Under 13 Reds triumph in tense penalty shoot out!

What a day for Wigan Junior Latics (WJL) U13 Reds as they were crowned Wigan & District Youth League Knock Out Cup winners after an unforgettable final against Cherrybrook Rangers at Hindley Juniors Fc last Sunday! WJL started brightly and took an early lead through Jacob I, who struck a superb left-footed effort from the edge of the box into the net to put the Reds 1-0 up. Cherrybrook responded before half time to level the game at 1-1 heading into the break. The Reds came out strong again in the second half and regained the lead thanks to a moment of brilliance from Joseph, whose left-footed strike from the left side of the box curled beautifully away from the keeper and into the top right corner. With WJL moments away from victory, Cherrybrook managed to find an equaliser in the third minute of injury time after we were unable to fully clear the ball. Full time: 2-2. Straight to penalties — and what a shootout it was! After 9 excellent penalties from both teams, Cherrybrook needed to score to stay alive. Their well-struck effort was brilliantly saved by James, who dived low to his left to push the ball away and secure a fantastic 5-4 penalty shootout victory for the Reds! An incredible effort from every single player throughout the competition and a fully deserved win. A huge thank you to Hindley Juniors for hosting such an excellent event and providing a fantastic occasion for all involved. 👏 Visit our Facebook page to see the penalty save!!!