'Jingle Bells Jingle Bells....oh what fun it is to see the 1st Team win Away"

Scole travelled to Yelverton for their last game of 2021 hampered by unavailability of no less than 5 players and their Bench was filled by 3 Teenagers 2 of which had only just turned 16!
However they were in confident mood having beaten and drawn with Yelverton on the last 2 visits to Garrick Field.
Scole started quick against a Yelverton side who hadn't played for 3 weeks and it was striker Ash Rankin who opened the scoring on just 7 minutes. Holding the ball up well, he created space and turned and sent a shot goal-wards. Phil Coult in the Yelverton goal looked to have it covered but inexplicably allowed the ball to roll between his legs and the ball trickled into the net. This fired Yelverton up a bit and the game turned a tad fractious with the Yelverton Skipper Dan Cook picking up a yellow card for a shocking tackle on Reece Lanchester. This had a profound effect on how the game was played out and Ref Chris Fuller who was being assessed for promotion came under increasing pressure from both sides in an attempt to curry favour. Scole were still edging it and Kieran Manning hit the bar with a lob shot from distance that deceived the still shell-shocked Keeper! But moments later Yelverton equalised with their first attempt on goal when Cook followed up on a Cal Simmons save to poke the ball home from close range. This bought a short period of dominance from the home side that Scole had to weather but this was turned just before the interval when Scole had 4 corners on the bounce. Marc Pearce had a shot cleared off the line and Ollie Boardman had a screamer of a shot pushed wide by the keeper. Half-time came with Scole on the up despite the scores remaining level.
The second half began in the same vein with Scole having territorial advantage, but there seemed little danger when Ash Baxter got on the ball in midfield. Baxter had other ideas though and he picked out a run out wide by Manning. With an exquisite 25 yard ping from Baxter, Manning controlled the ball and finished beautifully for what was the turning point of the match giving Scole the lead. Skipper Ben Norton-Hugman increased the lead with a great near-post header from another dangerous Boardman corner and then the young Max Chamberlain who had come on to replace Jake Mcdowell delivered a perfect pin-point cross for Rankin to head in his second of the day and Scole's fourth.
Yelverton came back briefly with a well taken second for them from sub Daniel Frankland but the game was Scole's. The perfect send off came when 16 yr old Harvey Foreman ran at the Yelverton defence and when his shot was blocked the ball ran on to fellow 16 yr old Chamberlain who placed the ball past the stricken Yelverton keeper. With youngsters like these and more coming through the future looks bright for Scole.
Good solid all round performance by the whole squad today with Rankin causing the home defence absolute nightmares but Man of the Match this week is centre midfielder Ash Baxter who had his best game of the season.
It just remains for everyone at Scole United to wish all their followers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.