Young Diamonds progress in FA Youth Cup 2nd Round Qualifying sponsored by e.on
In a closely fought game, the Diamonds won out thanks to a 55th minute free-kick from Dan Easlea and a 88th minute George Cox drive.
The game started evenly, with neither team really able to break down the other's defence. There were a few close efforts by both the pacey Luton attack and Lewis Hallford and the Rushden attack, the half finished 0-0, with Luton probably having the better half. Both teams looked frustrated as their defences marshalled the half superbly.
Half Time R&DFC Youth 0 - 0 Luton Town Youth
Matt Evans and Morgan Phillips celebrate with goalscorer Dan Easlea
The second half started brightly, with a Dan Easlea free kick being well saved by Kidd. Shortly after another free kick was awarded in a similar position, taken quickly giving the ball to Shields, who shot wide, however the referee and Luton were not ready and demanded a re-take.
The re-take was struck low and swerving by Dan Easlea, possibly taking a bounce off either the ground or the crowd of bodies on the way through, it beat the keeper to make it 1-0 to the Diamonds.
As Luton pressed forward looking for an equaliser, the game opened up, with more counter attacking opportunities for the Rushden attack and wingers as the Luton pressure mounted.
The second goal came in the closing minutes from George Cox, who after not scoring a single goal last season has clearly got the taste for it, scoring his second of the season. A throw in found substitute Adam Sharpe (who's hospital tests came back earlier in the week, that his illness was not glandular fever, just a virus, which had now passed), Adam cut inside, passing to George Cox who struck low and hard to beat the keeper, making it 2-0 to the Diamonds.
George Cox Celebrates....and is joined by Adam Sharpe
Full Time R&DFC Youth 2 - 0 Luton Town Youth
Head of Youth Paul Driver said "Much better all around, it took us a little bit in the first half, to adapt to their formation and just the pace of their attack, because its not what we've been used to in the games so far. Second half we've restricted them well, we've took our chances well, often for us it is normally us that has the chances and the other team score, but this time it's the other way around.
Nabil has listened to what he was told at half time and held the ball up well, we've defended better in supporting the full backs. I thought Morgan Phillips did excellent work against possibly their best player in Jordan Patrick. Aynsley did what you expect from Aynsley at the back. If you are going to draw a Puma Youth Alliance side then you've got to be happy with beating them 2-0. We've now got to get motivated and not get cocky with the next game, which is against lower opposition. We've got to get a couple of friendly games organised in the interim against higher opposition who are quicker, faster, better - so that if we do come to play them hopefully in the first, second, third rounds proper we don't take 45 minutes to get up to the pace. If we're up with the pace from the first minute then we're in with a better chance.
Overall excellent, that's our seventh game with a clean sheet so I can't complain about that, and I'm happy beating our local rivals."
The Diamonds will go on to face Rocester in the 3rd and final Qualifying Round, following their 5-2 win against Wednesfield. Rocester is in Staffordshire (not to be confused with RocHester in Kent!)
The game will be played in the week commencing 19th October - an exact date, time, prices etc will be confirmed in due course.
Sean Shields on the ball
R&DFC Team
1 JAMES BROADBENT, 2 MATTHEW EVANS, 3 MORGAN PHILLIPS, 4 GEORGE COX, 5 GEORGE ARTEMI, 6 AYNSLEY MCDONALD, 7 LEWIS HALLFORD, 8 CONNOR HAYES, 9 NABIL SHARIFF (SUB 15 ADAM SHARPE), 10 SEAN SHIELDS, 11 DANIEL EASLEA
SUBS: 12 CHRIS KIRBY, 14 JAKE GILLINGWATER, 16 LEWIS WILSON, 21 KYLE SWAILES
Luton Team
1 LEWIS KIDD, 2 ASH DEENEY, 3 TAYLOR NATHANIELL, 4 SAM BARVER, 5 NEWMAN CARNEY, 6 JACK WOOD, 7 MATT JAMES, 8 CHRISTIAN TAVERNIER, 9 JEAU PHILLIPE YAM FAM, 10 RYAN DA SILVA, 11 JORDAN PATRICK
SUBS: 12 ALEX LACEY, 13 AARON FLETCHER, 14 ALASAN ANN, 15 LIAM TOOMEY, 16 MASON BLAKE
Attendance 207
Photos by Mal Swinden
