League and Cup Double for Chiswick Youth Football Club

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League and Cup Double for Chiswick Youth Football Club

U16s team - part of W4 Youth - undefeated this season

Last year the team came close to winning the cup losing in extra time to Hanwell Town, this year they have done the unthinkable and gone unbeaten all season winning the League and Cup at a canter, due to pure hard work and commitment.

Chiswick Youth U16's, have had an exceptional season in the West Middlesex and Hayes Youth Football League. The last 2 seasons have seen them grow a very strong core to the team from keeper Djamal Clarke, the defensive strength of Oliver Gullett, Harry Frost, Conner Williamson, the midfield guile of Joe Laux, Sefa Tunc, Fuad Attayeb, allied to the power and speed of Tasharne Sandiford and Yuan Atangana up front, made them a real force, superbly supported by the unsung heroes of Aaron Anderson, Caspien Zadeh, Louis Gilbert, Karl Brindle, Joseph Hayes-McIntosh, Abdi Qasim, Issac Bullen, Alijan Hakim and, a boy who had been with the team from its inception, Jeremie Mbiola.

The League started with an impressive 11-0 win against FC International, and ended with a 4-1 win against Hanwell Town who for the last few seasons have been Chiswick's nemesis. There were plenty of highs during the season, and very few lows as the League was won by 9 points. Overall the team played 15 won 13 drew 2 lost 0 and had an impressive goal difference of +53.

After winning the League Chiswick Youth, had unfinished business with the Cup after losing in extra time to Hanwell last year. Chiswick were also disadvantaged by losing their Manager half way through the season, but Al Zadeh took over the role and did an excellent job, to complete the work started by Laurence Spear.

The Cup Final was played last Sunday against Hillingdon Youth. Chiswick started very strongly and within 5 minutes a shot from Chiswick was brilliantly saved by the Hillingdon keeper, only for Yuan Atangana to score from the rebound. The first 15 minutes were all Chiswick with Hillingdon finding it hard to control the speed and skill of Chiswick's attacks, the Hillingdon keeper was having a great game to keep his team in the final. The pressure eventually told though, and Atangana followed up another shot that had been saved to make it 2-0. With Atangana and Sandiford, continually stretching the Hillingdon defence and Gullett and Laux controlling the midfield, and supplying the final ball to the strikers it was soon 3-0 with Yuan Atangana scoring again.

Half time couldn't come soon enough for Hillingdon but it allowed them to regroup. Chiswick weren't quite as dominant in the 2nd half, but at no time looked like they were losing control of the match. Atangana eventually added to his first half hat trick with an unstoppable shot to make it Chiswick and Atangana 4 Hillingdon 0.

The match was all over with 15 mins left and Hillingdon were playing for pride, Hillingdon attacked with fresh purpose and Chiswick centre backs of Anderson and Brindle kept them at bay, and a few long shots from outside the area were easily saved by Clarke. Hillingdon eventually got a reward for all their efforts when a penalty was converted, with minutes left.

The final score was 4-1 to Chiswick to end a remarkable season where they were unbeaten and won a League and Cup double. Even though Yuan Atangana scored four and was Man of the Match on the day, he couldn't have been so successful without the team being so unified as a group, with a strong team ethos.

May 18, 2012