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CITY YOUTH HOLLAND 2000
CITY YOUTH served up a real Dutch treat over the Easter weekend when they
completed a highly-successful tour of the Netherlands.
In all the club sent seven sides and more than 170 representatives across
the North Sea to compete in various tournaments and came back with an impressive
four trophies.
As well as the winners there were two fair play awards, a third place, a
fourth place and a Player of the Tournament award for Craig Mackail-Smith
of the Under 16's South.
The tournaments included other youth sides from across Europe and despite
the quality of opposition, both the Under 18's East and Under 16's South
both dominated the Apeldoorn Cup. The 5th International Tinus Homberg Tournament
in Rotterdam was equally successful for the City youngsters, the Under 17's
retaining the trophy won by last years City Youth Under 18's. Plus the Under
14's took part in a tournament run by the former Dutch League Champions F.C.
Gouda, again taking first place in the tournament with some great play.
But it was the Apeldoorn Cup that attracted the greater St Albans presence
with five teams competing' across the age groups and pride of place going
to the Under 18's East, who pipped teams from Scotland, Denmark, Holland
and their rivals from the City Youth West side, to record a memorable success.
Their tournament got off to an ideal start when Jack Davis celebrated his
18th birthday by opening the scoring after just 17 seconds of the opening
game with IHF Aarhus from Denmark. Further efforts from Chris Fairbairn,
Paul Thompson and Alvin Nascimento completed a routine 4-1 win.
against the host club WSV, with Davis, Matt Beswick, Henry Wilkinson and
Stuart Turkentine securing a 4-0 win, while an identical score-line saw them
sweep aside another Dutch club Olympia. It meant that the East side finished
top of their group, scoring 12 and conceding just one in three games, which
was enough to put them into the semi-finals against Nest Barns Dunbar from
Scotland. The game was a much closer affair than they had been used to and
the game ended goalless, leaving both sides to shoot it out from the penalty
spot. Jason Coughlan lifted the first St Albans kick over the crossbar, but
keeper Ricky Perks spared his teammate's blushes with two fine saves, allowing
successful kicks from Thompson, Nick Perchard, Turkentine and Tom Whitlock
to secure a 4-2 win. The final saw a rematch, their first meeting had been
a one-side affair, another penalty shoot-out looked on the cards as the game
entered the closing minutes still goalless. But a superb run and shot from
Wilkinson saw the keeper parry the ball into the path of Fairbairn who snapped
up the rebound and secured the trophy with an instinctive finish. There was
even more to celebrate as Geoff Watts, Mark Clark and Terry Edwards' men
were also declared winners of the Fair Play trophy.
Further down the age scale, the Under 16's South were also busy sweeping
all before them as an ominous series of displays saw them rattle in 14 goals
in five games, without conceding one in reply. VFB Fabbenstedt from Germany
were the first to suffer as Adam Wallace and the outstanding Craig Mackail-Smith
opened the scoring in the 4-0 victory, Delore wbv were beaten 3-0. Another
German side, FC Wesuwe, were beaten 4-0 in the final group game to set up
an intriguing semi-final clash with the South side's clubmates from St Albans
City Youth, the North side. Stephen Cox shattered the deadlock with a 25-yard
screamer before Wallace's header settled the in-house battle and put another
St Albans side in the final. There they were up against the host club WSV,
but proved a Class above the Dutch as goals from Wallace, Danny Hughes and
Greg Deacon gave them a 3-0 win. Mackail-Smith was also named best player
in his age group and was given a bag full of sports equipment for his excellent
displays.
There was not such good news for the Under 16's North who, on their first
City Youth tour to Holland, then lost out in a thrilling third and fourth
place play-off. They were up against SC Heiligensee from Germany, who had
defeated them 1-0 in the group phase, but looked set for revenge when Sam
Wilkinson nudged them ahead. The Germans hit back immediately and soon the
Under 16's North were the second City side to find themselves in a penalty
shoot-out. The quality of kicks was every bit as good as the football that
had gone before, although in the end the English lost out again to the Germans,
6-5, despite Wilkinson, Jack Bush, John Lyon, Paul Arguelies and Charles
Thrussell all scoring their kicks.
The Under 15's enjoyed better luck in their third and fourth-placed play-off
after Scottish side Kirkfield United had dumped them out of the semi-finals.
A single goal from Tom Henshall was enough to give them victory over Skibsby
Hojene from Denmark and their overall approach to the tournament saw them
bring a second Fair Play Trophy back to St. Albans. The usual supply of goals
from Mitchell Parratt could not prevent the Under 18's West side finishing
a disapointing fifth in the Tournament, although they did end the action
on a high as Bobby Dillons strike was enough to defeat host club WSV in a
tense play off.
Two City Youth teams played in the Rotterdam Area with the Under 14's Playing
at a Tournament run by former Dutch Champions F.C. Gouda and the Under 17's
at City Youths old friends H.I.O.N. The Tinus Hornberg tournament hosted
by H.I.O.N. in Rotterdam saw City Youth come away with a 100 per cent record
with the Under 17's led by Paul Tominey retaining the cup won by City Youth
during last years Tournament. The Under 17's took pride of place, by overcoming
an age gap that saw them up against several sides from the age group above.
Their win was made more amazing considering their involvement got off to
the worst possible start in the shape of a 1-0 defeat by Top Oss, from the
host nation. Two goals from Kevin Coulson and one from Johnny Moore redressed
the balance with a 3-0 at the expense of Belgian outfit KSK Donk, before
Coulson again, Trevor Smith and Andrew Clarke scored in a second successive
3-0 triumph over Dutch team MSV 71. The smaller Tournament format saw the
Under 17's move straight to the final where they met host club H.I.O.N. Coulson
took his tally to an impressive five in four games with a double and Smith
added his second in as many matches as the St Albans boys ran out comfortable
winners.
There was far more drama as the Under 14's East playing at the home of FC
Gouda followed suit, courtesy of a penalty shoot-out success in their final.
The young Saints were up against a local Rotterdam side RVHH and despite
taking the lead through the prolific Matt Hanson, they were pegged back at
1-1.
No addition to the scoring meant the dreaded penalty lottery, but with keeper
Winston Seidu getting in plenty of practice in the St Albans Operation Spider
Penalty Shoot-out competition at Clarence Park all season, it was the Under
14's East who had the winning ticket. Hanson, Rick Baker and Paul Brame all
kept their nerve to convert their kicks before Seidu made a stunning save
to complete a 3-2 win and spark of even more celebrations among the touring
party.
Ironically, the victory roll had begun with a far easier 3-0 win over RVHH,
with Hanson opening his account Rick Baker and James Harvey also weighing
in with goals. Another local Rotterdam side, Rhoda, provided the opposition
in the second game and again a 3-0 victory saw the young Saints well on top,
Jason Blyth and Troye Piennar putting them on their way before Seidu took
to the field and added a third. The semi-final saw their super defensive
record stretched to three games without conceding a goal as Dutch side Gouda
found the Under 14's North too difficult to break down, while Hanson and
Mark Paradise showed them the way at the other end with two clinical finishes.
Well done to all the teams. A great Tour !!!!!
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