Arsenal U18s emerge victorious in Youth Cup thriller - as Manchester United at the Emirates looms
A trip to freezing but evocative Hertingfordbury Park was rewarded with a hard-fought 4-3 win for Arsenal U18s - now for Manchester United at the Emirates
Hello,
Happy Wednesday!
Well, I’ve finally thawed out after last night’s match.
And what a match it was.
Hertford Town 3-4 Arsenal U18s in the third round of the FA Youth Cup. At a baltic but packed Hertingfordbury Park.
More on the actual match below but I have to say a massive thank you to everyone at Hertford Town for making me feel so welcome.
Such was the clamour to watch The Arsenal U18s at a packed Hertingfordbury Park, even a fire engine turned up…CREDIT:
As Spurs got drawn against non-league minnows Tamworth (why can’t it ever by Arsenal?), this was my FA Cup third round treat.
Quite literally in fact. Because it was. Albeit the FA Youth Cup third round.
There was a genuine cup tie feel to the match on the night the mighty Arsenal came to town.
According to the locals I talked to last night Hertingforbury Park holds around 1,300. The club sold more than 1,000 tickets, which was superb, considering that they get around 200 through their wonderfully clanking iron turnstiles for most league games.
So, we had all the elements for a cup shock.
Cold weather, a cramped but passionate ground, talented and hard working underdogs against those in the famous red and white. What more could you ask for?
I loved it. It had it all. Even a fire engine.
Which arrived to park itself behind the packed terrace behind the goal Hertford were attacking midway through the second half, blue lights flashing and all. (Apparently they turned up due to a report about a gas leak…)
I also loved the fact that Hertford Town were so helpful, as they, and I quote, “let me sit in the only seat in the main [only] stand where you could see both goals.”
I hadn’t been back to such an evocative ground since I reported on a Stevenage Women’s game there about ten years ago, which got picked up by the BBC.
I seem to recall the game ended 7-2 that long lost afternoon, so I had my work cut out to get everything correct.
Which was harder than you might think.
As I didn’t have a team sheet, nor were there numbers on the back of the players shirts - players I had no knowledge of to boot - and the distinct lack of PA announcements every time a goal went in still makes me shiver.
Even now in times of high drama and stress in the press box whether it be near or far, I still think back to that day and feel a sudden calm, because no day’s reporting from a game, whether it be Loughton, London, Lisbon or LA, I tell myself, will ever be harder.
Strictly speaking it will probably be the second nearest game to my front door (after Arsenal U18s played Hitchin Town back in the far warmer climes of July).
Although, thanks to my know-it-all SatNav, the short trip felt like I was in Steven Spielberg’s iconic 1972 film Duel.
Where, if you swapped the sinister, nameless dusty Californian highway for an equally sinister, nameless, er, dark Hertfordshire B road, menaced at every turn by a smoke-spewing van with bright lights right behind me, then you’d feel my pain.
I attempted to navigate unlit country roads fringed in the ever growing mist with what appeared to be trees with faces not out of place in a Harry Potter film, before eventually finding a winding path that somehow led to Hertingfordbury Park.
My SatNav said 18 miles from door to door. It felt more like three different galaxies. At one point I did wonder if I actually had any tartan blankets and distress signals, such was my fear of breaking down in the middle of nowhere and never, ever being seen again.
Anyway. I finally made it. And so did Arsenal U18s.
Black is the new red at Hertford Town. CREDIT:
Report: FA Youth Cup third round: Hertford Town 3-4 Arsenal U18s
Adam Birchall's Young Guns edged past battling Hertford Town in a seven goal thriller on a chilly night at Hertingfordbury Park despite Jack Porter being handed a red card after the final whistle for excessive celebrations.
Two goals and an assist from Arsenal No10 Dan Casey helped steer the visitors into the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup after an enthralling clash against Hertford Town.
An early opener by Andre Harriman-Annous was cancelled out by the home side’s Archie O’Brien, before two goals in two minutes prior to the interval from Casey, and Louie Copley put the North Londoners in a dominant position.
Yet Hertford refused to be bowed, and pulled at goal back for 3-2 via Finley Lynch’s penalty, before Casey made it 4-2. And despite substitute Nathan Devshi’s late strike to make it 4-3 and set up a grandstand finish, Arsenal held on for a hard-fought victory against their laudable hosts.
Adam Birchall’s gilded young guns paid a visit to evocative Hertingfordbury Park on a chilly Tuesday evening to contest their third round FA Youth Cup tie with Hertford Town.
The home side, which included highly-rated young attackers Finley Lynch and Riley Carr had displayed their quality, not to mention battling qualities to reach this stage of the prestigious national competition.
Coach Ben Herd’s Hertford eased past Bristol Rovers 4-3 in the previous round, having already beaten Cambridge United to set up the sold-out tie in deepest Hertfordshire.
With more than 1,000 tickets snapped up, in a capacity of 1,300, with normal attendances hovering around the 200 mark, interest was high.
Seven times winners Arsenal, for their part, last reached the final back in 2023, when they were routed 5-1 by a lively West Ham side in front of more than 34,000 at the Emirates. Jack Wilshere was boss back then, backed by his No2 Adam Birchall, who is now head coach following Wilshere’s move to Norwich City earlier in the season.
Following a hard-fought opening, Arsenal went ahead when Harriman-Annous slotted home past Hertford keeper William Kiers to make it 1-0 on seven minutes.
Hertford could have levelled when their highly-rated No9 Finley Lynch got ahead of Arsenal centre-back Brayden Clark to brush the post from George Andreou’s cross on 17 minutes.
The visitors failed to heed the warning, and paid the price six minutes later, when O’Brien followed up Riley Carr’s cross to make it 1-1 by firing past League Cup starlet Jack Porter and in the Gunners net as a packed Hertingfordbury Park erupted with delight.
However, such joy was short-lived, as Birchall’s talented side went ahead with five minutes remaining of the first half. Young Guns No10 Casey lifting the ball over keeper William Kiers, and into the net to put the visitors 2-1.
Worse was to come for the battling home side 60 seconds later, when No8 Copley made it 3-1 to the visitors as Birchall’s side made it two in as many minutes.
The home side refused to give up, and on 54 minutes Lynch fired his spot kick past Porter in the Gunners goal to pull a goal and make the scoreline 3-2 to the North Londoners.
As temperatures dropped on a cold evening, Casey grabbed his second of the match on 64 minutes to make it 4-2 and underline the visitors superiority, which despite Devshi’s 83rd minutes strike, saw Birchall’s side make it over the line against a Hertford side that deserved plaudits for its excellent spirit and determination.
Even if the referee attempted to remove the young guns joy by sending off an exuberant Porter for over-zealous celebrations after the final whistle.
Arsenal U18s: Player Ratings
Player Ratings:
Jack Porter: 5/10 - Young prospect already with a first team debut under his belt having featured for Mikel Arteta’s starting XI during the 5-1 rout of League One side Bolton Wanderers in front of nearly 60,000 at the Emirates back in September. Yet places such as Hertford Town are where the promising 16-year-old will learn his trade. Displayed solid handling and distribution throughout, but given no chance by Finley Lynch for his second half penalty - blotted his copybook by being sent off after the whistle for what lookd like overzealous celebrations. Will learn from the experience
Theo Juliene: 7/10 - Not afraid to play the ball long when required and dovetailed well with Louis Zecevic-John further forward
William Lannin-Sweet: 6.5/10 - Struggled to cope with the pace, attacking intent and tenacity from the home side’s extremely impessive Riley Carr – no wonder there was a scout from Newcastle watching the Hertford youngster
Samuel Onyekachkwu: 7.5/10 - Solid and reliable and will have learned plenty against hungry and talented non-league youngsters
Brayden Clarke: 6.5/10 -Needed to be more decisive when the ball was played into the box. Especially fortunate when Hertford’s lively Finley Lynch got ahead of the young guns No5 to brush the post from left-back George Andreou’s cross
Ife Ibrahim: 7/10 -A calm head and good technique. Intelligent use of the ball at times
Louis Zecevic-John: 6.5/10 - Engaged in an absorbing duel with Hertford left-back George Andreous and was a constant threat down the right flank - even if the rapid No7 didn’t always deliver thanks to the opposition’s diligence and tenacity, especially when doubling – or even tripling up on the young attacker
Louie Copley: 7.5/10 - The Young Guns No8 made it three for the visitors as Adam Birchall’s side netted two in as many minutes shortly before half time to deflate home hopes at a packed Hertingfordbury Park
Andre Harriman-Annous: 7.5/10 - Showed composure to slot home for his side’s opening goal at a packed Hertingfordbury Park on seven minutes
Dan Casey: 8/10 - Lively, but more composure required at critical moments, as underlined when the young No10 fired high over the bar when well-placed on the quarter hour mark. Ceded possession too many times both in attack and defensively but redeemed himself when slotting home to make it 2-1 before the interval prior to adding a fourth for Arsenal, on top of an assist too
Ceadach O’Neill: 6.5/10 - Wasteful on set pieces and lacked composure when through on goal at times
…….
Arsenal vs Manchester United
It’s the big one tonight. One of the great fixtures in world football.
I live for games like this. I think it was Jose Mourinho who said the world used to stop for this fixture. And I think we’re getting back to that now, after a few years in the doldrums for both clubs.
I can’t wait. See you at the Arsenal.
To get you in the mood, here’s an old nostalgia piece by me.
The 11 most enjoyable wins over Man Utd that I have attended
DAILY LIST
I’ll be flogging the Gooner outside Arsenal Tube until Alex gets there, then I’ll race around to Bear Roundabout, before ducking into the media entrance before kick-off.
PS:
We haven’t sold anywhere near the numbers we expected for this current issue of the Gooner Fanzine, thanks to the way fixtures have fallen. So if you haven’t picked up a copy yet, please do. Or buy one for a mate. Here’s why