FC Bascome 2 (5) Warwick Football Academy 2 (4)
FC Bascome have been crowned the Under-18 Charles Marshall champions after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Warwick Football Academy in a seesaw final at the Somerset Cricket Club.
In a clash between two of the island's premier youth development programmes, it took 120 minutes of high-intensity football and a nerve-shredding shootout to separate the sides, with Bascome eventually prevailing 5-4 from the spot after the match finished 2-2.
The first half was a cagey affair, typical of a major final, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm on the Somerset turf. Warwick Football Academy, known for their disciplined defensive structure, successfully nullified FC Bascome’s attacking threats for the opening 45 minutes. Despite several half-chances at either end, the sides went into the interval with the deadlock unbroken, leaving the capacity crowd waiting for a spark of inspiration.
That spark arrived ten minutes after the restart. In the 55th minute, FC Bascome were awarded a free-kick roughly 25 yards from goal—a distance that usually demands a cross, but Mosais Mills had other ideas.
Stepping up with confidence, Mills unleashed a spectacular curling effort that bypassed the Warwick wall. The ball looked destined for the top right-hand corner from the moment it left his boot. Despite a despairing, full-length dive from the Warwick goalkeeper, the sheer precision and power of the strike proved too much, as the ball nestled into the back of the net to spark wild celebrations on the Bascome bench.
The goal sparked a frantic period of play. Warwick Football Academy refused to buckle and found themselves level in the 66th minute, courtesy of a fortuitous own goal that caught the Bascome defence off guard.
However, parity lasted just two minutes. FC Bascome surged forward immediately, and Zachary McGuire found the back of the net in the 68th minute to restore the lead. It looked as though Bascome would hold on, but Warwick’s persistence was rewarded in the 84th minute when James Cooper struck to level the scores for a second time.
With neither side able to find a winner in the closing stages, the final was decided by kicks from the penalty mark. In a display of remarkable composure from both sets of youngsters, the shootout went deep into the order.
FC Bascome eventually held their nerve to win the shootout 5-4, securing a significant milestone for the club's youth ranks. While the game was defined by team resilience, Mosais Mills’ opening heroics and the clinical nature of the final penalties ensured the Charles Marshall trophy headed to the Bascome trophy cabinet.
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