Wood Lane Crowned County Youth Challenge Cup Champions

In a fast-paced encounter at Pershall Park, Wood Lane clinched the title with a 4-2 win over Shelfield United.

The started in a flurry as Wood Lane came close to breaking the deadlock early on, striking the post in the 5th minute. The breakthrough came in the 10th minute when Barnett's touch met a perfectly placed ball, which he calmly chipped into the back of the net from the left.

Wood Lane continued to press forward, almost doubling their lead in the 14th minute, only to be denied by a save from the Shelfield United goalkeeper. Their persistence paid off in the 30th minute when Hartshorn unleashed a strike into the top right corner, extending Wood Lane's lead to 2-0.

Just when it seemed Wood Lane was in control, Shelfield United clawed their way back into the game, pulling one back in the 39th minute with a well-taken goal inside the box. The momentum swung further in Shelfield United's favor as they leveled the score right on the stroke of halftime, courtesy of Simpson-Lewis's audacious lob from the corner of the box, setting the stage for an exciting second half.

As the teams returned for the second half, Wood Lane regained their composure and surged ahead once again in the 64th minute, with Jones calmly slotting home from the edge of the box. Despite Shelfield United's efforts, Wood Lane extended their lead in the 83rd minute, as Jones curled in a sublime free-kick, effectively sealing the victory for Wood Lane.