Schoolboys Fixture 2021

Standing (l-r): Sebastian McGuckin, Paul McGuckin, Ben Frampton, Ted Hopkins, Jon Duffy, Jerry Hopkins, Tom Reade, Brett Phipps, Mike Baker, Barney Hopkins, Stephen Lewis, Liam McLauchlan, Harry Howat, Jack Birchall, Adrian Rogers, Ewan McLaughlin, Alistair Clay

Kneeling (l-r): Sam Hall, Guy Bradshaw, Kutenda Creusailor, Toby Sutton, James Dodds, Charlie Birchall, Jamie Bradshaw, Martin Prescott, Alex McGuckin, Jim Byrne, Charlie Byrne, Elliot Downey, Chris Clay, Freddie Spooner

Not able to recover fast enough to walk over to the photo line-up: Peter Howat

Overall, some superb football played, particularly by the schoolboys who ran out deserved winners.  Alex McGuckin opened the scoring for the Ramblers with a superb free kick, before a Harry Howat equaliser from the edge of the area for the schoolboys and a superb run and finish by Kutenda Creusailor took them into a 2-1 lead.  A 20th birthday goal from a free kick by Ben Frampton restored parity, before a calmly tapped-in finish by Jamie Bradshaw (into his own net) restored a 3-2 lead for the schoolboys at halftime.

A goalless 2nd half was in fact highly entertaining with large parts of it played with 10 outfield schoolboy only players as Aid Rogers (the Ramblers’ Mike Bassett) finally learnt some of their names and they were unlucky not to add to their lead.  3-2 a fitting result, with a faultless refereeing performance by Jim ignoring the baying crowd and into the clubhouse for some traditional Ramblers fare prepared by Lesley.

Thanks to all who took part and came to support this fixture and delighted to report that number of the schoolboys will be playing for the Ramblers in 2022…the future’s bright…the future’s blue & gold.