Shenley U18s went into the game on Sunday against the unbeaten league leaders missing six star players, leaving them with the bare eleven.

From the start Sports defended well, with Matt Bell working hard at the back and keeper Adam Weinrich making some fine saves.

Shenley were soaking up a lot of pressure, and hitting Bosco on the counter attack with in-form striker Mark 'Stavros' Hudson causing trouble up front.

Late in the first half Don Bosco took the lead, and heads began to drop.

After a rousing half time team talk, Sports came out all guns blazing, and inspirational captain Dave Smith covered every blade of grass on the pitch.

Manager Craig Osborne switched midfielder Jay Gregory to attack, where he beat three players to blast the ball into the back of the net.

It was now end to end stuff, with both sides playing their socks off, but this led to Don Bosco going 2-1 up before Gregory hit a 20-yard volley to square things up.

This put pressure on Bosco, who were no longer the better side. After soaking up another attack, captain Dave Smith picked up the ball on the edge of his own area before beating eight players and thundering the ball into the top corner.

Sports then put 11 men behind the ball, but could not stop Bosco getting an equaliser.

Manager Craig Osborne said: "An amazing performance all the lads were brilliant, especially Dave Smith who is playing with a broken bone in his foot. He was my man of the match."

Shenley Sports 3

Don Bosco 3

South Herts Division One

November 7, 2001 14:22