Sussex County FA under 16s vs. London FA

Sussex in seven heaven as they condemn London

Sussex 7 - 0 London

Sussex County FA under-16s had a convincing win over their London FA counterparts 7-0 in a one-sided contest in the South East Counties Youth Championship on Sunday at Culver Road.

Dan Ferriera hit a first-half hat-trick as the hosts ran riot, captain Max Blencowe added a fourth early in the second-half, before Ferriera scored his fourth and Sussex’s fifth. Sean McSwiney added a sixth and Joe Marchant completed the scoring late on. The result means Sussex now sit top of the table after two games on goal difference.

The match started frantically with both sides wrestling to take control, but it wasn’t long before Sussex got into their swagger and broke the deadlock on 14 minutes through four goal hero Ferriera.

Demas Ramsis hunted down London skipper Jonathan Erhabo and dispossessed him before delivering a pinpoint cross into the box for Ferriera to tap in past Hassan Chaudhry into the visitor’s goal.

Ramsis was in the thick of the action soon after as he linked up well with Harry Cuthbert, but the latter could only drag his shot narrowly wide of the target after cutting inside his marker.

London had their best opportunity of the game midway through the first-half. The lively Treyell Gordon strode forward evading the attentions of three Sussex players before unleashing a rasping drive that looked destined for the top corner, but for the diving intervention of Sussex goalkeeper Oskar Lockyer to tip it over the crossbar.

Sussex doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark as Oliver Munt’s through ball sent Ferriera in on goal and he kept his cool to slot the ball low past the onrushing Chaudhry.

Just six minutes later and in similar fashion to the second goal, Ferriera grabbed his and Sussex’s third. This time Cuthbert played the ball through and Ferriera did the rest to put his side in a commanding position before the break.

The three goal advantage soon became four just two minutes into the second-half as Munt’s corner was met by Blencowe and he headed into the top corner from close range.

A further two minutes later and Ferriera netted his fourth of the game and put Sussex five goals to the good as he capitalised on some lackadaisical defending from Kian Nash-Hill, to steal the ball on the edge of the area and fire powerfully past Chaudhry into the net.

Ferriera almost claimed his fifth goal of the afternoon on the hour mark after Tom Chalmers played him in but this time London keeper Chaudhry came out on top as he made the save one-on-one.

With quarter-of-an-hour left to play another Sussex corner brought about a sixth goal as McSwiney rose highest to meet Tegan Freeman’s deep delivery and head in from a yard out. 

McSwiney had another opportunity moments later from another Freeman corner but this time he could only direct his header just wide of the post with Chaudhry scrambling across his goal.

Five minutes from the end Sussex added a seventh goal. Freeman was again involved this time sending a curling cross in from the left that Marchant did well to get across his marker and make contact with ahead of the goalkeeper to send it goal-wards and just over the line.

Sussex didn’t let up in the final knockings and Chaudhry had to be alert to first deny Ferriera with an outstretched foot when through one-on-one, then Blencowe his second of the game with a sprawling save from close range at the back post.

After the match Sussex manager Gary Mansell was delighted with his side’s performance and said: “We didn’t know what to expect from London, but we went out there and showed our opposition respect and put in a really committed and professional performance.

“The fear at half-time coming in 3-0 to the good was that we might take our foot off the gas, so we spoke to the boys about going out there and making sure we get the next goal and stay on top, which we did, and in the end got a resounding result!”

(A selection of photographs can be found on Facebook - courtesy of Simon Roe Photography)

Stats: (Sussex-London)
Goals: 7-0; Shots: 14-4; Shots-on-target: 9-3; Corners: 7-3; Fouls: 6-13; Offside: 1-0; Yellow cards: 0-0; Red cards: 0-0. 

Sussex: Lockyer, Chapman, Ward, Marchant, Blencowe (C), Cuthbert, Ferriera, Munt, Ramsis, Chalmers, Popham.
Subs: Freeman, McSwiney, Little, Wright.

London: Chaudhry, Gomes, Rock, Abolorinwa, Nash-Hill, Erhabo (C), Gordon, Doyle, Belazregue, Amir, Bux.
Subs: Garcia, Rios-Berrio, Opoku, Green, Clarke.

Match report by Darren Ford.