York Firsts remind the Fourths why they’re number one
UNIVERSITY OF YORK MEN’S FOOTBALL FOURTHS 0 - UNIVERSITY OF YORK MEN’S FOOTBALL FIRSTS 5
BUCS Cup (Football) First Round, Wednesday 29th October 2008
An interesting cup draw led to the universities’ firsts and fourths playing against each other in the opening BUCS cup match of the season. Rather unsurprisingly, the firsts beat the fourths convincingly by five goals to nil, two of these being scored from the penalty spot.
The firsts, however, did get a slight shock when the fourths had the first chance of the match, with striker Tom Sherrif managing to get a decent run on goal, only to shoot appallingly wide of the mark.
As it turned out, this was the only bit of play the fourths managed to string together, as their higher league opponents dominated from then on.
The opener came after 25 minutes when firsts forward Anton Murphy was clipped by fourths goalkeeper Mike Wynd, Mark Gouland coolly converting the resulting spot-kick as his team started to find their rhythm.
However, it wasn’t until the second half that possession was translated into goals by the black-shirted firsts. A flurry of goals from Greg Gardner, Matt Witherwick and a brace from Mark McLeod completed York Firsts’ passage in this knock-out competition.
The fourths’ only decent attack had occurred in the opening minutes of the match and experienced goalkeeper Andrew Emmerson had nothing to do for most of the match. The firsts held possession almost permanently throughout, as the fourths struggled to link up play at all in the opening half.
The second half continued as the first had ended with the superior firsts still holding possession well but struggling to score and kill off the match. At length, centre-half Gardner found the back of the net following the fortunate deflection of his long-range effort, wrong-footing Wynd.
McLeod added to the tally with a cleaner strike from the edge of the penalty area following up from a poorly cleared corner. The fourths looked increasingly vulnerable to set-pieces as the fourth goal was bungled in following a poorly defended corner and was claimed eventually by firsts skipper Witherwick. The scoreline was given another coat of gloss through another spot-kick won and converted by the impressive midfielder McLeod.
The fourths never properly entered the game, with their midfield not holding possession well and struggling to clear the ball from their half. The firsts looked very comfortable, particularly throughout the second half and If McLeod can maintain this kind of form in forthcoming games against more competent opponents then the Firsts really do look capable linking play of scoring goals, particularly if Anton Murphy rediscovers his scoring touch.
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