For the second weekend in a row the young Lions had a fixture against good competitive opposition in the searing heat. The midday kick off not exactly helping matters for either team, and in fact it was credit to both sides that they produced a lively encounter well worth watching.
The team news for 60 was that Billy Smith and Jack Quarrington missed out through injury, while Max Phillips was taking his turn to have a week off in goal. This meant that Diego Cuison, Harrison Moores, Ollie Small were given their first starts of the season and Toby Blackwell made his first competitive start in goal, having signed in the summer.
As for the game itself it was barely a minute old when the Lions were awarded a free kick wide on the right of the box. With the management hoping for a good delivery Harvey Usman duly obliged. Whipping the ball in with pace for the towering Jack Galton to head goalwards, only for the home keeper to make a good save and parry as far as the lurking Ethan Calthorpe who turned the ball into the net before the keeper could react. 0-1.
To be fair to to Cuxton their heads didn't drop and rather than fear the worst after such a bad start it remained tight and competitive for the remainder of the half. A lot of battling in the middle of the park but neither side able to really string too many passes together to be able to take control.
Seventeen minutes in 60 got the second goal which on reflection of the game at that time was a little unfair on the home team, but a goal so simple in it's build up that you wish kids could see that each week and realize how simple football can be.
A Cuxton break was broken up by the Lions midfield, a couple of passes interchanged between the midfield left Finlay Smith to drive at the back four. In a few instances 60 had the chance in other scenarios and just hadn't managed the final ball, on this occasion Usman timed his run across the back four, Smith slipped it into his path and Usman finished on his weaker right foot to leave the Lions 0-2 to the good.
At this point you'd have been forgiven for thinking that 60 were in control but again Cuxton came back. 22 minutes on the clock and a short back pass caused confusion in the away defence. As the ball ricocheted around the area legs were being swung, bodies were falling and a penalty was awarded. In fairness to the young referee he got the call right as it seemed there was a penalty seconds earlier in the build up, but at the time it was awarded it seemed a Cuxton player had fallen over Blackwell whilst he had both hands on the ball.
The young Cuxton forward made the most of the opportunity with a solid finish high to the left hand side of Blackwell, leaving the keeper little chance. 1-2.
The break in play allowing the Lions make a few changes the ever willing Bravo coming on for Moores and Parkin for Calthorpe.
For the next ten minutes or so 60 were strong and saw the game through to half time. The only real incidents of note being two runs from Bravo from the edge of his own box to the other leaving four or five players trailing in his wake as he got into his stride. Each time winning a throw in in good positions for his tame and taking the pressure of the defence. HT 1-2.
There were two stand out players for Cuxton in the first half a tall leggy centre half who made everything look simple and covered most of the threats posed by 60 and a small right winger (Number 10) who hugged the touch line causing the young Lions a few problems and they'd only managed to snuff out the danger he caused by getting numbers around the ball. With that in mind the Lions reverted to a back four for the first time since last season.
The impressive Tommy Nye dropping to right back as he had so effortlessly the week before, Calum Kurentas and Galton the central pairing and Ollie Small given the task of stopping the 10.
The second half started a little frantically for the Lions with both good and bad news.
40 minutes on the clock a free kick on the halfway line floated forward by Galton over the back line of Cuxton, Parkin on to it in a flash muscling the defender off of the ball and flicking past the advancing keeper for 1-3.
All good and the two goal cushion restored only for Smith and Cuison to ask to be removed due to trouble breathing, Moores unable to immediately replace either as he had been nursing a bad back in recent games and the hard grounds not helping, so Calthorpe returned and the young Lions played the next few minutes with 10 men.
Moores offered his services a few minutes later to equal the numbers only for Bravo to roll his ankle five minutes later. Smith now having calmed down and sat in the shade able to return and take his place.
Back to the game itself and a mad 10 mins over the game settled down.
A lot of hard work by both teams in the middle third but lacking a cutting edge in either box. Cuxton had good pressure a few long range shots held by Blackwell leaving the forwards disappointed as they came in to sniff out any chance that may come as a result of a spill.
The Lions back four looking solid, Small and Nye tenacious, giving little opportunity to the wingers to cause them any problems and a solid back two dealing with the majority of threats through the middle.
The goal that turned out to be the final goal of the day was worth the wait.
With twenty minutes to go Connor Easdown winning the ball off of the Cuxton left back, driving across the box and rolling the ball to Usman. With work to do he rolled his man to work space for a shot and then sent a cracking drive from 20 yards back across the keeper, leaving him little chance. 1-4.
Other half chances came and went for Cuxton at a time when maybe they should of pulled the trigger, allowing time for the Lions to clear their lines.
There wasn't a massive gulf between the sides, if anything 60 were more ruthless in front of goal and that was enough on the day.
The performance was much better as a whole than the week before, with a little bit more passing and control evident in 60's game.
It was also good to see all the forwards on the score sheet.
Credit to the Cuxton centre back who was equally impressive all game.
The match awards were close between all players but two players were highlighted by both the parents (man of the match was awarded to Finlay Smith), and the Managers (awarded by the injured Jack Quarrington to Harvey Usman).
Next week is a chance for a break from the league and the first step in the League Cup competition.

Stats to date:
Goals: Harvey Usman 2, Finlay Smith 2, Parkin 1, Calthorpe 1, Bravo 1
Assists: Usman 1, Bravo 1, Calthorpe 1, Galton 1, Smith 1, Easdown 1

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