Bracknell Town score late to win the Champion Timber U15 Youth Cup
Both teams started brightly, but after only four minutes Esher Youth took the lead with the first shot on target for either side. Good work in the middle by Zach Omare released Franky Morton down the right, who squared the ball to Archie Rainbird, who then wriggled into the Bracknell box and squeezed it into the far corner.
Bracknell Town pushed hard to get back into the game, but Omare continued to cause problems for Bracknell’s midfield. He could have furthered Esher’s lead, as a free kick just over the halfway line was swung into the box, Omare managed to get his head on it but was scrambled away for a corner.
As the first half progressed Bracknell Town improved, some slick passing through the middle presented them with a great opportunity, as the ball was swept out to Aaron Ashley, whose powerful shot from the right of the box was saved well by the feet of Joe Douglas.
A further chance for Bracknell to equalise came, as the ball was brilliantly chested down by Sam Brittain who threaded it through to Carter Bowdery, who burst into the box but narrowly placed the ball wide of the right post.
Minutes later, they did get their deserved equaliser, as the resulting goal kick was well won by Bracknell before playing in Byron Mitchell, who burst into the Esher box, rounded one defender before coolly slotting the ball under Douglas at his near post. The goal inspired Bracknell to continue pressuring Esher to push ahead.
Their pressure paid off as Bracknell Town took the lead through a penalty not long after. Danny McDonagh was deemed to have bundled over Marcel Guyzinski inside the box, and referee William Douglas pointed to the spot. Up stepped Guyzinski, who slotted the ball calmly into the bottom left-hand corner, to give Bracknell the lead for the first time in the match.
Esher could have equalised as a ball over the top was well controlled by Lucas Plumridge, but Oliver Rowland in the Bracknell goal was well placed to collect the shot.
Bracknell Town thought they had extended their lead just before half time after a free kick was taken quickly, before being placed wide to Aaron Ashley, who slid the ball into the bottom corner, but the linesman flag halted any celebrations.
Bracknell started the second half well, with Carter Bowdery having a good shot from just outside the box, but it drifted just above the crossbar.
They could have got their third of the match, after Byron Mitchell’s strike halfway through Esher’s half could only be parried by Joe Douglas onto the bar. Fortunately for the goalkeeper it bounced down and was calmly collected.
Esher continued to push back, Zach Omare shone and looked like their best opportunity to equalise. Duly, Omare made it 2-2 with a well worked goal. After he won the ball in the middle of the park, a nice 1-2 with Plumridge opened up space for Omare, who bursting into the box, breezed past defenders before slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
Momentum was now with Esher and they came close to taking the lead for the second time, as Miles Leetham-Clarke swung in a corner from the left but it evaded everyone in the middle and no one in blue could capitalise, with the ball drifting across the face of goal.
As the game descended late into the half, it looked destined for penalties, but against the run of play, Bracknell Town got the winning goal. After Nathan Bond was fouled right of the Esher box, Guyzinski and Bond combined down the right, before the later swung in a ball across the face of goal, which substitute Emil Mursalov poked home to secure the Cup.