Porthleven under 18s will be looking to cap off a fine season and their last as a cohort when they face Truro City Under 18s in the Rathbone Cup Final on Sunday, May 8.
The final, which will be played at Enys Parc St Agnes AFC, kicks off at 3 pm as the under 18s look to build on a successful season that has them currently sitting third in the Kernow Youth Football League.
Speaking to the Packet ahead of the fixture, Porthleven under 18s Manager Jamie Webb said: “It is massive, it’ll be a massive day for them. It is our last year, they are in their second year of 18s so it could be the last game they play together.
“We are supposed to have one game after (at home to Perranporth) in late May but I don’t know what is going to happen with that.
“Everyone is so excited around the club, it is going to be a big day.”
Port head into the match on a fine run of form which has seen them win four of their last five games, drawing the other one.
Their last three outings were played within a week and despite the matches being in such close proximity of each other the gaffer thinks this suits his side, he said: “We have grown into it (the season), we have changed the way we have played a little bit.
“I think at the beginning of this season we had too many gaps between games, sometimes we had four/five-week gaps in between a match.
"Lately, we’ve been having at least one match a week and it is better for the players that aren’t playing with the adults to have the 18s to play together. In the last six games, it has really come together and we have put in some really good performances in too.”
It is not unfamiliar to see a few of these under 18 faces in the adult team, a number of them have featured in the first teams memorable run to their league cup final which will be played against Truro City Reserves on Tuesday, May 10 and Webb believes that playing with the older players is benefitting the development of his side, he said: “For sure, the ones who have played with the adults you can see a difference with them.
"They have a different mentality with the way they turn up, the way they warm up, the confidence in them, talking to other players and helping them on as well.
“I know the 18s have helped the first team when they need players but it has helped the other way that the club has given them that exposure to show what they can do at an adult level so it has worked both ways.”
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