Moyola's Under 14s lose out in derby

Cookstown U14 - 3

MOYOLA Park U14 entertained Cookstown on Saturday past at Boyne Row.

The visitors applied early pressure to the Moyola goal and, from a Cookstown corner, it took a goal-line headed clearance by Doyle to deny the visitors the lead.

The Tyrone side took the lead after 10 minutes when their right-winger broke into the box and neatly chipped the oncoming Hutchison. The pace of the game was enthralling with the battle in midfield being particularly interesting. The Moyola lads had moments of desperate defending with shots being blocked with all parts of the body!

As the game entered the last period the Moyola lads finally got a grip of the game and encamped themselves in the Cookstown half. A Moyola short corner found Jamie Holmes whose lay-off was controlled by Wenlock who let loose a terrific shot from 20 yards looping itself beyond the out-stretched arm of the diving keeper for a well deserved equalizer.

The home side continued to press the visitors as the half drew to a close. Evans had another long distance effort parried to safety by the keeper while Connery also tested the now busy keeper.

The second period started with Moyola on the front foot. The midfield trio of Wenlock, Evans and Connery worked tirelessly against their bigger opponents. Indeed it was Moyola who were denied the lead after 5 minutes; Evans won the ball in midfield to let loose Holmes down the left and Evans got on the end of the low cross but for his shot to be blocked by a grounded defender.

The Moyola control of possession paid off when Holmes broke down the left again and cut his cross back into the path of Connery whose glancing header nestled itself in the far corner of the Cookstown net to the delight of his team-mates.

Moyola had an opportunity to grab a third when Holmes escaped his marker to unleash a shot from a narrow angle on the Cookstown goal but the keeper saved well.

This was to prove the turning point in a game of what may have been for the Moyola side. Cookstown levelled when their tall midfielder scored a terrific goal from 25 yards and as the game drew to a close scored the winner from a free-kick on the edge of the box.

This was a terrific performance from the young Moyola side against an in-form Cookstown side. Next week they are away to St Mary’s.

Team: M Hutchinson, Jordan Holmes, C Peeples, T Cowden, D McGuigan, S Ewing, L Kerr, J Evans, R Connery, Jamie Holmes, S Kane, D Catterson, L Doyle, M Wenlock (C), G McFetridge