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The South Shore Under-18s strikers were in sharp-shooting form in our Blackpool and District Youth Football League match of the week.

Youth match of the week: YMCA Orange v Fylde Coast Soccer Messis

Billy Etheridge scored four and there was a hat-trick for debutant Krystian Sobolewski as South Shore defeated BJFF Phantoms 8-2 in one of only two games to beat the freeze.

Captain Jayden Moore also scored with a penalty, though both managers agreed this was a good and well-contested match.

Airborne action from South Shore Under-18s v BJFF Phantoms

Both teams were playing at Under-16 level last season, so are in the first of two seasons as U18s and are negotiating the learning curve well.

Shore manager Natalie Etheridge told The Gazette: “This was our second win but it’s a learning season and we aren’t too bothered about the scores. There was a lot of attacking play by both teams and Phantoms put us under pressure, but our boys were on it from the start.”

Natalie, who shares the managerial role with David Jones and doubles up as club secretary, has looked after this team since U11 level and added: “It’s all about building together.”

Goalscorers for Phantoms were Jack Crossley and Harry Clarke, who usually plays in goal.

South Shore and BJFF Phantoms are among the younger teams in the under-18 competition

Their manager, Lisa Hannigan, said: “We always have good games with South Shore and the scoreline doesn’t reflect how close this one was.

“We were playing in the bottom division as U16s and not many teams from that level move up to the U18s but we had 18 players who wanted to carry on.”

Lisa has been coaching for six years and helped form the Phantoms as U15s: they are among four U18 teams within a thriving BJFF which fields more than 50 teams in all.

South Shore is prospering too and Natalie added: “We are doing really well as a community club. We take players of all abilities and have a girls’ section.”

Thomas Wilkinson was Shore’s player of the match for a strong display at the back, while Josh Bennett showed composure in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role to pick up the BJFF award.

The other game played resulted in a 6-2 win for Poulton Town over Lytham JFC.

Fin Marsh scored four to keep Poulton in the title race. Ollie Hulme and Owen Barclay added the others, with Cam Palmer and Oliver Heywood on target for Lytham.

Blackpool Youth League match of the week: South Shore U18s v BJFF Phantoms