
Team: Wes Miller, James Whittaker, Dan Picton, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, Will Chivers, Jack North, William Annoot, Elliot Bensted, Toby Vaughan, Jack Sandham, Daniel Mabhula and Zac Batten.
9th September 2007 Div. One
Canterbury Youth 2 – 0
Tyler Hill
In a very evenly contested encounter between local rivals Canterbury Youth just came out on top.
Tyler started the stronger but their build-up play failed to provide any end product whilst Canterbury Youth gradually came into the game and show a bit more threat themselves. Canterbury Youth opened the scoring after some pressure lead to
Tyler giving away a free kick which was shot goal bound by Kane Smith, Will Chivers made a darting run failed to connect but did enough to put the keeper off and the ball sailed into the net!
Canterbury continued to press sensing a first game victory but
Tyler weather the storm and in the second half produced some good efforts themselves but were repelled by the
Canterbury defence and debutant goal keeper Wesley Miller who had a good game.
Canterbury got their second from the penalty spot when a defender handled the ball and Jack North confidently struck the ball home to the obvious delight of the home fans. A good game played in the right spirit and well refereed.
Canterbury Youth FC Team: Wesley Miller, James Whittaker, Dan Picton, Tom Bines, Kane Smith, Will Chivers, Jack North, William Annoot, Jack Sandham, Toby Vaughan, Elliot Bensted and Chris Wyver.
