FOOTBALL: Brinklow edge 13-goal thriller

U14s: Brinklow 7 Hawksmill 6: Brinklow welcomed football to the New Year with a simply extraordinary game in a 13-goal thriller. Hawksmill, the visitors, were ahead three times before the break and yet by the end had trailed by two goals three times, missed a penalty, hit the bar twice and had two cleared off the line!

The pace of the match was breathtaking for the whole game as the large crowd was treated to a feast of goals. The visitors went ahead three times but each time Brinklow pegged them back. After the break the hosts went 6-3 up but now the visitors replied with tremendous courage and then missed a penalty before reducing the score to 7-6. Brinklow scored through a Ryan Prior hat-trick and singles from Alfie Jones, Matty Nadawidjaja, Kye Gilbey and Daniel Fordsham. Man of the match was William Barnett in a truly fantastic match.

U11s: A friendly against Binley Woods to run off the Christmas pudding. The players were up to the challenge and set off at pace and gave supporters a real treat with some sublime football.

The first half ended with a single goal after an inch perfect ball from Jacob Smith to set up Danny De Souza. Being a friendly Brinklow were able to move the players around in the second half and try them in different positions.

The lead was doubled early with on with Riley Bloxham scoring a superb goal and Jacob Smith smashed a penalty into the top corner.

The home side had a tough task due to the immovable force of Man of the Match Cameron James, who had a fantastic game cutting out the danger at every opportunity. Binley Woods did get a late consolation. A great game to start 2019.

Coventry Alliance League – Division 2

Brinklow 6 FC Polonia 3: Brinklow gained revenge for an early season defeat. Morgan Pulford began the goal feast on 14 minutes curling in a shot from the edge of the area.

Radek Lepski converted a penalty to level on 29 minutes. Pulford soon restored Brinklow’s lead when his cross looped over the visitors’ keeper. Pulford and Connor Gamble combined well to set up Scott McCulloch for a tap-in on 40 minutes.

Two minutes from the break Jaidon Cole made it 4-1, finishing a run on goal by neatly slipping the ball past the keeper. McCulloch scrambled the ball home for his second goal one minute after the interval following the visitors’ defence failing to clear a Dan Hood cross.

Ratal Strzelecki pulled a goal back for Polonia two minutes later. Brinklow’s goal tally was completed on 59 minutes when Connor McKiernan powerfully headed into the roof of the net.

Dawid Kieltyka, who had been harrying the home defence for most of the second half gained his reward by wrapping up the scoring on 82 minutes.