Youth football: Saints book place in U16 final with big win

RYDE Saints booked their place in the final of the Isle of Wight U16 Cup and will face a strong Newport side after beating Gurnard comprehensively on Sunday.

Playing in wild and windy conditions, Gurnard turned up with a depleted side and Ryde had 11 players and no subs.

The gulf in numbers showed when Saints, playing down the Pell Lane slope, opened the scoring with a Lewis Norville tap in on three minutes.

Lewis Norville (first left in blue) opens his and Ryde Saints' account against Gurnard in the second semi-final of the Isle of Wight U16 Cup.

But plucky Gurnard, with nine men on the park, equalised through Cam Meshane two minutes later.

The dangerous Keir Ramage restored Saints’ lead when he slotted home a one-on-one with the keeper on 16 minutes.

Ryde Saints forward Keir Ramage, who scored a quickfire hat-trick against Gurnard on Sunday.

He grabbed his second five minutes later — striking home from distance — then got his hat-trick on 36 minutes, with another long range effort.

Gurnard keeper Harry Gerrard, who had a busy game, saved well from a Joe Stratton shot just before half-time.

Gerrard was called into action again with a superb reaction save from a Norville effort.

Gurnard keeper Harry Gerrard pulling off a superb save to deny rampant Ryde Saints. 

But Ryde went 5-1 up on the hour with a Jacob Jackson header.

Gurnard did not give in and Imran Vloemans lobbed keeper Ben Orton to pull one back.

Gurnard stopper Harry Gerrard watches helplessly as another goal flies in for Ryde Saints.

After Saints hit the bar and Gerrard saved well again, Norville grabbed his second.

Saints were relentless towards the end, with Cian McGee and Ramage adding further goals.

The final will be at East Cowes Vics on Thursday, March 21.

Ryde Saints: Orton, Burgess, Mann, Hunt, McLernon, Gissing, Ramage, McGee, Jackson, Stratton, Norville.

Gurnard: Gerrard, Lawrence, George, Hedley, Vandercasteele, Turner, Vloemans, Meshane, Cumpsty.