The U9 Youth kept up their winning start to the season with a 7-3 win over Sheen Lions at home. Really nice to see us making Benner Lane a fortress this year!  

We came out of the traps like a rocket. Phoenix was pressing from the front and rushing them into making bad passes which Eddie and Ari gladly picked up to start our attacks. Phoenix started the scoring with a great individual goal. Dragged it back away from the defender and shot into the far corner. We were playing some really good, quick, pass and move football and that got us into a 3-0 lead which was capped off by Gabriel scoring 2, the second of which from almost the halfway line. The ball must’ve moved all over the place because their keeper was stood routed like a tree as the ball nestled in the back of the net. 

Second quarter saw Sheen come back into the game. They have skilful players and it showed with them pulling a quick goal back after the restart. We were unlucky on a couple of occasions hitting the post, but re-established our 3 goal lead with a great goal by Jojo assisted by Gabriel. Again, Sheen hit back winning the quarter 1-2. 

Third quarter, the defensive partnership of Finley, Jojo and Isaac got their second quarter shut out - nothing was getting past them. We really clicked into gear and started playing some fabulous football. Defenders, looking for the playmaker, playmaker taking a touch and passing out to the wings and the wingers putting it back into the striker to score - brilliant! Ari capped his debut at playmaker position and Josiah his debut up front with their first goals of the season, the later with a Phoenix assist to win the quarter 2-0. Leaving us 6-2 up.

The final quarter was tough on the boys. They had covered a lot of ground and were feeling it. Passes got a little rushed and wayward and we found that every time we gave it away, we faced waves of Sheen attacks. However, some brilliant passing down the wings instigated by birthday boy Finley almost extended our lead. However, our resilience was finally broken when Sheen got free to get their third of the match. We hit back minutes later with another fantastic move and Ari with an assist for Jojo to get his second with a great goal. The boys were able to see out the final 5 minutes to secure the win to set us up nicely before we go off on the road for the first time this season.