Massive win Chris Moore Cup

CUP WINNERS: Thistle Massive won the Chris Moore Cup when they beat Lytton High School 5-1 at Childers Road Reserve on Saturday. With medals and trophy are, back (from left): Matt Smith, Michael Rogers, Craig Stirton, Chris Spurr, Kane Stirton, Matt Feisst, Shannon Dowsing, Raymond Rickard, Jason Burgess, Summer Faber and father Stefan, Phill Gill and son Ethan, Reece Brew and coach (and late sub) John Stirton. Middle: Daniel Contreras, Max Mika, Nic Somerton and son River, and Tavonga Mika (son of Max). Front: Jade and Amber Stirton (daughters of Kane), Naia Erickson (friend of Amber) and Tia Mika (daughter of Max). Picture by Eric Barbier

Thistle Massive ensured they would finish the season with a trophy when they beat Lytton High School 5-1 in football’s Chris Moore Cup final on Saturday.

Carpet Court Thistle Massive were in this competition because they lost their Bailey Cup first-round match to Heavy Equipment Services United. Massive and the other first-round losers went into the Chris Moore Cup draw.

On Saturday, Massive led 3-0 at halftime and from then on the result at Childers Road Reserve was seldom in doubt.

Lytton tried to play good football and had the legs on some of their Thistle counterparts, but the skill, experience and team dynamic of the Jags won through.

Central midfielder Max Mika opened the scoring for Thistle in the 14th minute, when he tapped in a loose ball from close range.

His central midfield partner Reece Brew made it 2-0 when he met a half-clearance and hit a first-time shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Two minutes before halftime, right-flank marauder Kane Stirton swung in a 30-metre cross-cum-shot that sailed into the top far corner of the goal to make it 3-0.

In the 48th minute, a defensive mix-up ended with Thistle goalkeeper Raymond Rickard stranded and Lytton left midfielder Mat Hatten rolling the ball into the net.

Brew settled Jags nerves with his second goal, a 35-metre effort in the 62nd minute.

In the 76th minute, centreback Chris Spurr’s 50-metre pass set up striker Nic Somerton for Thistle’s fifth goal. Somerton rode one challenge before placing the ball wide of Lytton keeper Tariq Albert.

For Thistle, Shannon Dowsing, Spurr and Michael Rogers kept things tight in the middle of the defence, and central midfielders Mika, Brew and Phill Gill hardly wasted a ball.

Flank players Matt Smith, on the left, and Kane Stirton made good runs, and up front Craig Stirton and Somerton were always dangerous. Thistle’s shooting was often astray, but sometimes they came close . . . the Lytton crossbar took a hammering.

Lytton never gave up and developed some promising moves. Strikers Sonny Brady and Travis White found the Jags defence hard to break down, though.

Central midfielders Ryan Anderson and Merlin Parsons worked hard to link defence and attack, and Anderson pushed forward more in the second half to good effect.

The flank duties were shared by Mat Hatten and Jamil dos Santos on the left and Cole Bava and Luke Edwards on the right, but they got little change from Thistle fullbacks Matt Feisst and Jason Burgess.

Despite the scoreline, Lytton’s defence did well for much of the game. Centrebacks Harry Win-Hewetson, with his blocking of shots, and Stan Bodle, with his mobility and reading of the game, show promise. Rightback Tyler Evans and leftback Esteban Mariette were always looking to turn defence into attack.

Referee Jim Adcock let play flow and the game was played in good spirit.