County Champions!!!!

A Lickfold brace secures the Andrews Cup for the 14s in extra time.......

AFC Hornchurch 2-1 Concord Rangers (aet), Sunday 24th April 2016, Thames Road, Kick-Off 11:00am, Essex Andrews Under 14s Cup Final.

Two goals from James Lickfold sealed success for AFC Hornchurch in the final of the Essex Andrews Under 14s Cup.

A penalty apiece had seen the tie locked at 1-1 at full-time before Lickfold struck seven minutes into extra time to win the tie for his side. “We played well,” was the modest assessment of Hornchurch boss Mike Jolly after the game.

“This isn’t the product of 70 minutes, but of the whole season. This is the third time we have played Concord this season, and they have all been very tight affairs. We perhaps weren’t as clinical as we could’ve been, but we created a lot of chances, which was excellent.”

“We now go into next season’s competition as defending champions and we’ll see how far we can go. We have a good youth set-up here. Not only do we attract good players, but we have some good coaching staff. It’s all about developing the boys,” he added.

Lickfold’s winner in the additional period followed a competitive first 70 minutes in which his own first-half penalty had been cancelled out by Louie Young’s spot-kick during the second period. He also managed to strike the near post early on after being set up by Josh Olat.

Concord had started brightly with Robert Brocklebank breaking through, only to be denied by a fine block by goalkeeper Jack Walker, and the Urchins responded well as Olat and Lickfold combined again, the move this time culminating in the latter bringing a save from Concord shotstopper Alex Coleman.

The opening goal arrived when Hornchurch were awarded a 22nd-minute penalty. Olat was felled into the box and Lickfold slotted home to give his side the lead. An impressive stop from Coleman then kept his side in the game as he kept out Sonny Dutton’s dipping long-range effort.

Shortly after the restart Lickfold saw a shot blocked before Concord’s James Worden was denied by Walker ahead of an equaliser for the Beachboys. That came with 51 minutes played as Worden was brought down inside the penalty area and Young fired home from twelve yards out.

With no further goals registered in the final 20 minutes of the game, the stage was set for Hornchurch’s extra time winner on 77 minutes with Lickfold this time lobbing the ball over Coleman before tapping home. Concord’s Bradley Spencer tried to reply, but he flicked a header inches wide and they couldn’t carve out another opening as Hornchurch held on to clinch victory.

AFC Hornchurch: Jack Walker, Sonny Dutton, Ollie Heath, Bailey Hossack, Daniel Akindele, Obakeng Molefi, Luke Mundorfer, Ollie Dosad, James Lickfold, Joe Macdonald, Josh Olat. Substitutes (repeated): Fred Maloney, Joe Soulsby, Arjan Toshi, Luke Coventry, Brad Winters.

Concord Rangers: Alex Coleman, Cameron Harris, Owen Young, Charlie Sullivan, Teddy Warwick, Bradley Spencer, James Worden, Samuel Brogan, Robert Brocklebank, Daniel March, Louie Young. Substitutes (repeated): Jack Nolde, Taylor Amstrong, Louie Hunt.

Booked: Hornchurch: Lickfold (77, goal celebration).

Referee: Callum Cockley (Romford).

Assistant Referees: Thomas Berry (Colchester) & Jack Ridge (Witham).

Fourth Official: Tom Kiernan (Colchester).

Attendance: 177.