North Yorkshire County Cup Success

The Year 8 boys football team showed true resilience and character to come from behind three times to win their North Yorkshire County Cup game away at Rossett.  The weather provided an additional challenge for both teams with thick fog making playing conditions exceptionally tough.  The team were soon 1-0 down after a quick attack was finished with aplomb by Rossett. As the half progressed, the teams were weighing each other up and the game ebbed and flowed as each team fought for control.  Selby levelled the score with a great piece of interplay from midfield and a powerful finish from Cyprian Michalski; this roused the Rossett team and they soon found the back of the Selby net again with a tidy finish.  The half ended with Rossett leading 2-1 and Selby knew that they had to raise the intensity of their play to turn the tie around.  A thunderous free kick into the top corner of the net from Max Adamson levelled the score for the first time in the match, Rossett were quick to reply taking the lead once again within minutes.  The gameplay from Selby was improving and some good pressure from the forward line led to a mistake in the Rossett backline - penalty!  The stage was set for Adamson to put Selby into the lead for the first time in the game, but the penalty was saved and pushed over the bar by the Rossett goalkeeper.  Whilst Rossett celebrated their goalkeepers exploits, Selby kept their minds on the task in hand and Adamson put the penalty demons to bed when he directed the corner into the back of the net with a fantastic header.  3-2 and the game was becoming a tense encounter, both teams showing great passion and determination.  Rossett took the lead again through a quick counter attack exposed space left by the Selby defence.  Despite the set back, Selby faced up to the challenge in front of them and showed great resilience to keep applying pressure and forcing the Rossett defence to work hard.  In the dying moments of the game Rossett failed to clear the ball from the penalty area, Nathan Hugo struck the ball cleanly, bulging the back of the goal for the fourth time in the half, 4-4.

Extra time loomed at the final whistle, 10 minutes of extra time played at the same intensity of the second half, Selby were edging closer to victory but could not find the necessary finish to conclude the game.  It was going to come down to penalties to decide the cup fixture.  Rossett were first to step up, their player putting the ball over the crossbar, the only mistake in their round of penalties.  Brittain, Hugo, Parker, Adamson all finished well from the spot, it was down to Michalski to seal the victory for Selby.  The penalty was duly dispatched into the bottom right corner of the goal to seal a well contested Cup fixture.  The boys progress to the next round where further challenges await, this victory will provide good belief in their ability to be successful in the face of adversity.