College Cup Round-up: Matchweek 5
Photo: Arran Bowen-la Grange
Monday 8 June
Goodricke Firsts 3 Langwith Firsts 2
Read the full report
Twice finding themselves behind, Goodricke relied on a controversial penalty – hit home by Dom O’Shea – to win the game in the final minutes. The spot-kick, awarded for an alleged hand ball, concluded a bizarre refereeing performance reminiscent of Graham Poll during Australia v Croatia at the 2006 World Cup. As the final whistle sounded, Goodricke looked like they knew that they had just had a lucky escape. Langwith just looked furious.
Earlier talisman Dom O’Shea had been marked out of the game by man of the match Laurence Chetwynd and Langwith had what looked like a clear penalty denied. It looked as if Langwith were to complete one of the shocks of the tournament, but Goodricke defender Ronan Joyce connected with a corner kick to level the scores. LEIGH CLARKE
Alcuin Seconds 3 Halifax Seconds 2
Udy Onwudike scored probably the latest ever goal in College Cup history to complete Alcuin’s remarkable comeback from two goals down in a thriller with Halifax on Monday. Hugh Pryce had netted twice within a matter of minutes in the first-half to put Halifax within reach of the quarter-finals, but Alcuin hauled themselves back into the game courtesy of superb goals from Simon Reiss and Thomas Gibby.
Pryce had already missed one opportunity, before he again exploited space on the left flank to open the scoring after ten minutes: snatching the ball from the Alcuin defender, Pryce flipped the ball over another and squeezed the ball home from a tight angle. Seconds afterwards, a delicious chip from the Boat Club President and man of the match over Ambrozejczyck doubled Halifax’s lead.
Unruffled, Alcuin wasted no time in launching their improbable fightback. Reiss halved the deficit, blasting home from close range after a deep corner was only half-cleared. On the cusp of half-time, Gibby, again collecting the ball after a corner wasn’t dealt with, curled a beautiful ball into the top corner from the edge of the ‘D’.
Both sides saw chances come and go in the second-half, before a spell of Alcuin pressure delivered the required goal to progress into the knockout stages in a glorious moment. After another goalmouth scramble, the ball popped up and Onwudike headed home, sparking delirium on the touchline. The dramatic winner was scored at 1.13pm thanks to a delayed start and some generous added time. Magnificent stuff. ADAM SHERGOLD
Wentworth Firsts 1 Halifax Firsts 1
A resurgent Wentworth put the shakes into Halifax in this game and very nearly grabbed a spot in the quarter-finals after Luke Fleet was denied by the width of the bar in the last few minutes.
Earlier, Connor Brennan had risen “salmon-like” to nod home, disregarding the attentions of a player twice his size in the box. But Rich Rhodes – a cross-over from the second team – smashed in a stunning volley in the second half to make a fantastic contest out of the game. Some entirely justified shouts of offside were put to bed by Rhodes as he wheeled away in celebration before the referee could change his mind: goal, unbelievably, stood.
This reporter has little problem with the poverty of the referee on that occasion, after it drove Wentworth into a rampant search for a winner; had they notched one as they peppered Halfiax’s goal late on and knocked out the fancied first team, though, it would have been a small injustice. Halifax were poor and will struggle if their form remains so in the latter stages, but Wentworth offered another excellent account of themselves – as they have done in all their matches since their first game drubbing, giving plenty of teams a run for their money. They will challenge strongly for the Plate on this showing. DAN HYDE
Derwent Seconds 1 James Seconds 0
In another winner-takes-all encounter on Monday afternoon, Derwent edged into the quarter-finals with a single-goal victory over James. Liam Griffin, the substitute and man of the match, used his long throws to devastating effect, delivering the ammunition for James Grey’s headed winner mid-way through the second-half.
The opening period had been tepid, with both sides sizing each other up in a game which had much riding on it. Derwent had the best openings: James Mathews curled a shot and forced Tim Green into a one-handed save, before Grey blazed over after skinning Adam Dunnett.
Pushed forward to accommodate Griffin at right-back, Jamie Tyler squirted a shot across goal at the opening of the second-half, signalling the start of an aerial bombardment, largely from Griffin’s catapult throw-ins. Green handled most of the deliveries, but it only required one flick and Grey did the honours to dump James into the Plate. ADAM SHERGOLD
Tuesday 9 June
Vanbrugh Firsts 2 Derwent Firsts 1
Read the full report
Any hopes or ‘dreamz’ Derwent had of knocking out cup rivals Vanbrugh were dashed as Vanbrugh came from behind to ensure their college cup challenge stays alive. ‘The Fresh Prince of Derwent’ – Anton Murphy, donning Will Smith-like multicolour trainers, opened the scoring with a clinical finish early in the first half. Vanbrugh striker Ali Prince levelled just before half time and bagged his brace late in the second from a free kick to guarantee Vanbrugh were victorious in this clash of titans.
Things couldn’t have started much worse for Vanbrugh when ‘Dreamz’ was played through on the right hand side of the Vanbrugh area and with a sweet first time hit, placed it into the far corner past Paul Taylor. Despite the goal, there was still an under-current of tension and it boiled over when Vanbrugh skipper Sheldrick was rightly adjudged to have fouled ‘Dreamz’, who then decided to, what seemed from the sidelines, jump on slash straddle slash smother Sheldrick to the ground. Against the run of play, Ali Prince latched onto a flicked on corner and his scuffed half volley deflected past the keeper to Vanbrugh delight.
A tense second half witnessed the game’s defining moment – and possibly that of the Cup. Man of the Match Ali Prince was awarded a free kick just outside the Derwent box and with a single step back, nonchalantly curled the ball past the wall into the bottom left corner. The Vanbrugh players celebrated wildly, held on to the finish, and took second spot in the group. And so it is, a reinvigorated Vanbrugh march onto the quarter-finals where they will need to step up to the challenge once again but you’d be a fool to write off last term’s league champions. NABEEL MOOSA
Goodricke Seconds 2 Langwith Seconds 1
Read the full report
‘Holy Christ’. That’s what everyone thought after watching this ridiculous match. If Alf Ramsey had been alive to see it, he would have turned in his grave. It was a mix of shambolic lack of shape and an almost suspiciously monumental level of profligacy by Goodricke. On a rare foray into the Goodricke half, Langwith striker Matt Cullen turned and struck a stupendous 40 yard half volley into the top corner. Goal of the Tournament perhaps. It was like a trawlerfull of seven men Sisypheanly trying to catch a small mackerel in a lake and then some bloke with a stick and some old rope rocking up, catching a killer whale and then pummelling it unconscious with his bare hands.
By the end of the first half, Goodricke should have been about 12 nil up, but were 1 nil down. Such is life. In the second half, Goodricke didn’t threaten as much, with Langwith deciding to play some people in midfield, which yielded more pressure on ‘Tank’ and Astbury in defence. Goodricke Man of the Match Rob Shanley, though occasionally lazy, pulled the strings in the middle and rarely surrendered possession. Goodricke pulled level through Coupland, then in a masterful substitution, captain Sneddon brought himself on, and promptly tapped in from a corner. JOHN HALSTEAD
Thursday 11 June
Alcuin Firsts 3 James Firsts 1
Alcuin are fast becoming the team to beat in this year’s college cup competition, as they defeated James 3-1 today to qualify top of their group.
It took only a few minutes for Alcuin to take the lead: Joe Cooper breaking through the defence to find the net and end his recent goal drought. Both teams spent the remainder of the first half shooting on sight, trying to exploit the vulnerability of the keepers. As the game progressed James began to dominate and would have scored had Jack Crane not been positioned on the line to intervene. Cooper ended his good first half by setting up Ed Murrills right in front of goal, but James keeper Sam Clitheroe made an excellent save to keep his side in the game.
Cooper was rewarded for his good play by being substituted at half time, yet his replacement Parris Williams again showed why he is surely the best valued player available in Nouse Fantasy Football. He was a constant trouble for the James defence and, midway through the second half, managed to take advantage of some hideous defending to gain a second. James quickly pulled one back through Matt Smith and the game regained its urgency. However Alcuin began to play some excellent football and, had captain Dan Cox been in better form, could have added a number of goals to their tally. In the last minutes Nouse’s very own Dan Hyde scored Alcuin’s third, calmly rolling the ball past the keeper. LEIGH CLARKE
Vanbrugh Seconds 1 – 3 Wentworth Seconds
Over the past few days we’ve been spoilt by great football, unlikely comebacks and a large dose of college spirit. Well today had none of it, apart from probably the surprising scoreline this match was the polar opposite of the play we’ve become used to. At times, you wouldn’t be far off in asking whether in fact this was college football or some new hybrid of foot tennis. I could go on but I’ll spare you the thought……
Following an heroic Alcuin win against James prior to this, a weakened ‘Green Machine’ required a mere 7 goal victory to snatch the second cup spot from James. The first half was sloppy to say the least, chances were few and far between but Vanbrugh managed to take the lead through Tom Spring. A cross from the Vanbrugh right resulted in a scramble which fell kindly to Spring, who duly obliged and smashed the ball past the gangly Wentworth keeper. Needing another 6 goals in the second half, Vanbrugh tried to press on but faced the same stern Stoke-esque Wentworth defence. Key man and cool finisher Isaac Parkinson was starved of the ball and Vanbrugh were now resorting to their own style of bottom half Premiership play i.e. Hoof ball.
Caught up in search of more goals, Vanbrugh’s defence was lax and Wentworth striker Ross Kitson capitalised when played through on the right, coolly sliding the ball past Tom Margiotta. Wentworth had a surge in confidence and were pushing further up field to grab a winner. And that’s exactly what they did; Chris Milne cut in from the right and rifled Wentworth into the lead. Samik Datta, compounded more misery on Vanbrugh late on when he hassled a shooting opportunity and placed in Wentworth’s third. The plate awaits Wentworth and ‘Schultzy’s Green Army’. NABEEL MOOSA
Loading ...