Riverside Rapids U10s v Eastwood CFC U10s

Eastwood U10s started their season with a trip to Riverside Rapids on Saturday and will be pleased to have come away with a victory having gone two behind early on.
 
The home side started the game much the stronger and took the lead when their striker finished expertly having been played in by a sensational through ball from midfield. Riverside were playing some lovely stuff and got a deserved second via an unfortunate deflection of an Eastwood defender.
 
It seemed like it could be a long day for the Eastwood lads but to their credit they didn’t let their heads go down and eventually started to get into the game and pose some attacking threat. Rylan Jackson shot into the side netting from a tight angle following a good run down the right before Conrad Hawryluk forced the keeper into a smart save with a shot from distance, but it was a stoke of good fortune which got them back into the game. A big clearance from keeper Euan Parker was headed backwards by a home defender and wrong footed his goalkeeper who could only watch as the ball ended up in the net.
 
Most of Eastwood’s attacking threat was coming from the right hand side and it was from there that the equaliser came. Noah Curtis beat a couple of defenders near the touchline before crossing well to find Ethan Cross just inside the box. He showed good composure to get the ball out of his feet and finish calmly into the bottom corner to make it 2-2.
 
A third came just before half time, Logan Allen this time doing good work on the right. He took the ball purposefully into the final third and was able to cross into a dangerous area where Ronnie May was on hand to tap home as the ball bobbled around in the area.
 
Riverside came out for the second half determined to get back on level terms and would surely have done so but for a superb last ditch tackle from Ellis Ward. They threatened a couple of more times with shots from distance which Euan was equal to, but weren’t able to get in behind as Ellis and Kaiden Anyanwu stood firm in defence.
 
Having done well to hold on to their lead, Eastwood began to create chances of their own once again. A corner dropped invitingly in the box but no one could react quickly enough to poke it home before a cross-shot from Logan created an opportunity for Max Jukes. At full stretch at the back post he did well to get a toe on the ball but it flashed wide.
 
Going into the last 10 minutes the game started to get a bit more stretched and a fourth goal came for Eastwood as they exploited the additional space. Noah turned over possession deep in his own half before breaking quickly and finding Ethan in the final third who smashed a powerful shot into the top corner from the edge of the area.
 
A fifth came soon after as Ethan completed his hat-trick with a significant stroke of luck. His optimistic volley following a poor defensive clearance was rewarded when the keeper unfortunately spilled the ball into his net.
 
Riverside kept going and scored another goal of their own from a well-worked corner but time wasn’t on their side and the game ended 5-3 to Eastwood.