AFC Wimbledon Youth 4 Sutton United U16 1
Friendly - Sunday 4 September 2005
Playing in sweltering heat, AFC Youth defeated U16s Tandridge side, Sutton United, 4-1 in a Friendly on the picturesque Desborough Island. This was a very physical game and certainly not a match for the faint-hearted. AFC Youth started the game by pressing strongly and were very unlucky not to score three of four goals in the first half. Their finishing, however, was very poor and Timi da Silva, Sonny Russell and Troy Murray all failed to hit the target after exceptional team play had carved out some excellent chances. The visitors were restricted to a single chance when a forward stole in from the left and volleyed wide from the edge of the goal area. The play was very physical, and Timi da Silva suffered from several robust challenges as the opposition struggled to cope with his electric footwork. Though AFC continued to dominate, they could not find a way through and the half ended goalless.
After the interval, AFC stepped up a gear and Troy Murray should have scored, but after 48 minutes the deadlock was finally broken when Sonny Russell sent Timi da Silva away on a brilliant run that culminated in a superb finish. Sutton were not done with yet and rallied to pull a goal back on 55 minutes. Sonny Russell then hit the woodwork, and not long after Timi da Silva went past several defenders before slotting past the keeper. Sutton then missed a couple of opportunities before Jack Malin burst past two defenders to fire a shot just wide of the angle of the goal. Both teams pushed forward, but on 73 minutes it was AFC who scored when Sonny Russell fed Jack Malin who accelerated clear to complete a one-on-one with the keeper. Troy Murray hit the post, and then Nick Greaves was forced to make an excellent save down the other end. Two minutes from time Troy Murray wrapped things up with a brilliant shot from an acute angle that ended up in the far corner of the Sutton net.
Reporter's man of the match: Timi da Silva
Team: Nick Greaves; Sam King, Jack Malin, James Snishko, Sahil Patel; Scott Fullerton, Sonny Russell, Tee-Jay Ryan, Luke Ewing; Timi da Silva, Troy Murray. Sub: Matthew O'Brien, William Taylor.