Pumas In Control.

Westpoint Wasps 0 – 5 Ashcombe Pumas

Westpoint Wasps 1 – 3 Ashcombe Pumas

Pumas travelled to Newcastle for this weeks Potteries Mini League Under 10’s fixture to play Westpoint Wasps.

Game one saw the Westpoint start the brighter with some bright and quick passing interchanges as it took a while for the Pumas to get to grips with the game. However with five minutes gone it was the Pumas who opened the scoring when Matt Muir played the ball through to Tom Cashmore in front of the Wasps goal and with a precise shot the ball ended up in the back of the net.

Cashmore then doubled the Pumas lead and his tally for the day when he showed good strength on the ball to hold off a Wasps defender before a clinical strike into the bottom corner of the net.

A third goal came before half time when a fine solo run from Muir left three defender trailing in his wake before dispatching a deft left footed effort beyond the despairing dive of the Wasps keeper.

The second half produced two more goals with both being scored by Aidan Derbyshire, the first being a cross come shot that evaded everyone including the un-fortunate Wasps keeper before finding the top corner of the net and the second a poachers goal when a long range effort from Jordan Glover could only be palmed away by the Wasps keeper and Derbyshire nipped in to apply the finishing touch.

The second game started sluggishly and it took a while for the Pumas to mount their first meaningful attack which ended with a Muir header being well saved by the Wasps goalkeeper who touched the ball over the crossbar.

The opening goal did eventually come when a characteristic strong run by Charlie Cooke ended with a powerful drive beyond the outstretched keeper and into the far corner of the net.

Cashmore then added to his earlier efforts when finding himself one-on-one with the advancing keeper he calmly slid the ball into the net for a well-taken goal.

Following the break it was the Wasps turn to put pressure on the Pumas rear-guard and following a couple of half chances they were rewarded for their efforts, catching the Pumas defenders napping after a quickly taken free kick a long shot was driven in which keeper Derbyshire could only parry into the net.

These were nervy times for the Pumas as the Wasps swarmed forward looking for the second goal which could gain them a precious point, however the Pumas wrapped up the points late on when Cashmore again found the back of the net this time in splendid fashion which a thundering drive which gave the keeper little chance.

This was a game that saw the Pumas gain maximum points on a day when they never quite played the free flowing football that they have shown in the past.

Pumas man of the match was Jordan Glover.