A HAT-TRICK from star man Zach Feltham and a superb goalkeeping performance by Charlie Kelly propelled Longwell Green Under-11s to victory over St Vallier.
The away side began the first game brightly, taking the lead after three minutes. Charlie Evans' cross was flicked on at the front post by Feltham to the unmarked Cameron Williams, who smashed the ball between Lewis Ware and his near post.
Longwell almost doubled their lead when Feltham's corner beat everyone and dropped to the back post where Evans was arriving, but he couldn't direct his sliding effort on target.
Soon afterwards, St Vallier launched their first attack as Soul Parsons picked the ball up from Brooklon Stephens and delivered a lovely pass to the back post, which just bobbled over the foot of Josh Emery as he prepared to strike.
However, the visitors continued to dominate and they were soon rewarded with a second goal. The St Vallier defence stood and watched as Evans' long throw bounced into the box where it was beautifully hooked goalwards by Feltham, the ball clipping the inside of the far post as it flew past Ware.
Longwell continued to press forward, Feltham forcing Ware to push an effort round the post before then being awarded a penalty. A long goal-kick flew up over the head of Sam Russell, leaving Feltham to chase the bouncing ball into the box.
Ware came out but missed it, bringing down Feltham in the process and leaving the referee with no choice but to make the award. Ware managed to get a hand to the spot-kick, but it was not enough to stop Feltham's powerful strike from finding the bottom corner.
Evans twice came close to adding to the visitors' tally before half-time, first when a long-range effort was well stopped by Ware and then when a superb block by Ben Braithwaite prevented the midfielder from slotting the ball home from close range.
Longwell Green had dominated the first half, playing lovely, flowing football in attack, while Tom Hill and Nathan Russell at the back snuffed out any threat on their goal.
Longwell started the second half in similar fashion to the first, scoring within three minutes. Kyran Tasker's throw-in was returned to him by Evans and Tasker neatly slipped the ball in between two defenders to Evans. He fed Feltham, who cleverly let it run across his body before flicking it first time with the outside of his boot past the onrushing Ware to complete his hat-trick.
Feltham also came close to adding another when he struck the ball on the swivel from the corner of the box. The effort beat Ware, who was caught a little off guard, but it rattled against the crossbar before bouncing clear.
Two minutes from time, Longwell scored a fifth goal. Tasker found Feltham and his close-range effort was partly blocked by Ware and hooked off the line by Stephens.
However, the home side failed to clear the danger as Feltham headed the clearance across goal to Tasker, who made no mistake as he slotted it past the scrambling Ware.
Saints had the first chance of game two when Sam Thatcher got his head on Jackson Chalmers' whipped corner, but the looping ball dropped the wrong side of the bar.
The home side went in front on six minutes. The Longwell Green defence didn't react to a flick-on from a throw but Chalmers did, sliding the ball on the half-volley past Charlie Kelly from close range.
Longwell came close to equalising a few minutes later when Bennett's corner was cleared only as far as Will Humble, who struck the ball inches over the crossbar.
Saints went close when Lewis Talbot stooped low to head Chalmers' whipped corner towards goal, but a superb reaction block from Kelly denied the home side. Thatcher also came close after cleverly beating Myles Young, but Kelly was quick off his line and managed to block the striker's poked attempt.
Longwell began the second half on the front foot and Joe Kehoe sliced wide after chasing a through ball from Chris Bennett
At the other end, Saints earned a free-kick in a dangerous position after Talbot was bundled over two yards outside the box. Chalmers stepped up to take the kick, but wasted the chance by thumping the ball into the wall.
Longwell counter attacked immediately, Connor Ralph sprinting free down the right wing where he cut into the box and saw his driven effort saved by the feet of Zaydal Kourashi, who then reacted quickly to scramble across his goal and block Reece Veal's rebound effort.
Then it was Kelly's turn to make a great double save. The Longwell keeper blocked Talbot's close-range effort before tipping Thatcher's follow-up around the post, despite still being on the ground.
Saints went close again when Harry Garrett's cutback was straight into the path of Talbot steaming in four yards out, but an outstanding save from Kelly denied the home team.
Saints did finally manage to grab a deserved second goal and this time there was nothing Kelly could do about it. Chalmers picked up the loose ball just outside the box and thumped it beyond the keeper's sprawling dive and into the top corner of the net to make the aggregate score 5-2 with 10 minutes to go.
Kelly made another superb stop to deny Chalmers before, in the final minute, Longwell found the net.
Michael Leat chased the ball out to the touchline following a Saints corner, before whacking it upfield into the path of Kehoe. The striker used his body well to hold off a defender before running unchallenged into the box, and rocketing the ball past Kourashi.
St Vallier: Lewis Ware, Ben Braithwaite, Sam Russell, Logan Dorrington, Soul Parsons, Josh Emery, Brooklon Stephens, Mitcheal Cantle, Zaydal Kourashi, Kieran Daniels, Cameron Carruthers, Jackson Chalmers, Harry Garrett, Sam Thatcher, Lewis Talbot, Drew Allan, Reece Armitage Bye.
Longwell Green Juniors: Harry Davidson, Tom Hill, Nathan Russell, Cameron Williams, Charlie Evans, Kyran Tasker, Zach Feltham, Charlie Kelly, Will Humble, Myles Young, Connor Ralph, Joe Kehoe, Michael Leat, Chris Bennett, Reece Veal, Jake Barber.
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