Last Saturday on Community Day Millwall Community Trust hosted a Year-11 Showcase Tournament in the Lions Centre between 9:00-11:30am.
Everyone who attended was offered a free ticket to the Millwall Vs Preston North End Championship clash in the afternoon.
The event was made up of three teams, Millwall Blues, Millwall Reds and Millwall Whites.
Millwall Blues played Millwall Conisborough College Reds in the final with the Blues coming out on top on penalties.
Well done to everyone involved on the day!
Reece Endicott Millwall Community Trust AP student trainee sports reporter wrote the following report.
Today saw the inaugural Under sixteen showcase tournament be played out in the Lion centre on the clubs now famous Community Day, with some incredible talent on display today. Three seven aside teams took to the astro in the community centre to battle it out. The Millwall Reds, Blues and Whites. Let’s see what the next generation had on offer for us today.
Our day started out with Millwall Blues vs Reds, a game that started out on an even level. Neither team could really get a foothold into the game in the beginning stages, Millwall Blues swung a corner straight to the goalkeeper but it was difficult for him to mark the first real chance of the match.
Multiple chances would be pulled away by the respective keepers of both teams as this affair started to heat up. It reached boiling point as Millwall Reds would score the first goal of the tournament to put their team infront! A cool calm and collected finish was enough to beat the Blue keeper.
The White team was the challenger as Millwall Blues stayed on. The Millwall whites got off to a quick and direct start as they hit the post early on.
However Millwall Blues would hit back as they applied pressure on the white team which eventually payed off, With blues number 11 firing an absolute ROCKET into the top right hand corner to make it 1-0, which is how it stayed. Blue team winning their second game after losing to the Millwall Reds.
Millwall Reds came back on as they faced the Millwall whites for the first time. Red would mostly dominate this matchup, with whites relying on their goalkeeper to bail them out numerous times.
As the game wore on both teams stood firm with a stalemate the most likely outcome. Despite Red throwing numerous chances at White right at the end, that stalemate outcome came into reality.
Millwall Blues vs Millwall Reds would be back on the pitch for the second time for their matchup. Blue started on the backfoot as Red again started to dominate and keep the pressure on their opponent.
There wasn’t really too many clearcut chances in this match, the only real big hitter was Blue hitting the post from a dangerous freekick. Another 0-0 in what is proving to be “Rolls Royce defending from all 3 teams.
White vs Blue would soon follow, with blues getting off to the best possible start. They’re main talisman twisting and turning and then slotting it in the top right hand corner, a real moment of quality that shows how much potential these boys have.
Millwall whites really started to take a grasp of this game as it was starting to come to a close. Pressing the Millwall blues seemed to work for them as they worked through a scrappy encounter to score their first goal of the tournament! It ended 1-1 with this being the first game where both teams scored.
Millwall reds vs Millwall whites was the final game of the “Mini league”. Millwall Whites had to win to secure a spot in the final, while Millwall Reds needed only a draw.
You could tell this one was a proper “Tiebreaker” as neither team really took control of the play. However it was Millwall reds who took the lead, one of their star men of the tournament so far turned in the box to slot home another goal for himself. After they took the lead, The Red Lions soon doubled their advantage to 2-0, which all but confirmed a Millwall Red vs Blue final.
The two talent packed teams took to the stage, Millwall Reds Vs Blues for the trophy.
In a final, you must defend with your upmost passion and desire to reach your end goal. That is certainly what both of these groups did for the first 10 minutes of this knife edged final. Both teams couldn’t find a way through until the 11th minute, where Millwall Reds scored! The team celebrated with upmost joy, But did you really think it was all over? Of course it wasn’t!
In the very last few seconds of play before the title went to Millwall Reds CONTROVERSY struck as Millwall blues were awarded a penalty to give them a priceless lifeline!
Admist all the talk and yapping from both teams, it would come down to one man. The Blue Lions penalty taker slotted it away so cooly, and this time it was the Blues celebrating with upmost joy! That would bring this thrilling tournament down to penalties.
Team talks would follow as 10 penalties would decide the fate of the winner of the showcase tournament of 2023. Red would step up first but it was saved! A brilliant save from the keeper gave advantage to Millwall blues. Scoring form wouldn’t be an issue in this shootout, as no one would miss a single penalty leading up to the deciding moment.
At 4-4, Millwall Blues had to score to win, pressure on a young man’s shoulders… For glory…. And he absolutely smashed it into the net! Millwall Blues are your 2023 winners of our inaugural tournament.
However, in reality everyone was a winner. Some absolutely unbelievable stuff played from these boys and it’s sure going to be interesting to see how many of these lads develop and grow into the world class potential many of them possess.
Millwall Education and Employability Manager John Scarborough said: “It was a fantastic morning on Saturday and it was great to see everyone enjoying themselves.
“It was great that so many children turned up and every player gave their all in the matches and worked excellently as a team to try and win the tournament.
“We look forward to putting another tournament on like this and thank you to everyone who came.”
For more information jscarborough@millwallcommunity.org.uk
