Team: Alex, Will, Jayden, Blaise, Thomas, Luke and Evan
Although it was a cold and wet Sunday morning at Curzon the Blues soon had the crowd forgetting the weather as they produced football of the highest standard from the start.
Both sides were intent on playing football from the off. Some lovely passing soon opened up the Reddish defence and on another day we could have been a couple of goals up in the first 5 minutes. A mixture of poor finishing and good goalkeeping kept the game goalless. After 10 mins the first substitutions brought Thomas on for Will and Alex for Luke. The 2nd change enabling Blaise to move forward and soon he was breaking through the middle causing panic in the Reddish defence. At the other end a last ditch challenge from Alex brought the realisation that at 0-0 anything could happen.
On the stroke of halftime came the breakthrough. Blaise, after good work down the left crossed for Evan but a hand knocked the ball away. Penalty!!! Came the cry from one over exuberant coach and the referee agreed. Blaise stepped up and the ball was passed the keeper before he moved. Halftime 1-0 Glossop.
A couple of changes at halftime saw Jayden swap with Evan the latter going into goal. Will came back on for Blaise.
The 2nd half started evenly with both goalkeepers making saves. Although Reddish were creating half chances, mainly from good individual skill the quality team football was coming from Glossop. Chances were created, one of these saw Will hit a volley that would have graced the premiership which the Reddish goalkeeper brilliantly turned away. 2nd half substitutions saw Luke on for Thomas and Blaise replacing Will. Glossop continued playing football from the back with Alex producng some quality defence splitting passes. It was from one of these passes we scored the decisive second goal. A strong tackle from Alex saw him win the ball and break out of defence. Some nice footwork saw him beat one man then he played a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Blaise, one touch and a quality finish made it 2-0. That ended it as a contest and shortly a third goal came. Again good football from the back resulted in Blaise completing his hatrick with a shot into the roof of the net.
The crowd by now thoroughly entertained by both teams had forgotten the cold and the early start.
The Blues once again produced some football that is breathtaking to see in children so young. Reddish Villa also play football the right way and the players and coaches were a credit to their Club.
The Blues March on to the Cup final in May.
All the players produced great performances but the deserved MOM was Alex.