The Merit U13 Boys Youth Plate
2022-2023 Winners: Folkestone Invicta
The Merit Under-13 Boys Plate Final: Folkestone Invicta 4 Orpington 3 after extra-time
Folkestone needed an extra-time winner to finally see off Orpington in a keenly-contested final at Sheppey’s Holm Park.
There were plenty of first-half chances but none were taken until a glut of three goals in a five-minute spell.
Max Walters put Orpington ahead but Beau Morgan levelled for Folkestone and then turned in Jack Wilcox’s brilliant left-wing cross.
Orpington responded early in the second half when Walters grabbed his second but Invicta regained the lead as an unfortunate defender turned in Theo Tester’s cross-shot.
But, after Folkestone had been reduced to 10 men via a sin-bin for dissent, Orpington levelled deep in stoppage time through Richard Ojo’s stunning right-foot thunderbolt.
The only goal of extra-time arrived inside two minutes when Joe Nicholson beat the last defender and found the far corner of the net.
Read the full report and reaction on the kentonline.co.uk website here