ASHBOURNE Aztecs Cougars under-10s’ leading goalscorer Jack Beresford hit the target twice on Sunday against Riverside Junior Royals, but it was not enough to prevent another heavy defeat in a second-half collapse.
Riverside opened the scoring from their initial attack, and as the Cougars struggled to get to grips with the heavy going, went two down soon after.
They made it three before the Cougars started to compete and fought their way into the Riverside half with Joe Miller and Beresford firing in a couple of shots and Kian Tunnicliffe forcing a corner.
Joe Mee robbed the ball and fed Tunnicliffe, whose shot was blocked but fell kindly for Beresford to net.
The Aztecs might have ended the half on level terms as George Lee Mallinson and Beresford linked well, with Beresford’s shot going just wide.
In the second half, the Cougars were caught cold again as Riverside added a further three goals to their tally before a quick-thinking Beresford latched onto a half chance to smash in his second goal of the game.
However, an injury to Mee caused big gaps to start appearing in the Cougars’ rearguard and Riverside began to run riot, adding a further four goals before the final whistle.
