ARCHIE Twist kept his cool to fire Mill Hill to LFA Youth Cup glory with a winner two minutes from time.
The finely-poised final appeared to be heading for a penalty shoot-out when Twist made his move.
Latching on to a long ball over the top, the striker held off his marker, raced in to the area and superbly drilled his shot across the keeper.
Mill Hill would have been the more relieved side to have reached the shoot-out as they lost their way in the second half after a promising start.
And had Tyldesley converted one of their two gilt-edged chances late on – Jack Aspden and Cameron Phillips both fired wide – the outcome could have been a lot different.
The Blackburn side started the brighter and Twist had a good effort saved by Jamie Andrews after great play by Bailey Hunter – Mill Hill’s outstanding player on the night.
Twist then returned the favour but Hunter’s well struck effort was saved by Andrews.
But Tyldesley were a danger at the other end. First it took an excellent goalline clearance by Daniel Barron to deny Ryan Horne before Dylan Rutter went close following one excellent run.
But it was Mill Hill who finished the half the stronger. Mohammed Zehn drilled one shot just off target before Hunter worked himself some room on the edge of the area before firing just wide.
The second half was a different story though as the game became disjointed as both sides struggled with the wide expanse of the County Ground pitch.
It seemed to suit Tyldesley who grew in confidence. It took a excellent well timed tackled by George Caton to deny Rutter.
At the other end, Brandon Froggat fired wide after one good run then missed the target with a header from Elnazir Mohammed’s cross.
While they were more than half chances, the two that fell to Tyldesley were sitters.
First Aspden mishit with the goal at his mercy after being teed up by Rutter. The Phillips somehow missed the target from close range after Henry Bunting-Jones had saved Sam Unsworth effort.
A goal at that stage and the cup was heading to Wigan.
As it was, it seemed spot-kick bound until a dramatic late Twist.
Mill Hill U12s: Henry Bunting-Jones, Maaz Gurjee, Daniel Barron, Mohammed Zehn, Alex Ward, George Caton, Elnazir Mohammed, Juddson Hickey, Archie Twist, Bailey Hunter, Joe Bergquist, Finton Kilpatrick, Brandon Froggat, Jack Hodder.
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