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Picture special: Yaxley Festival of Football
THE Yaxley Festival of Football has become one of the big attractions on the junior football summer tournament circus - and it is not hard to see why.
THE Yaxley Festival of Football has become one of the big attractions on the junior football summer tournament circus - and it is not hard to see why.While most non-league managers are sunning themselves on the beaches of far-off lands or frantically attempting to sign new players, Yaxley boss Gary Clipston is indulging in hard work of a different kind.
For the last eight years Clipston has organised the event and the popularity has never been greater.
Sixty teams and around 500 players descended on Leading Drove over the weekend and proceeded to produce some smashing football to make it all worthwhile for Clipston.
"It's wonderful to give so many youngsters the opportunity to play football and it is also an excellent fund-raiser for the club," he said.
"We pride ourselves on being a family club and the emphasis is on bringing through young players rather than following the lead of a lot of other United Counties League clubs and splashing big-money around.
"I always wanted to put something back into football and this festival is a great way of doing that."
The only thing gloomy about the opening day on Saturday was the weather. The sun might not have been shining but plenty of budding young footballers certainly were.
Football Association rules prevent finals being played in Under 7 competitions so group winners Woodston and Netherton were left to share top billing.
The Woodston lads only slipped up once on their way to Group A triumph while Netherton boasted an unbeaten record after romping clear in Group B.
Bourne Claret were kings of the Under 8 castle after seeing off Eye 1-0 in the final. Man-of-the-match Jack Dodd settled the contest with a stunning free-kick strike.
Abbey might have started the Under 9 event slowly but they were in top form when it mattered most as player-of-the-tournament Reuben Eyles shot them to glory.
The city lads sneaked through the early stages as Group A runners-up but booked their place in the final by seeing off Group B winners Glinton Blue on penalties.
And the other group winners fell at the same hurdle with Netherton Owls - who boasted a 100 per-cent record in Group A - beaten by Thorney at the semi stage.
The final went all the way to extra-time before Eyles burst clear and smashed in an unstoppable angled shot.
The action was just as sizzling as the weather as the older age groups took to the field yesterday.
Steering his side to glory proved to be a painful experience for Jackson Andrews of Deeping Blue Under 10s.
Goalkeeper Andrews was a penalty shoot-out hero as he pulled off the crucial save in a 5-4 success over Yaxley Yellow B, but his fine stop left him in the wars as he injured a thumb. But Andrews recovered in time to collect the trophy and man-of-the-match accolade from Yaxley chairman Pete Burgess.
Netherton Falcons were the team to watch in the Under 11 age group, but both their sides fell victim to the Callum McDonough-inspired Glinton Green.
The Falcons’ A outfit romped to Group B glory with a 100 per-cent record which included a win over Glinton, while the B string topped Group A.
But it was Glinton who had the last laugh in the latter stages. First they saw off Netherton Falcons B 1-0 in the semis before a couple of goals from man-of-the-match McDonough ensured a 3-0 triumph over Falcons A in the final.
Super strikers were shut out by demon defenders in a tight Under 12 competition. It was no surprise to see a final between Yaxley B and Abbey B go all the way to penalties where the host club ran out 5-3 winners.
Such was the class of the defending on display in this age bracket, Connor Brennan of the Abbey backline won the man-of-the-match gong in the final while Yaxley’s Dominic Walden took the prestigious player-of-the-tournament honour for a string of fine displays.
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Weather for Peterborough
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: -5 C to -1 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
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