Dogwhistle
Back on home turf for round four of the 2016 summer youth competition, Byron’s young Wildcats and Rams turned on some outstanding performances to take out both matches with aplomb.
The girls’ side are finding their form and are playing amazing team football. Growing in confidence, most of the girls can comfortably fill pretty much any position. Maddie Batson, a defender playing in midfield, bustled in the first goal for the Wildcats after some relentless pressure.
Only a gutsy performance from the Goonellabah keeper kept the score at 1–0 into the half-time break.
The second half brought much the same, with relentless team football from the Wildcats pressing the Goonellabah girls hard. A well-converted goal by Salem Edwards took the score to 2–0 and the Byron team really clicked into place during the later stages.
Goal of the season (thus far) goes to Olivia King after a sublime cross from Nambi Rembe on the left wing took the score to 3–0.
The Wildcats’ growing joy and camaraderie is beginning to show in their results.
Young Rams coach, Jono Pierce, celebrated this big 3–0 with another 3–0 win in the boys’ match.
The absence of Aaron Walker and Mori Kone prompted a bit of a reshuffle and young midfielders Zac Sezer, Ronan Karup, Yarbirri Zillig Vandyke and Ethan Archer more than stepped up for the challenge. Striker Sam Shepherd was, again, relentless in the attack. His speed was too much for the Goonellabah boys and his determination drove the Rams pressing game.
Twenty minutes into the first half, Shepherd cut a swathe through the Goonellabah defence, fought his way from the flank into the box and crossed to Ronan Karup whose clean execution put the Rams on the board.
Intensity built in the second half as Goonellabah battled to get back in the game. Byron’s rock-solid backline, marshalled by James Tomlinson and Alex Kempnich, held back the Hornets counterattacks while the Rams midfield controlled the centre of the park. Another loping run from Shepherd and an acute, sliding cutback found a composed Hari Scott in the box for a leisurely finish and goal number two.
Late in the match, a huge cross from flanker Isaac Askew unleashed Shepherd in the centre of the pitch. He again outpaced the defence and skirted the keeper to put away the final goal.
The teams take on coastal neighbours, Lennox Head this Friday night at the Rec Grounds in Byron Bay.