Top of the table Cougars Under13s Blues welcomed second placed Fairlands Blues from Stevenage on Sunday for a top of the table clash. Suffering from some injuries and half term holidays Cougars recent high intensity style was a little more subdued and made for an even start for both sides.
Fairlands were dangerous down the flanks but Ciaran Jenkins and Josh Lucas did well to deal with their advances. In the twentieth minute the away side broke the deadlock with a good goal and took the upper hand. It looked like Cougars would go into the interval one down but in form Charlie Fountain had other ideas when he lined up a free kick from 22 yards and fired his shot into the top corner on the stroke of half time.
Early into the second period the visitors could have gone ahead again were it not for a superb save from George Godfrey palming a low shot onto the post and away. Half way through the second half Fairlands did score the second goal with an identical free kick to Cougars first half strike.
With ten minutes remaining Cougars Boss Richard Daly re-introduced Josh Ridings to a forward position and pushed skipper Jake Vottariello further up from his usual defensive role. The changes made the difference and six minutes before the end Ridings turned on a loose ball from eight yards out and passed the ball into the net for a deserved equaliser.
With Cougars on top they maintained their positive formation which paid dividends when Vottariello hit a sweet shot from just outside the area that rocketed into the roof of the net and gave Cougars victory with virtually the last kick of the game.
After the game Daly told BBC’s match of the day “It was a nail biter today but all credit to these young men. They put in the effort and were rewarded with the three points.”
