Roundup: The Action Continues At Futures Cup

Caledonian Cougars impressed in their first match at Futures Cup 2021 as their U15 Girls side took a 6-3 win over Mercia Lynx.

Abi Moffat’s goal ten minutes into the game signalled the attacking intent of the Cougars as the team looked strong from the outset.

Mercia Lynx made sure it wouldn’t just be one way traffic though, Mia Moore levelling things up in the early minutes of the second quarter.

Sophie Anderson restored the Cougars’ lead just two minutes later; however, it would be the Lynx’s who would hold the advantage going into the half-time break as goals from Leila Scott and a second from Moore within a minute gave them a 3-2 lead.

It was an emphatic response from Caledonian Cougars who made sure they weren’t behind for long, Anderson bagging her second of the match to restore parity.

Two fourth quarter minutes would decide the game though. Goals from captain Ava Allan and an Anna Warnock brace inside two decisive minutes meant the Cougars would take a commanding 6-3 win over Mercia Lynx in the first match of the day.

It was an absolute thriller when Pennine Pumas met Mercia Lynx in Pool B of the U15 Boys competition with nothing to separate the sides at the sound of the full-time hooter.

Mercia Lynx got off to the perfect start and were ahead with just six minutes on the clock as Ollie Brannen scored his second goal in as many games, this one a thumping drag flick finding the top corner of the goal.

Pennine Pumas were still looking dangerous and managed to get one of their own through Will Ferguson’s fine finish on the reverse. However, the scores weren’t to be level for long as Charlie Darbyshire responded just three minutes later to restore the Lynx’s advantage.

That lead would be further extended towards the end of the third quarter, Jack Lee finding the back of the net to give Mercia Lynx a two-goal cushion with the scores set at 3-1.

The Pumas responded admirably and pulled one back just two minutes after suffering the latest setback, Oliver Pollock’s effort giving the team hope of a comeback.

Their hard work would come to fruition as captain Oliver Hatton’s strike five minutes from time ensuring the team would come away with a 3-3 draw – the first tie of the 2021 edition of Futures Cup.

Two early goals were enough to see Celtic Jaguars surpass Pennine Pumas 2-0 in Pool B of the U17s competition.

Ava Dempsey got the Jaguars off to a great start with a tidy finish after little more than five minutes of play.

That early goal was backed up by another just three minutes later, Emily Edwards this time on target with a fantastic shot on the reverse to double the lead.

The opening quarter setback would prove to be too much to overturn for the Pumas who tried, but to no avail, to get back into the match.

Both sides continued to create chances, but there would be no changes to the score from that first quarter blitz as Celtic Jaguars took a 2-0 win, their second victory in as many matches in the U17 Girls competition.

Mercia Lynx’s U17 Boys took a hard-fought 3-2 win over Caledonian Cougars in their Pool B matchup.

Leo Pennant fired Mercia Lynx to an early lead before Ben Galloway converted a well-worked team move to level the scores at 1-1 shortly after.

Pennant had his second of the match just after the half-time break and, in a repeat of the first half, saw the lead quickly dashed as Pete Caughey responded for the Cougars.

However, captain George Fletcher’s strike ten minutes from time would prove to be the knockout blow. It would still be a nervy finish as the Cougars won a penalty corner in the final minute of the match, a vital save from the goalkeeper being all that maintained Mercia Lynx’s lead to hold on for a tense 3-2 win.

Pennine Pumas’ U15 Girls triumphed 3-0 over Celtic Jaguars in their first game of Futures Cup 2021.

It was a closely fought battle through the first-half where, try as both sides might, neither could make the breakthrough and find a telling blow.

It was a different game after the interval, Freya Diamond converted from a neatly worked penalty corner routine before Lexie Haig profited from a penalty stroke five minutes later to double the Pumas’ lead.

The result was put beyond doubt little over five minutes before the full-time hooter when Martha Bainbridge found a third goal of the day to seal a 3-0 victory in the team’s debut match at Futures Cup 2021, meanwhile the result makes it back-to-back defeats for Celtic Jaguars.

Saxon Tigers bagged a 4-2 victory over Caledonian Cougars in their U15 Boys Pool A match.

Having defeated Celtic Jaguars 6-1 in their previous match, the Tigers were again in form in front of goal and were already on the score board after two minutes thanks to Ben Hanson’s early strike.

Murray Griffiths responded quickly for the Cougars, but parity wouldn’t last as Connor Tinker restored the Tiger’s lead shortly after.

With the match finely balanced through the first-half, the game really came to life in the final quarter as three further goals truly settled the match.

Team captain Jack Moffat put the Tigers 3-1 to the good early on in the fourth quarter, but that wouldn’t end the Cougars’ hopes of taking something from the game as Jonny Bradley hit one back with just five minutes left to play.

Any hopes of levelling the game were ended by a spectacular Sam Carleton finish in the final minute of play to give Saxon Tigers their second win in as many days.

Wessex Leopards were made to fight for their narrow 2-1 victory against a stubborn Caledonian Cougars side in their U17 Girls Pool A match.

After an opening quarter in which neither side could find the back of the net, the chances would begin to fall come the next period of play as Izzy Usher found the first goal of the game to put the Cougars ahead.

That lead would last less than five minutes as Kea Murray responded to level things up in what was a frantic few minutes.

In an evenly matched third quarter, neither side could get the better of the other as both sought a goal that would send them into the lead.

The decisive goal would be found in the final quarter, Murray finding her second of the match to ensure Wessex Leopards would get retribution for their opening day loss and take a 2-1 victory.

Pennine Pumas took the final victory of the evening as they dispatched Celtic Jaguars 3-2 in an enthralling tussle.

The Pumas looked to be well on their way to victory when Will Tyson fired the side ahead before James Burley found the perfect deflection ten minutes later to make it 2-0.

But the match was far from done. Sion Goldsmith was in the right place at the right time to tuck the ball in at the back post to pull one back just a minute before half-time and keep it close.

Tyson bagged his second of the match towards the end of the third quarter to regain the two-goal cushion and control of the match as the Pumas made it 3-1.

Again, the Jaguars fought back and were rewarded for their endeavours with a late goal through Harvey Sullivan to set up a nervy finale to the match.

The team continued to plug away looking for an equaliser in the final moments, but it wasn’t to be forthcoming as the Pennine Pumas bagged a 3-2 win.