PICTURE BY Trevor Owen shows Caergybi goal machine Louis Chapman.
FOR what is, I believe, the first time in our history as a blog, we’re completely torn as to who to choose for a particular award.
That is because two young players have been in completely unstoppable form throughout the inaugural North Wales Coast West Division One season.
Therefore, it’s only right that we split the prize and rightly highlight both for the incredible efforts this season.
That’s why we’re giving our Young Player of the Season prize for Tier Five to both Luke Baum of Talysarn Celts and Louis Chapman of Caergybi who have both been in a league of their own at times.
The race for the league’s top scorer prize went down to the wire between the pair with Baum eventually coming out on top.
20-year-old Baum began the season with a bang, scoring 5 goals in a 9-0 win over Bodorgan on the opening day of the 21/22 campaign.
Fast forward to now and he has finished the league season as top scorer with 41 goals in just 27 appearances.
All in all, he’s scored 49 goals and 5 assists in 35 appearances across all competitions which are just simply astonishing numbers.
That incredible haul included 10 matches in which he managed to scored 3 or more goals.
Baum’s pace and trickery up top have made him a nightmare for defences to deal with throughout the season.
The sharer of this prize with Baum is none other than Cybi star Louis Chapman.
Down the years, Holyhead has always been the hotspot for some top goal machines from the prolific Asa Thomas to the poacher Gary Jo Owen (who partnered Chapman earlier this season).
Now it looks as though a new star has been born in that part of the island as Louis – who plays in the Caergybi team alongside brothers Jake and Floyd – has been in inspired form throughout this season.
The 21-year-old striker has been playing in what is his first season of senior football this year and has took to it like a fish to water.
Chapman scored 16 goals in his first 8 matches for Caergybi, nothing at least one goal in everyone of those appearances.
Now, come the end of the season, he’s proven to be among the most deadliest of goalscorers having smashed in 38 goals in 24 appearances in the league.
All in all, he – like Baum – has also scored 49 goals but in 31 appearances.
What has made his stats even more impressive is the fact that he has also shown real unselfish play at times too with 10 league assists to his name.
With just shy of 100 goals between them, the pair of them both look like real stars of the future in local game.
And they both also still have a shot of some silverware this season, with Celts in the NWCFA Junior Cup final (v Llanfairpwll or Cemaes Bay) and Caergybi taking on Bethesda Athletic in the Division One Cup semi finals on Wednesday evening with a place in the final v Llanerchymedd at stake.
After such a great goalscoring season for both players, AFE is very much looking forward to seeing how both players develop over coming seasons!
AFEFootballNews 