C P Mason HERO

Sussex C P Mason Cup Final (Under-14s) Preview

Words by Joe Williams
AS Eastbourne vs. Chailey & Newick Colts

The final of the Sussex C P Mason Cup (Under-14s) is due to take place on Sunday 23 April 2023 between AS Eastbourne and Chailey & Newick Colts.

AS Eastbourne vs. Chailey & Newick Colts
Sussex C P Mason Cup Final (Under-14s)
Date: Sunday 23 April 2023
Kick-off: 2:00pm
Venue: Sussex County FA, Culver Road, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 9AX

The two teams compete in the Mid Sussex Youth Football League Division 1 and are currently on the same number of points although Eastbourne have a game in hand.

This is the first County Cup Final that Chailey & Newick have reached so it will be a proud day for the club no matter the result.

Neil Smith has been coaching at the club for the last seven years having previously been a parent cheering from the side-lines.

The team currently sit third in the league and Smith has been happy with how the season has gone so far.

He said: “The season has gone well; I have been pleased with the boy’s development. It’s a really competitive league, there are some really good sides involved. Interestingly, the last game we lost was against All Stars who we face in the final, but since then we have gone on a good run of results.”

It has been a dominant cup run for the Colts who defeated Hayward’s Heath 3-0 away in the quarter-finals and then faced a challenging trip to Horsham for the semi.

Smith said: “Playing away at Horsham, who are an excellent side, we did very well to win that game. We have not had the greatest record against Horsham so that was probably our standout win.”

The Colts won the game 1-0 to set them on their way to the clubs first ever final. AS Eastbourne now await the Colts, the games between the two sides this season ended in a 1-1 draw and a 2-0 away victory for Eastbourne, and Smith is expecting another close game between the two..

“We always have competitive games; they are a really good side. We usually have close games, but they have probably edged them.

“They are a good footballing side; they pass the ball around really well. It’s a well-coached team and they will be tough opposition. The game we drew could have gone either way so it should be a good final.”

Smith’s message to the team ahead of the final will be for the players to enjoy the occasion.

He said: “Firstly, we just want them to enjoy it. Secondly, for them to try their hardest, nothing more than that. It will be a fantastic day for them. If they work hard and play to their capability, let’s see what can happen and hopefully we can win.”

With the final coming up the team are getting excited for what is sure to be a memorable day:

“The boys are really looking forward to it, they can’t wait. We will make a nice day of it and go out afterwards, so they are really looking forward to it.”

Anthony Storey has been coaching at AS Eastbourne for 25 years and he oversees all age groups within the set-up.

This year he has been coaching the under-14s in what has been a successful year:

“The season has been going well. Quite a lot of our team are the year younger, so we have a few under-13s, but they have done really well.

“We are really happy with their progress and how they are coming together. I think they have developed well.”

During his time at the club there have been county cup successes in different age groups, and it is a competition that the team focuses on:

He said: “It’s a competition that we take seriously. We try to get as far as possible every year, its quite a priority for us.”

Eastbourne have had a good run to final in this year’s competition, only conceding one goal which came in the semi-final against Burgess Hill.

“The semi-final against Burgess Hill was an excellent game, we managed to win 3-1. To be honest, in this age group and in this league, every game seems to be a really close one. I think any team could beat anyone on their day.”

Storey echoed this sentiment when looking back at the pervious games against the Colts:

“They have been very tight games. The 1-1 could have gone either way and it was similar with the away fixture. They shaded the first-half, and we shaded the second but managed to get a couple of goals.

“They are an extremely good side, so we are looking forward to it.”

On the day of the game, Storey will be empathising to the players to put everything they have worked on in training into practice.

He said: “We will be telling them to go out and enjoy themselves, do what we do in training and what we have done all season.

“We try and get the ball down and play and do things the right way. Hopefully they will enjoy the occasion and I am sure they will.”

Storey added: “They are a great bunch and we have quite a few characters in there. They are extremely looking forward to it.

“I am really proud of what they have achieved and proud of them for getting to the final, I really enjoy working with them and we are looking forward to the day.”

Entry prices are as follows (Cash and Card accepted):

£5.00 Adult (17+)
£3.00 Concession (66+ and students with valid student ID card)
£1.00 Child (16 and under)
£1.50 Official Match Day Programme

For further details about the Sussex C P Mason Cup (Under-14s) please contact:

Competitions
T: 01903 753547
E: Competitions@SussexFA.com

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