STOCKPORT VIKINGS 4 PUMAS 3 (after extra time) (2-2 after Normal Time)

MOM- The whole team !!!

THEY say you need a big slice of luck to win a cup. Well, Pumas didn’t even get a sliver of the stuff as they played their first-ever cup tie.

The better team for long spells of the game, they were beaten by an outstanding Vikings keeper and a couple of debatable goals after twice fighting back from behind to level.

Caught out by an attack down their right side in the first half, Pumas were unlucky to go in a goal behind, but they came out all guns blazing after the break.

Just when it seemed the keeper would defy all efforts to score, Will Thatcher laid a great ball down the line and Luke Meecham took the ball round the keeper and calmly finished from a difficult angle.

The boys pressed hard for a winner but were caught by a sucker punch to go 2-1 down, with time ticking away.

A superhuman effort, with Vikings keeper pulling off save after save, looked to be for naught.

But in the dying seconds, one last big attack saw Will head goalwards and Joe Turnbull showed – not for the first time – that height doesn’t matter when you have a big heart, as he flung himself at the ball to head home.

Extra time was the last thing the parents wanted, with United and City in action the same day, but so it was.

Vikings took advantage of some slack defending to grab two quick goals, but again the boys struck bacdk and supersub Niall Stock began a move on halfway, then picked up the ball wide right and laid a superb pull-back at the feet of Matt Eastwood, who crashed his shot home.

Unfortunately, it was the last kick of the match – but everyone should hold their heads high for putting in a terrific effort and playing some excellent football.


Report by Stuart Brennan