Footballers come from nowhere to triumph in cup and league

HUGE congratulations to the eight young RGS footballers who helped their U12 Ripon Panthers team come from nowhere to triumph in their district cup and league this season.

Having not won a single match last season, the boys enjoyed a cup final victory over Clifford and finished top of their league.

They also went on to win the Killinghall Tournament.

Well done to these RGS Year 7 pupils who played for the Panthers winning team:

Albert Anderson - cup & league

Reece McGarvey - cup & league

Isaac Jones - cup and league

Ralph Addinall-Payne - league

Tom Fell - league

Sonny Straw - league

Jack Brummond - cup and league

Tom Cowen - cup and league

Excerpts from Ripon Panthers match reports:

Blacks end season in style

A cup final victory over Clifford, who finished third in the league above, meant Wayne Dalton's charges ended the season having played 25 matches (a hell of a lot for U12s), losing just three. One to Knaresborough, who we paid back in kind when it mattered, one to the potential County Cup winners from Huddersfield who were given a real fright, and one to Killinghall with a much-changed side.
To put into context what the kids have achieved, they did not drop a single point in the league since November 10th, and had they done they would not have won it. They also beat two teams from the division above in the County Cup and another two on their way to winning the Europa Cup to prove they should have nothing to fear next year.
In truth, when watching the first five minutes of this game it arguably looked a match too far, Clifford looked quicker to ever ball and showed some nice passing and movement.
The first goal in rather fortuitous fashion, when Reece shot across goal and the keep seemed to be waving it on as if it was going wide but it went in the far corner.
The pick of the goals was probably Jenson's, who found the top corner from long range after a good ball from Isaac, but quite frankly you sort of expect him to score from there given what we've seen him do in the past.
Clifford by now were just in survival mode. If they did manage to break free then Jasper, Ryan and Isaac were lying in wait and as so many teams have found out this season, they are a formidable force to be reckoned with.
With Honour playing just in front of the back three, and a combination of Jack, Jenson, Felix, Tom and Charlie on the wings, looking to feed Albert and Reece, Ripon were in complete control.
On the couple of occasions he was needed in goal to claim a corner or make a clearance, Moggy was up to the task.
A few half chances came and went before Albert made it three with Felix hitting the outside of the post and Albert himself blazing over when in a good position.
He didn't need asking twice to make amends, though, and with Clifford simply unable to get a handle on him, his second and the team's third almost put the game to bed.
Albert then made it four after another powerful run through the middle.
A fifth goal came courtesy of Jenson.
Further chances came and went, Jack hit the post late on, but 5-0 was enough to secure a comprehensive victory and secure and a league and cup double. What a season.

Final berth booked with dominant display

The U12 Blacks produced arguably their most dominant display of the season against a team currently sat in fourth place in the division above.
Ripon wasted no time in showing Pannal Ash what they were about and were ahead within a couple of minutes as Jenson, deployed in a more central role in the first half, released the juggernaut Albert who powered his way straight through the heart of the defence and calmly slotted home for 1-0.
That would have steadied any semi-final nerves (if the kids had been told they were in one!), and it was mostly one way traffic thereafter.
A few half chances came and went with Ripon's midfield dovetailing beautifully. Charlie played numerous through balls down the right releasing Albert a few times while Jenson and Felix were always looking to set the ever-dangerous Reece away down the left.
With Ryan looking in complete control at the back alongside Isaac, who probably had his best game of the season too, it was difficult to see where Pannal Ash could get back in the game.
However, while it was only 1-0 and with chances coming and going, they were always in the game.
Luckily, right on the stroke of half-time the second goal came when Reece broke away down the left, drew the keeper out who initially made a great save but it meant when the ball came back to Reece he was out of action and with Albert free, Reece found him to make it 2-0.
The second half was one of complete dominance but several chances came and went before the game was put to bed.
With Honour asserting her influence more as the game went on and Jenson back in his usual wide left role, Ripon were now in complete control and Pannal Ash could barely get out of their own half.
The third goal was a peach. Ryan won the ball just inside his own half and could see Jenson breaking as the keep came charging out Jenson lifted it nonchalantly over his head on the half volley to put the game to bed.
By now the substitutes were on and Sonny put in a real shift in the middle while Jackson never put a foot wrong at the back and Ralph was always a threat with his tireless running down the right.
A fourth goal quickly followed from Jenson from a tight angle while Albert was denied a hat-trick by a wonderful save from their keeper.
The chances kept coming, Ralph almost got on the scoresheet, as did Charlie and but it was Reece who finally got his goal which he deserved after a fine all round display. Having missed a couple of chances he kept on persevering and notched for the 37th time this season.

Player of the match: Ryan