Images: Peter Iveson

Whether the bigger Roses picture is sunny or gloomy, it seems York can always rely on the men’s volleyball team to deliver the goods. As in 2009 and 2010, they stormed to victory – the only difference from those last two years being that Lancaster this time managed to muster a set.

Possessing the superior power, the superior mental strength and the superior BUCS pedigree, York always looked the favourites to collect the four points available, and they didn’t disappoint, with captain Jonas Pollex showing the way.

Given recent form, it came as a surprise when Lancaster won the game’s opening five points and York were genuinely struggling to combat the strong shots of Shaun Barber. Finally, thanks to a characteristically unstoppable shot from Pollex and a unique backwards shot over the net from Febian Matzke, they gained a foothold and would soon turn the set on its head.

York hit the front when Chris Stent mercilessly planted a smash in the face of Lancaster’s Pakowski, blowing him off his feet. It wouldn’t be the last time Pakowski would receive punishment. Soon, all the momentum was with the home side and two more cross-court rockets from Pollex started a procession to a 25-19 set win.

Unlike previous years, Lancaster showed some teeth and came from behind in the second set to level the match. York had started brilliantly, harnessing the strong finish to the previous set as Michal Kovac stole a couple of points out of nowhere. There was even another moment of pain for Pakowski, when Pollex blasted him in the eyes.

But a couple of scorching shots from Lancaster’s Andreev signalled a fightback and they gradually seized control, leading 15-8 when York called a time-out for a breather. The White Rose were resurgent on the serve of Stent, while Harry Pampiglione sent a great shot down the centre court, but with Lancaster already on 23 points, it wasn’t long before they closed it out with the influential Andreev applying the finishing touch.

Having delivered his team-talk, Pollex led by example at the start of the third, producing three vital blocks at the net. His enthusiasm was infectious, and when Stent put over a wonderful shot for 12-7, expressing his delight with a chest-out celebration, York’s finest form was clearly returning.

Another hot streak pushed York within sight of the overall lead, but there was still time for poor old Pakowski to be sent to the deck – this time, Stent’s powerful smash hit him square on the nose. It wasn’t the Pole’s day and it wasn’t Lancaster’s moment, as their rivals secured the set 25-17.

Encouraged by a sizeable crowd, York kicked on and made a purposeful start to the fourth, establishing a four-point lead on the serve of Ekasith Srichawla. Lancaster responded initially but were handicapped by silly mistakes and inaccuracy in some of their shots to the sides of the court.

They did manage to get the score back to 16-16 at one point, thanks to a staggering shot from Barber, but York were determined not to allow the match to slip into a fifth set and immediately restored their lead. They saw out the match 25-20, picking up another deserved success and four more points for the York cause.

University of York squad: 4. Jonas Pollex (c), 6. Harry Pampiglione, 9. Jan Vohryzek, 12. Ekasith Srichawla, 10. Bartek Krzyszycha, 13. Panayiotis Ne, 18. Oswin Van, 16. Chris Stent, 3. Michal Kovac, 1. Febian Matzke, 8. Sebastian Blümel

Lancaster collected the first available point on Roses Sunday, but a determined York pushed them every inch of the way in the netball thirds match.

In the overall context of a tournament long since prised from their grasp, the point gained in this 24-21 victory was pretty Pyrrhic for the Red Rose, but this will be of little consolation for York, who gave absolutely everything across four tightly-fought quarters.

The host’s cause was not helped by the eleventh-hour withdrawal of captain Kate Copson, who suffered an ankle injury in the warm-up and was forced to watch the year’s highlight from the sidelines. And as though affected by the pre-match drama, York took most of the opening quarter to find any kind of passing momentum as Lancaster forged an early advantage.

However, helped by a Lancaster defence which frequently committed unforced errors, Goal Shooter Rhia Stevens-Leach was able to find her range, connecting well with Wing Attack Jess Roberts to leave York trailing by just two at the changearound.

A string of unlawful obstructions allowed York the lead early in the second quarter but this proved all-too-fleeting as their attacking opportunities dried up. Attention switched to the opposite end, where Goal Keeper Lottie Knight and Goal Defence Tess Webb kept York in contention at half-time with a number of timely interventions and unrelenting commitment.

Trailing 9-13 entering the third quarter, York found an extra gear and rediscovered their attacking edge with Claire Smith in the Centre feeding a succession of dangerous passes into the goal circle. Stevens-Leach and her partner in attack, Eliza Ackland, converted many opportunities but Lancaster were still able to maintain their three-point advantage, albeit with everything to play for in the final 15 minutes.

And at one point, when the deficit was closed to a single point, it appeared Lancaster were mentally crumbling. Sadly, this wasn’t the case and, despite the best efforts of Knight, Webb and Wing Defence Paisley Ross, they snatched a crucial trio of points half-way through the quarter, before closing out the game 24-21.

University of York: GK – Lottie Knight, GD – Tess Webb, WD – Paisley Ross, C – Claire Smith, WA – Jess Roberts, GA – Eliza Ackland, GS – Rhia Stevens-Leach

History was made as the women’s volleyball team ended a five-year Roses itch to beat Lancaster in straight sets on Saturday afternoon.

There were no weak links in the team as York pulled together to defy recent form in this tournament, and their respective BUCS league positions, to gain a wonderful win.

Lancaster compete one league higher in the national university system but they were simply blown away by York’s superior shot selection, serving and general commitment.

The opening salvoes of the game gave an indication of what was to come, as York raced away into a useful lead on the powerful serve of Daria Stroukova, and the intelligent net play of Judith Weiss. This became a common theme in the first set as Lancaster, slightly shorter in height and less accurate in their set-up shots, were robbed of a number of points at the net.

Eventually, Lancaster shook off their malaise but they were never able to grasp the lead, as regular technical errors held them back. The timeless UYVC combination of Stroukova and Annalies Vredeveldt combined to give York breathing space at 13-11, and they didn’t look back, seizing the momentum with captain Alexa Mitterhuber to the fore.

She fired two rockets down the centre of the court to take York within sight of the finish line, and then delivered the winning point to wrap up the set 25-16.

A crafty touch over the net by Katharina Widrhofer set the tone for the second set as the Austrian’s presence in the game grew. Her serving caused all kind of problems for Lancaster mid-set, before two brilliant shots at 18-10, with her weaker hand, and 20-13 set York on course for a commanding overall lead.

Lancaster briefly returned into contention and chipped away at the lead, but with Widrhofer and Mitterhuber inspired, York closed out the set 25-18 and Lancaster’s path to the four points on offer looked a long and treacherous one.

To their credit, they didn’t cave in. The third set was the tightest and ran nip and tuck until a succession of irresistible serves from Widrhofer eradicated Lancaster’s fleeting lead. In truth, York had to club together to stay in touch before that point, with Vredeveldt and Joanne Lee winning points at critical moments, and Stroukova, the team’s only designated setter, crumbling down with an injury.

In the end, York closed the game out 25-21 and deserve great credit for a victory years in the making.

University of York squad: 1. Alexa Mitterhuber, 7. Daria Stroukova, 4. Annalies Vredeveldt, 12. Joanne Lee, 9. Magdalena Kovacova, 5. Selena Yeung, 10. Judith Weiss, 13. Alexandra El-Bayeh, 14. Katharina Widrhofer, Libero – Anastasia Harunova.

Images: Peter Iveson

Times may have changed, but the origins of Roses lie, of course, on the battlefield. In military terms, this game could only be classed as a siege. And, in the end, a rout.

In control from first whistle to last, York’s ultimate tally of six was kind on Lancaster, who failed to muster a single shot on Laura Porter’s goal in 70 sordid minutes. York, a well-oiled attacking machine, were ahead after ten minutes and never relinquished their grip.

Two apiece for Sophie Anderson and Becky Bradley, in addition to first-half strikes from Tamsin French and Natalie Montezuma, secured an easy couple of points for York’s overall tally.

Montezuma showed perseverance to keep a tenth minute move alive inside the area and, following a spell of pin-ball, the ball fell kindly for French to fire home from point-blank range.

York’s constant variation on short corner routines kept a beleaguered Lancaster defence guessing and, from one such move, Leila Asrari, on the stretch, couldn’t turn in a shot.

But Asrari wouldn’t be denied for long. Retrieving the ball near the byline, she squared to the onrushing Montezuma, who applied the finishing touch for 2-0 on the stroke of half-time.

The half was extended by five consecutive short corners and, eventually, Anderson swept the ball home to effectively settle the contest.

The one-way traffic continued after the break and Lancaster’s fears of humiliation slowly focused into reality. First, Bradley set off on a wonderful solo run down the inside-right channel and, after beating three defenders, slid the ball into the bottom corner.

Soon after, she raced through a static Lancaster defence and, having seen her initial shot rebound off the right-hand post, reacted quickest to make the score 5-0.

A sixth, courtesy of Anderson’s second, gave the game a nice symmetry and set the seal on an emphatic performance.

University of York Squad: GK. Laura Porter, 4. Jess Harwood, 44. Tor Williamson, 43. Anna Williams, 10. Becky Bradley, 38. Sophie Anderson, 6. Leila Asrari, 32. Tamsin French, 17. Cathy Cox, 66. Natalie Montezuma, 19. Hannah Harrison, 8. Sally Dalton, 20. Katie Wilson, 42. Harriet Mills.

Images: Peter Iveson

Clinical Lancaster collected the first point of Roses Saturday in the men’s hockey thirds, absorbing prolonged periods of York pressure before striking ruthlessly on the counter-attack either side of half-time.

Goals from Phil Yates and Roly King delivered the Red Rose victory in a decent game, but York will be wondering how their dominance, inspired by the direct play of Gordon Harrison, failed to deliver at least a share of the spoils. A healthy crowd lined the JLD Astroturf for the first course in Saturday’s hockey feast and it wasn’t long before York were driving at the heart of Lancaster’s defence, searching for the killer pass.

But for all their enterprising play, chances remained scarce in the opening 20 minutes. The best fell to the ironically-named Joe Lancaster, who received a Sam Mason pass and drove low across the face of goal. And the hosts paid for failing to capitalise on their bright opening when Yates tapped in from close range, after a short corner had been neatly worked. The opener snapped Lancaster out of their malaise and York goalkeeper Dong-Oh Shin saved expertly with his stick to prevent a second minutes later.

Still York finished the half on top, applying pressure with a succession of short corners, and coming within inches when Harrison’s shot was deflected to safety off the thigh of the Lancaster goalkeeper. The second period continued in much the same vein, with York seeking the equaliser and Lancaster content to sit back and defend. The set-piece opportunities were regular and only a blur of sticks blocked efforts from Joe Lancaster and Robin Willows.

Mason’s feeds into the ‘D’ were hindered by a very dry patch of turf, but, once the York player had adapted his deliveries, chances were presented to Mylo Scurr and Harrison, only to be blocked in a crowded box. Mason himself had a dramatic moment – thrashing a shot into the Lancaster goalkeeper’s helmet – only for play to be pulled back for an earlier infringement.

Having controlled the half, there was a lingering sense that York would pay for their profligacy. Duly, the second goal arrived with five minutes remaining, as King produced a low, angled drive from the right-hand side of the ‘D’.

University of York Squad: GK. Dong-Oh Shin, 16. Ben Rogan, 35. Jon Waghorne, 22. Robin Willows, 69. Tom Sherwood, 39. Mylo Scurr, 42. Jack Barber, 7. Gordon Harrison, 8. Guy Cullen, 24. Oli Phillips, 34. Rupert Lee, 79. Joe Lancaster, 28. Sam Mason

A team missing a number of key players lost to Sheffield Hallam and Leeds Met at the English Institute of Sport, leaving them still searching for their maiden victory at the half-way point of the eight-game qualification series.

Although not mathematically impossible, qualification for the finals, which will be held in Sheffield in March, will now be a tall order. However, York can draw optimism from the fact that two of their remaining, must-win fixtures are against Edge Hill University, perceived as the weakest team in the northern section, as well as tougher matches against Leeds Met and Teesside.

As if travelling with just six players wasn’t enough, the scale of York’s task was confirmed when Hallam took the lead after just 30 seconds of the day’s opening fixture – Jonny Steel finding the net despite a strong hand from goalkeeper David Ambrozejczyk.

But York were the favourites and replied within two minutes when captain Ash Daly produced a neat finish at the near post. Daly’s persistence in regaining possession then set up a gilt-edged opportunity for Dan Gorringe, but he fired across the face of goal.

Hallam weren’t being given a moment’s peace as York hassled and pressed them, but it was a long ball which eventually undid them. Dom Hallas read the trajectory and produced a flicked header to put York 2-1 up.

The Sheffield side had the luxury of a large squad and their regular rotations of personnel to save energy started to take effect as they took command of the game early in the second-half. Glen Drawbridge flashed a shot into the top corner, before Sam Burns and Richard Mitchell established a 4-2 lead with accomplished finishes.

Dan Turley’s accurate low drive reduced the arrears, but Hallam stung their opponents with a couple of lightning-fast assaults to settle the contest. Sturgess was left with a tap-in before Steel grabbed his second to make it 6-3.

Ambrozejczyk showed tremendous reflexes to keep out Steel’s penalty as the clock ticked down, but the comeback wasn’t forthcoming. Another header, this time from Tom Day, was little more than consolation in making the final score 6-4.

The encounter with Leeds Met, who again had the advantage in terms of players at their disposal, was always likely to be passionately and physically contested and in the end it was a hat-trick of clinical finishes from Demir Kurtovic which proved the difference.

It took the Leeds Futsal Club player all of seven seconds to get off the mark, firing low beyond Ambrozejczyk after outpacing the York defence. However, Daly showed great composure at the other end to equalise before the first minute had been completed.

Despite an effort from Gorringe which struck the crossbar, and the belated introduction of Alex Tringham, this was as good as it got for York.
Kurtovic converted a well-worked set-piece for 2-1 and blasted in from the edge of the penalty area to complete his hat-trick, before a late tap-in made it four and ended any chance of a revival.

The second team also suffered disappointment, losing heavily to Leeds University and Northumbria.

They started sluggishly against Leeds, finding themselves three goals down at the turnaround courtesy of goals from Doyle, Hirst and Smedley. Luck was clearly not on their side as both Adam Tzimas and Jonathan Purdie rattled the woodwork.

They fared slightly better in the second-half and Chumang Saloman Songo scored on the rebound after Tzimas had seen his shot saved. However, they couldn’t sustain any attacking momentum and goals from Doyle, plus an unfortunate own goal by Songo, put the game beyond their reach at 5-1.

Doyle saved his best for the hat-trick goal, slamming the ball in from 25 yards, after Tzimas had narrowed the gap with a free-kick. Van Gelder notched a seventh for Leeds in the final minute.

Against Northumbria, a superlative free kick from Purdie after five minutes proved a false dawn as the north-east side ran riot in an 11-1 win.

With York’s small squad struggling with fatigue and knocks against combative opponents, goals flowed regularly, notably after half-time when a creditable 3-1 scoreline turned into a double figures drubbing.

“We’ve definitely seen the effect of having a small squad,” said Daly. “We were missing loads of players today through various circumstances and we can’t really cope with that.

“I’d say 60 per cent of the goals were just through lack of concentration and mistakes. If we had more players that wouldn’t have happened.

“We can’t pinpoint anything here we’re doing technically wrong, it was just a matter of fitness. Injuries permitting, with a full squad, we still have a chance of qualifying.”

Ambrozejczyk added: “All the other teams are finally getting to our level. York were the benchmark and now the financial pinch is hitting us big time. With teams like Leeds Met, they have all national league players and a squad of 12 good players so you’re really up against it.”

The decision came 24 hours after Sam Asfahani, the York Sport President, and Rob Wadsworth, the Sports Centre Manager, showed Council officials around the facility, Nouse has learnt.

Asfahani announced the news on his YUSU website blog this afternoon, confirming that all the university’s sports clubs who frequently use the Tent are guaranteed facilities for training and fixtures until at least 2016.

The blog post read: “I am pleased to announce that the sports tent has been granted a further 6 years on its planning permission. This is an outcome that we had expected and that we welcome, despite more pessimistic views from local and campus media.”

Asfahani did, however, warn that the student body must continue to exert pressure to ensure facilities on the Heslington West campus are maintained, rather than funds being exclusively committed to the Heslington East project.

He added: “Despite this result, the situation has highlighted a need for the university to not only look towards new construction on Hes East but also the continual development of Hes West. The significance of a 6 year extension is a clear sign that the university want to get the tent on the 4 year construction plan and then have time to get it built. We, not only as a athletic union, but as a whole community, must hold them to account, and ensure that the near future holds a new sports hall instead of our tent.”

Fears circulated that the £800,000 Tent facility, intended only to be a temporary structure when opened in 2005, could be closed after the Council recommended an application to extend the lease for another ten years be rejected.

Speaking to Nouse after the decision, Asfahani urged clubs to find their voices in lobbying the university to keep York’s sports scene vibrant and successful: “Although we were always confident in getting this result, the whole situation shows the need for our athletic union and our clubs to get more political and more adament in what we want and what we need from our university, something we can work on going forward this year.”

The Tent was widely used by sports clubs and organisations in the local community, as well as a significant proportion of the University’s 59 clubs.

“They [the Council offficials] raised valid concerns but were very understanding when we talked about its importance to students and the wider community,” added Asfahani.

He also pledged to continue driving forward campaigns to build a swimming pool on Heslington East and a 3G pitch behind the Heslington West sports centre.

A number of the University’s sports teams could be left without facilities for training and fixtures after City of York Council planners recommended a 10 year planning permission extension for the Sport Centre Tent be turned down.

The lease for the structure, opened in 2005 and intended only to be temporary, expired last month but, in the absence of any firm plans to replace the Tent with a permanent building, the council’s east area planning sub-committee is expected to refuse a request to keep it open until 2020.

Any closure would represent a tremendous blow to a significant proportion of York Sport’s 59 clubs, who rely on the £800,000 facility for training sessions and fixtures in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) leagues on a weekly basis during term time. The Netball, Volleyball, Basketball, Fencing and Ultimate Frisbee clubs are among those which could be forced to relocate.

It would also impact on schools and the local community, who are able to hire out one or more of the Tent’s three multi-purpose pitches throughout the whole year.

A report into the proposal said: “Temporary planning permission was granted because the applicant specifically volunteered that intention and because it was expected the planning circumstances would have changed at the end of the five-year period and a replacement permanent sports hall would have been constructed.

“However, the University appears at this stage to have no firm plans for a replacement despite the continuing need for a sports hall at Heslington West. This uncertainty is insufficient reason to justify extending the planning permission by ten years.”

While accepting that the Tent would be allowed to remain open for the time being, the report states that continuing its use would have “an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the area.”

Sam Asfahani, York Sport President, remains “optimistic” that it won’t “reach the worst case scenario of closure, and that the planning permission will be extended”.

Rob Wadsworth, the Sports Centre Manager, told Nouse: “It’s imperative that we get extended time permission because it’s really well used by teams as well as people outside the University.”

If the structure were shut down, Wadsworth has said an alternative would be “using facilities in the community, which would obviously be at substantial cost to the clubs”.

Asfahani continued: “No decision has been made as yet, but the Union is involved in all discussions on the matter. There is an upcoming meeting with the planning group and I’ll be there. I’m confident we’ll get our point across.”

ADAM SHERGOLD – SPORTS EDITOR (2008-2010)

Player of the Tournament

Diego Forlan – In anticipation of my colleagues dissecting the talent-laden and victorious Spanish XI, I’m going with a player who was never part of an outstanding team unit but whose five goals carried his nation to an improbable last four finish. Forlan was much maligned at Manchester United, where he never adapted to the pace and physicality of the English Premier League, but, at 31, he has blossomed into a striker capable of some quite stunning finishing and seems to be enjoying his football like never before. His free-kick equaliser against Ghana in the quarter-final, where he demonstrated an unrivalled command of the capricious Jabulani ball, is a personal favourite.

Best Goal

Siphiwe Tshabalala for South Africa vs. Mexico – The moment an entire nation awoke from interminable anticipation to the glorious reality that the greatest show on Earth was in town. Tshabalala’s terrific left-footed roof-of-the-net finish, following intricate build-up, was much more than just than the opening goal of the tournament. It was the realisation of a dream – the dream of a nation and a continent often fractured, but suddenly united. In addition, the joyous aftermath included the tournament’s best choreographed celebration. He also has the best name since Jean-Paul Kamudimba Kalala.

Favourite Match

Germany 4 Argentina 0 – An emphatic result and masterly performance which marked the cessation of one age of football and the beginning of another. Diego Maradona’s Argentina were brutally exposed by a German side that will undoubtedly wrest with Spain to be Europe and the world’s pre-eminent side through the next five years. With an average age under 25, Joachim Löw’s bright young kinder, including Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller and Mesut Özil, are most definitely an atypical German side, but all the more intriguing for it. This showing announced their arrival as genuine World Cup contenders, years ahead of schedule, and wrecked the dreams of Maradona, Messi and co.

Best Moment

Andres Iniesta’s goal for Spain in the final – A winning moment which meant so much to so many, but also to the game. Iniesta’s 116th-minute strike, technically perfect, extinguished the possibility that the very un-Dutch brand of thuggish football would prevail and the world rejoiced. Effective it might have been in stalling the Spanish passing carousel, but it was disappointing to see a nation steeped in such a rich heritage of playing the game beautifully resort to such anti-football tactics. Thank goodness Iniesta, one of the stars of the tournament, intervened to provide justice.

LEIGH CLARKE – SPORTS EDITOR (2009-2010)

Player of the tournament

Carles Puyol – Here’s a statistic for you: in the knock-out stages of both Euro 2008 and this World Cup, Spain have not conceded a goal. There’s a danger that in years to come that we’ll remember only the attacking fluency of this great side and forget how their incredible defence essentially won them two consecutive tournaments. Despite being a rock throughout, and Spain’s outfield leader, I’ve not seen Puyol on many ‘Teams of the Tournament’ and he wasn’t even nominated for the Golden Ball. Yet he deserves recognition for a fantastic few weeks; he may not have had a great final but his performance against Germany, which he capped with a superb match-winning goal, was nothing short of outstanding.

Best Goal

Miroslav Klose vs. Argentina – Was this the perfect counter-attack? Germany humiliated Argentina in more ways than one, as their inch-perfect move exposed the Argentinian defence as clueless whilst making the scoreline embarrassing. At times Germany played the most exciting football in this competition and this was surely the pinnacle of the young team’s achievements.

Favourite Match

Slovakia vs. Italy – There were serious doubts over Italy’s following their first two performances, but no one expected this. It was a match that had it all: wonder-goals, huge tension and, at the finish, an early exit for the World Cup holders. In a tentative group stage, this was a real highlight.

Best moment

Asamoah Gyan’s missed penalty - Actually an awful moment, but one that summed up the excitement of a World Cup perfectly. Ghana, vying to be the first African nation ever to make the semi-finals, are awarded a penalty in the final minute of extra-time after Luis Suarez handles on the line. Up steps Asamoah Gyan, the cool and collected expert penalty taker, for one of the most important kicks in football history. The whole of Africa, perhaps the whole of the non-Uruguay world, wants him to score but, almost inevitably, he misses, his effort hitting the bar. Ghana then go on to lose the subsequent shoot-out. Heartbreaking, but a moment that really shows the incredible drama of a major tournament.

HENRY COWEN – ACTING SPORTS EDITOR

Player of the Tournament

Thomas Mueller – I put my hands up, I hadn’t heard of him before the tournament, but the young German has starred in South Africa. Before this tournament Mueller had played three times for his country; he has now played eight times, scoring on five occasions, and has won the Golden Boot in his debut tournament. He’s energetic, lively and proved a constant thorn in the side to every team he came up against, not least England against whom he scored twice. Ryan Nelsen of New Zealand also deserves special mention; for the All Whites to go through the tournament undefeated is a superb achievement and it is down in no small part to the Kiwi skipper.

Best Goal

Tricky question. Tevez’s against Mexico was fantastic, as was van Bronckhorst’s against Uruguay but for me it has to be Maicon’s goal against North Korea. Did he mean it? Who cares. A special goal that finally broke the minnows’ resistance and one that could only have been scored by a Brazilian.

Favourite Match

I became something of a New Zealand fan during this tournament; partly because they were plucky underdogs but mainly because in their side was the only Ipswich Town player. As a devoted Tractor Boy I followed Ricky Herbert’s men because on the left of their back three was our very own Tommy Smith. He had a good tournament, his team had an even better one and their highlight was my favourite game of the competition. Playing against the world champions can never be easy, especially when your side contains players that had previously been deemed not good enough for English non-league sides but Nelsen and his men fought heroically to earn a 1-1 draw against Marcello Lippi’s Italy. A superb performance and one that typified the general theme of underdogs throughout this World Cup.

Best Moment

There’s two here, both of them betting related which, I think, tells a story. Number 1. Put five pounds on for my older brother that Siphiwe Tshabalala would score the first goal of the tournament. Hello £50. My brother puts it on black at a nearby casino, hello £100 and I didn’t have to pay for anything else that day. Number 2. A tale of oh so close. Put five pounds on Matt Upson to score against Germany, and score he did! Unfortunately the lovely lady at the betting shop mistakenly processed it as Matt Upson to score first…valuable drinking money cruelly taken from me on a day that was already forgettable.

JAKE FARRELL – ACTING SPORTS EDITOR

Player of the Tournament

Xavi Hernandez – The Machine is a nickname that you would envisage being attached to some nutter defender that plays for Rochdale. Instead it is the moniker used to describe Xavi, the central midfield machine that literally passes teams into submission. The Barca Captain made 669 passes in the tournament with a completion rate of 81%. That is a higher total of passes and a higher completion rate that Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Kaka combined. He also played all 636 minutes of Spain’s campaign running 80.2km in the process. The best player in the world, let alone the tournament.

Best Goal

Carlos Tevez vs Mexico – Argentina had a bit of luck against Mexico who proved a good side over the course of the tournament. There was nothing lucky about the Tevez strike that ultimately beat them and the look of pudgy joy that spread across his features after he almost broke the net was pure Maradona. Genius.

Favourite Match

England vs Germany – Only a humiliation on the scale of a 4-1 second round World Cup defeat to Germany could induce the root and branch re-structuring of English football that we need, and that is why it is my favourite match. It won’t lead to anything of the kind of course but it should – now is the time to let the individuals that have comprised our squad slip (in)gloriously into retirement and for a young squad to form an enthusiastic eleven before they are jaded by the Premiership. I want to see Joe Hart in Goal, Jack Wilshere in behind and Jack Rodwell as Captain for the next friendly.

Best Moment

The opening goal of the finals – I have been somewhat repulsed by the saccharine levels of white, middle class sympathy toward South Africa, and the continent in general, over the course of the tournament but Siphiwe Tshabalala’s goal against Mexico did feel like something special for the nation. Aside from the patronising assertions of “What this will mean for Africa?”, and cringeworthy features from Robben Island, Tshabalala’s goal was one of some class. All it did was ignite the passions of a nation that loves football and had eagerly been anticpating the start of the greatest show on earth in their own back yard for some time, not somehow unite Africa into one pangea of sport. If only football mattered half that much.

HUW HARROW – Sports Correspondent

Player of the Tournament

Bastian Schweinsteiger – If this world cup has shown us anything, it is the importance of the holding central midfielder. Whilst youngsters Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller were grabbing the headlines for their exhilarating displays it was Bastian Schweinsteiger who was the fulcrum of the German campaign. Stepping up to replace the talismanic Michael Ballack, Schweinsteiger has matured beyond recognition from the man considered by many to be a luxury player in to a tough tackling yet technically excellent general. His set pieces were also a huge asset to Joachim Louw’s men and the German side looks set to be built around him for the foreseeable future.

Best Goal

Giovanni van Bronckhorst v Uruguay – This simply has to be van Bronckhorst’s semi final thunderbolt. It is worth giving mention to Nicklas Bendtner’s equalizer for Denmark against Cameroon, an effortlessly simple, sweeping move, stemming from what must be the pass of the tournament from Simon Kjaer. However it would be churlish to deny this award to the Dutch veteran who produced the cleanest strike of a ball you are ever likely to see in a tournament where long range efforts tended to do little but stir memories of South Africa’s 1995 world cup rather than create their own.

Favourite Match

Brazil v North Korea – The minnows gave us a fair share of entertainment throughout this tournament. New Zealand taking the lead against holders Italy and ultimately holding on for a draw was a fantastic achievement. However, it was North Korea whose brave efforts against the might of Brazil provided us with an unforgettable piece of world cup history. From Jong Tae-Se’s waterworks during the national anthem, to Maicon’s wonder goal to Ji Yun-nam’s memorable late consolation this was the sort of drama only a world cup can provide.

Best Moment

Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal v Germany – Having been on the rack for the most part against the old enemy and 0-2 down early on, almost out of the blue Matthew Upson and Frank Lampard appeared to have brought England back from the brink. For the first time in the tournament the nation was united in joy and started dreaming of the greatest comeback since Lazarus. The joy of course was soon to turn to united anger, disbelief and delicious irony that this might somehow be payback for 1966, but this is my moment of the tournament as it may be the incident that instigates the long overdue addition to the game of goal line technology.

As another wonderful College Cup drew to a climax, it was Derwent who denied Alcuin the Double with a resounding Plate Final success. They scored three – two coming from Ed Lacaille, the other from Matt O’Connor – but it could have been six or seven, those numbers also apt in describing the defending of an Alcuin side not lacking in talent, but maybe in a sense of occasion.

O’Connor’s goal was fit to grace any final – a lob from 20 yards out which left stand-in Alcuin goalkeeper Matthew Lang embarrassed – and another gem from a player who has grown in stature as the tournament has progressed, flitting effortlessly from first to second team and notably collecting the Man of the Match accolade in the firsts’ 1-0 Cup semi-final win against Vanbrugh.

Lacaille has sometimes been described as a confidence player, and had only scored once for Derwent in the competition before today, but he looked transformed today. If his second, Derwent’s third, in the final minute was pure instinct, the striker stroking the ball home after Josh Baines’s header had rebounded off the crossbar to his feet, his first relied on imagination and incision. We were only five minutes in, but Alcuin’s back line had already shown hints of disorganisation and Lacaille seized his first opportunity: drifting left, an assured touch beat two defenders and a low shot beat Lang at his near post.

A controversial moment in the second-half as stand-in Alcuin goalkeeper Matthew Lang upends Freddy Harris. Referee Dan Hewitt waved away Derwent appeals for a penalty. Photograph by Arran Bowen-la Grange

Alcuin had rode their luck against Goodricke in the semi-finals, advancing on penalties after snatching a last-gasp equaliser, but, perhaps as a consequence of winning the main prize on Tuesday, looked disinterested at times here. In the absence of a recognised goalkeeper, Lang was forced to deputise, though he might have been better utilised at left-back, where Lee Scrimshaw looked unsteady against Barnaby Francis and Freddy Harris. They lacked options on the bench, too, for one reason or another, and even with the introduction of secret weapon Rhys Spong for the second-half – he had snatched the late leveller against Goodricke – they lacked a cutting edge; Basim Al-Ahmadi, who played in advance of Udy Onwudike, and Thomas Gibby, growing increasingly frustrated.

Having created nothing in the first period, Alcuin only really had a couple of openings in the second. Al-Ahmadi sprinted on to a dropping loose ball but leathered his half-volley over the crossbar, while Ivan Le-Magicien, a substitute called up from the thirds, lived up to his moniker with some enterprising darts but fired his one chance well wide.

In reality, it should have been more than three, with Lang tipping a Lacaille snapshot over the bar in the first-half, Baines striking the left upright with a bobbling low effort and a tangle between Bradley Wood and Harris very nearly leading to a penalty. But three was more than sufficient, despite a much improved Alcuin display after the break, and Derwent restored a small measure of collegiate pride following their meek surrender in the Cup Final the other day.

Joe Boughtflower on a forward burst in the opening period, his shot missing the target. Boughtflower has impressed for both Derwent firsts and seconds in this year’s College Cup. Photograph by Arran Bowen-la Grange

Derwent Seconds: Nick Harris, Matt Worsfold, Josh Baines, Andy Jeffreys, James Beggs, Joe Boughtflower (Steve Weavis), Barnaby Francis, Ben Creswell (Jim Norton), Matt O’Connor, Freddy Harris (Sam Hodson), Ed Lacaille

Nouse Man of the Match: Ed Lacaille

Alcuin Seconds: Matthew Lang, Jonathan Lane, Bradley Wood, Simon Reiss, Lee Scrimshaw (Rhys Spong), Matt Stopforth, Paul Desoisa, Thomas Gibby, Damian Pickard (Ivan Le-Magicien), Basim Al-Ahmadi, Udy Onwudike

Nouse Man of the Match: Matt Stopforth

With a late smash and grab, and then some penalty shoot-out heroics, Alcuin seconds completed a fine 24 hours for the college, which now has both Plate and Cup finals to look forward to. Rhys Spong and Paul Guest might feel more at home on the rugby field, but their cameos here left a Goodricke seconds side, who have looked impressive all tournament, heartbroken.

Spong probably expected a ten minute run-around for old time’s sake but ended up making the decisive intervention in the dying moments of a game which started poorly but grew and grew. His strike, a left foot smash following an intricate one-two with Basim Al-Ahmadi, took his improbable College Cup tally to two goals in 20 minutes over three years.

It sunk Goodricke, who had been the better side in a dour first-half and had taken the lead early in the second when Christian Hammer beat Guest at his near post following some neat build-up by Michael Brooks. The late blow told in the shoot-out as Guest, deputising between the posts for the exam-bound David Ambrozejczyk, kept out Goodricke’s first spot-kick. Michael Case the unfortunate name to join the growing list of shoot-out victims in College Cup 2010.

Alcuin kept their nerve, with composed penalties from Simon Reiss, Al-Ahmadi, Paul Desoisa, Matt Stopforth and Udy Onwudike enough to book a place in the final. Until these dramatic late moments, however, Alcuin hadn’t really shown a great deal, restricted to long-range efforts by a characteristically stalwart Goodricke defence. Desoisa (twice) and Al-Ahmadi saw first-half testers drift off target before Spong’s goal sparked delirious scenes from everyone of a red-shirted persuasion.

The scenes of celebration when Rhys Spong equalises for Alcuin in the last couple of minutes. Photograph by Justyn Hardcastle

Like Halifax a couple of days earlier, Goodricke will rue missing the better chances, notably when Brooks, latching on to a perfect ball from Sam Lewis, struck the inside the post with Guest beaten. Moments earlier, Dave Coupland showed some trickery to fox Jonathan Lane and tee up Nick Dheir, but the captain, who departed early through injury, skewed his shot wide.

Goodricke, then, will be starved of silverware again, but for Alcuin, who now face Derwent in the Plate final after this latest entry to College Cup folklore, a double beckons.

Alcuin Seconds: Paul Guest, Jonathan Lane, Bradley Wood, Simon Reiss, Matthew Lang, Andy Chan, Matt Stopforth, Basim Al-Ahmadi, Paul Desoisa, Udy Onwudike, Alex Brown (Rhys Spong)

Nouse Man of the Match: Matt Stopforth

Goodricke Seconds: Jon Cook, John Crowley, Sam Astbury, Andy Case, Matt Thomas, Michael Brooks, Nick Dheir (Matt Sutherland), Adam Botterill, Dave Coupland (Doug Lawson), Sam Lewis, Christian Hammer

Nouse Man of the Match: Sam Lewis

Paul Guest, deputising in goal for Alcuin, makes the decisive penalty save from Andy Case. Photograph by Justyn Hardcastle

Penalty shoot-out (Goodricke first): Case (saved), S. Reiss (scored) 0-1, Lawson (scored) 1-1, Al-Ahmadi (scored) 1-2, Lewis (scored) 2-2, Desoisa (scored) 2-3, Botterill (scored) 3-3, Stopforth (scored) 3-4, Brooks (scored) 4-4, Onwudike (scored) 4-5

Friday’s match brings together free-scoring Vanbrugh and workmanlike Derwent. With both colleges the fall guys in last year’s competition – Vanbrugh were beaten 3-1 by Alcuin in the final, Derwent lost to Alcuin in the semis – we might see a cagey game with very little room for error. Vanbrugh, who have scored 25 goals in the tournament so far, boast a livewire front line including Phil Taylor (8 goals), Ben Stanier (2) and Liam Regan (3) although they may be without seven-goal Ali Prince. Defender Dan Radford is also expected to miss the game. Derwent haven’t set the tournament alight but, having recovered from their opening day defeat to Alcuin and the loss of star defender Greg Gardner, have impressed with their professional performances and team togetherness. UYAFC firsts regular Chris Barnett shone in last week’s 3-1 quarter-final defeat of James, scoring twice, while an industrious midfield of Matt Hallam, John Pinkstone and Alex Cooper will prove difficult for Vanbrugh to break down. There’s every chance of penalties in a match where irresistible force meets immovable object.

Vanbrugh Dangerman
In the anticipated absence of Ali Prince, Vanbrugh will look to Liam Regan to provide inspiration. The playmaker has scored three goals in the College Cup and has created countless more.

Derwent Dangerman
Chris Barnett has picked up 22 Fantasy Football points to date but his contribution goes far beyond three goals. An uncompromising midfielder with a great range of passing.

I doubt anyone, not even the Alcuin team in their wildest dreams, could have foreseen this result. In a hotly-anticipated coming together of two of College Football’s biggest names, it was less Titan against Titan more, at times, David against Goliath.

With a five-star performance, with five different goalscorers, Alcuin return to the Final for the fourth consecutive year and nobody could say it was undeserved. In his rousing post-match debrief, Captain Miles McDermott was unequivocal: “We’ll come back in a week and we’ll win it again.”

What happened to Halifax only they will know. Maybe it was the eleventh hour withdrawal of Joe Brennan, maybe the absence of Ian McKellow, but more likely a straightforward, startling inability to defend balls in the air, something which cost them three times in the first-half. Thereafter, they looked clueless, disunited and mentally shot.

Contrast that to Alcuin, for whom no player underperformed. Ali Laird shone brightest – the popular man of the match choice among his team-mates – with his arsenal of passing, vision and runs when out of possession. He scored the second goal, on 18 minutes, rising unchallenged to nod home McDermott’s corner. Not the tallest player on the park, Laird’s goal, his second of the competition, was symptomatic of a very serious weakness in the Halifax defence.

Dan Cox challenges Halifax goalkeeper Mark Lund to the ball. Photograph by Peter Iveson

Another stand-out, Joe Cooper, had wasted little time in notching his fourth of the College Cup. Barely 60 seconds had elapsed when Mark Lund, again deputising in goal for Halifax, could only direct Matt Stopforth’s corner skywards, allowing Jake Delaney to leap and square the ball for Cooper, practically on the goalline, to apply the killer touch. Invigorated by his early intervention, Cooper lived up to his ‘tricky customer’ reputation and was a constant headache for Dan Turley and Dom Petschak at centre-half for Halifax.

But another Alcuin strength is an uncanny ability to score goals from all positions of the pitch – there had been eight different goalscorers in the tournament before today’s game and Simon Reiss, unshakable as the pivot in an adaptable five-man back line, made it nine with a towering header five minutes before the break. This was the game killer because Halifax had, in fact, had a few glimpses of Michael Wynd’s goal: Tom Ragan dispatched a free header over the crossbar, Alex Tringham acrobatically forced a catch from the Alcuin stopper and Jack Beadle failed to gain sufficient purchase on a 20-yard shot. The third goal turned the half-time mood in the Halifax camp from defiant to defeated.

Simon Reiss rises above Ash Daly, Eamonn Geoghegan and Alex Reid to head Alcuin’s third goal. Photograph by Peter Iveson

With Lund’s words ringing in their ears, Halifax did show a little more in the second-half – Beadle, who looked the most lively in the generally overrun Halifax midfield, pinged a lovely ball into Ragan, who couldn’t sort his feet out, and Ash Daly sent an effort over the crossbar – but there was more to come from Alcuin. Their fourth was the best yet as Dan Cox, who had his best game of the tournament as he effortlessly held up the ball for Cooper and Laird, received the ball from Laird, showed some nice trickery and produced a cool finish.

4-0 and coasting, Alcuin had the luxury of resting a few players in preparation for the final itself. And one of the replacements scored the fifth – on the other side of Petschak’s consolation on 50 minutes, yet another header from a corner – when Phil Bowers slid the ball home from all of two yards, after doing everything in his power to squander the opportunity by stumbling over.

The body language of the two camps after the final whistle showed us once again just how much this competition means: as Alcuin bounced around, self-congratulated and chatted in excited tones about the final with either Derwent or Vanbrugh, Halifax conducted a sordid post-mortem in a circle. They knew it hadn’t been anywhere near good enough but, even if they had been at their heady best, you can’t help speculate whether the outcome would have been identical such was Alcuin’s breathtaking performance.

Conor Brennan, the Halifax striker, saw little of the ball as his midfield struggled to provide much service. Photograph by Maggie Aslet

Alcuin Firsts: Michael Wynd, Miles McDermott, Paul Reiss, Simon Reiss, Bradley Wood, Jack Crane, Jake Delaney (Phil Bowers), Ali Laird, Matt Stopforth, Joe Cooper (Udy Onwudike), Dan Cox

Nouse Fantasy Football Man of the Match: Ali Laird

Halifax Firsts: Mark Lund, Tommy Smith, Dan Turley, Dom Petschak, Alex Tringham, Jack Beadle, Ash Daly, Eamonn Geoghegan, Alex Reid, Conor Brennan, Tom Ragan

Nouse Fantasy Football Man of the Match: Jack Beadle

Halifax seconds must be kicking themselves they haven’t reached the Plate final of the College Cup. They dominated the majority of Tuesday’s semi-final with Derwent, creating all the best openings, before falling victim to the eternal football lottery that is the penalty shoot-out.

Derwent had toiled in temperatures approaching 30 degrees and created little of note in regulation time, but they were flawless from the spot and when the unfortunate Alex Petitcolin saw his penalty ricochet off the left upright, they had progressed to a final with either Goodricke or Alcuin seconds.

Derwent had needed the same method to overcome James last week and have evidently been devoting some training time to the art – Stuart Bruce, Josh Baines, John Pinkstone, Sam Hodson and Barnaby Francis all dispatched their kicks with aplomb.

But the game shouldn’t have reached this point as Halifax’s enterprising football repeatedly unlocked the Derwent defence. Eamonn Geoghegan might have more important matters to attend to this week – he is expected to start for the firsts against Alcuin on Wednesday – but he was central here and had a number of opportunities, notably from the many set-pieces Halifax picked up around the penalty area.

He was assisted in midfield by Luke Charles, who impressed and had the best opening of a dour first-half when jinxing in intelligently from the right wing and testing goalkeeper Roy Moore with a long-range effort. He was nearly the recipient of some good fortune early in the second period, when Dom Petschak’s searching long ball caused a moment of hesitancy between keeper and centre back, though his burst was a fraction too late.

Derwent celebrate their progression to the Plate final after a perfect five penalties. Photograph by Justyn Hardcastle.

Ben Rea, too, was lively in the Halifax attack but he couldn’t steer the ball home when Joe Woods flashed the ball across the face from a Geoghegan long ball. The introduction of Fraser Moyle gave Halifax another outlet on the right but his only chance, after cutting in from his wide position, blazed harmlessly across the goal.

There was one, further, moment of exasperation for the Derwent back four in stoppage time when Geoghegan lined one up from 20 yards, but Joe Boughtflower, who might be involved for the firsts against Vanbrugh on Friday, sprinted across to block the ball with his midriff. His intervention meant penalties and Halifax’s afternoon of frustration was confirmed.

Halifax seconds created all the best chances in this game, but bow out of the College Cup for 2010. Photograph by Justyn Hardcastle

Derwent vs. Vanbrugh
Friday, 4pm

And then there were four. After six weeks of captivating action, the College Cup enters its semi-final stage this week with defending champions Alcuin taking on Halifax, and Vanbrugh playing Derwent.

After a group stage which produced 147 goals in 40 matches, the quarter-finals continued the high levels of entertainment with marathon penalty shoot-outs, goals of finesse and flukiness, and some impressive team togetherness.

The Plate competition continues to excite too, with Derwent, Alcuin, Halifax and Goodricke reaching the final four.

The week started with one of the most engrossing College Cup matches in recent memory, with Halifax squeezing past Goodricke following an epic 22 penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw. Ed Foster, the Goodricke goalkeeper who had not conceded a goal in the tournament until this match, was the unfortunate player to see his sudden death kick saved by stand-in Halifax stopper Mark Lund.

Lund’s heroics set up a showdown with Alcuin on Wednesday, but the captain isn’t looking to the final just yet: “I think it’s 50-50 against Alcuin, with two good teams it’ll just be whoever is best on the day. Both teams will be massively up for it, hopefully it will be a good spectacle.”

On the same afternoon, Vanbrugh, the tournament’s highest scorers, beat Wentworth 3-1 but the outcome remained in the balance until the last ten minutes, when Ben Lowe’s header secured the win. Ali Prince escaped defensive attentions to give Vanbrugh a fifth-minute lead but Dan Radford’s spectacular own goal allowed Wentworth back into the game. However, they then committed the same error, as Seb Schmerold got the final touch on Dan Hewitt’s long throw.

Hewitt believes his side have exceeded expectations in the competition: “No one expected us to get here. We’ve just tried to play our football and create an enjoyable atmosphere in which to play. The pressure I believe is off us, Derwent are a great side and have to be favourites.”

Chris Barnett’s double sent Derwent through at the expense of James in the third quarter-final, with the opening and third goals of a 3-1 win. James took the lead through Mark Johnson’s stunning 30-yard free-kick but were quickly pegged back through Barnett’s composed finish. Captain Matt Hallam gave Derwent the advantage with a cross-cum-shot before Barnett bundled in a third in the final minute.

“Vanbrugh will be a much sterner test, they’ve been the best team in the tournament up to now but that means nothing on the day and I think we have the ability to match them in every department,” said Hallam.

“We’ve earnt the right to be where we are now and we’re by no means finished yet.”

Alcuin completed the set on Thursday with a single-goal victory over Langwith. In-form Christy Cormac split the teams five minutes from time, his shot crashing in off the crossbar and goalkeeper Tom Lambert’s back. Langwith had struck the crossbar in the first period from Michael Palmer’s header and had largely shackled Alcuin’s lively front line.

Alcuin captain Miles McDermott exercised caution before the big game: “Halifax are the faves, they came through a tougher quarter-final and we need a big performance to get past such a strong team who has been largely fancied since the outset.”

In the Plate, Derwent ousted James on penalties, Alcuin beat Langwith 2-1, Halifax thrashed Vanbrugh 4-0 and Goodricke eliminated Wentworth 3-0.

Derwent, Alcuin and Wentworth all finished the day on 64 points, closely followed by James on 62, meaning the closest finish in the overall rankings for years. Adding to the suspense, the final results will not be announced until Friday’s highlight of the York Sport social calendar.

On a beautiful summer afternoon, dozens of athletes from the eight colleges participated in a host of track and field events, plus tug of war, volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee and novelty races.

The highlight of the day was the closely contested men’s 100 metres race, where Wentworth’s Lachie Murray edged Bruce Starkey, of Langwith, and Samik Datta, also of Wentworth, to first place in a time of 12.2 seconds. Murray doubled up in the 200m with a time of 23.9 seconds.

Action from the men’s 4 x 400m relay race, which was won by Derwent in a time of 4 minutes 7 seconds. Photograph by Maggie Aslet

Vanbrugh’s Ella Jennyings took the women’s 100m, although her college would ultimately finish bottom of the Sports Day standings. Her teammate Joanna Greetham took the 200m in 26.61.

Derwent won the men’s 4 x 100m relay ahead of Wentworth, recording a time of 51.26 seconds, and made it a double in the 4 x 400m event. James were the victors in the women’s 4 x 100 relay in a time a split second over one minute.

James also dominated the long distance races, with Martin Proctor taking the men’s 3000 and 1500 metres, and the men’s shot put, where team captain Aaron Rolph achieving 11.1 metres. They also reached the final of the ultimate Frisbee tournament, losing 3-1 to Goodricke.

Aaron Rolph, of James, was first in the shot put and competed in a number of other events, including the long jump. Photograph by Maggie Aslet

Derwent’s Chris Barnett won the men’s 400m in 56.67 while Ella Jennyings gained her second win of the day in the women’s race. Andrew Wallis, from Halifax, was second to Barnett but did win the 800m, beating second placed Dave Worsley by a ten-second margin. Helen Caw, from Goodricke, was first in the women’s version though her college would end up second from bottom overall.

Samik Datta and Alcuin’s Esther Illman won the men’s and women’s 800m walk respectively, Miriam Barber took the women’s 1500m, Chantelle Nyarko, of Langwith, putted 9.7m in winning the shot, while the women’s long jump was tied between Jo Greffon (Goodricke) and Becky Hudson (Vanbrugh), who both jumped 3.77m.

Wentworth beat Alcuin in the final of the knockout volleyball competition, the score 25-16 in the best of one-set encounter. Alcuin did gain revenge in the best-of-five tug of war competition, however.

The always popular tug of war event at Sports Day. Photograph by Maggie Aslet

COLLEGE SPORTS DAY STANDINGS

1st -Derwent/Alcuin/Wentworth: 64 points (14 points for overall total)
4th – James: 62 (8)
5th – Halifax: 60 (6)
6th – Langwith: 59 (4)
7th – Goodricke: 58 (2)
8th – Vanbrugh: 53 (0)

For the second time in two days, Derwent progressed into a semi-final at the expense of James as Chris Barnett’s brace carried a side written off by many to within touching distance of College Cup glory. It’s fair to say that when Derwent were beaten convincingly by Alcuin in the opening week, few would have pictured them in this situation but from this nadir they have rediscovered themselves and now have every chance.

The resolve and togetherness of Matt Hallam’s team was evident today as they eliminated a James outfit hitherto considered better than them in every department. Qualifying as group winners, with Mark Johnson sparkling, James had shaken off the traditional dark horse tag to become genuine contenders. Johnson’s intervention today was equally spectacular, producing one of the goals of the tournament, but he was generally starved of possession as Derwent gained the upper hand in midfield and took their chances.

Hallam acknowledged an “exceptional team performance” in the post-match chat, saying: “We were a bit cagey to begin with but as soon as we started to get the ball down and play I felt we were the better team.”

The scoresheet was a tale of two UYAFC first team midfielders: Johnson put James in front with a Cristiano Ronaldo-esque free-kick five minutes from half-time. A good 30 yards from David Attwood’s goal, the Derwent stopper was left with no chance by a shot of terrific venom, spin and swerve. Johnson’s vision, passing and goalscoring have illuminated the College Cup this year and it is a shame his tournament is over.

But the lead was short lived – James had barely stopped celebrating when Barnett struck, producing a lovely finish across goal after controlling Matt O’Connor’s long throw into the mixer. In responding so quickly, Derwent confirmed that they are made of sterner stuff than we may have given them credit for. Johnson’s goal had been, after all, merely an interruption in a first-half of largely blue and black control. Ben Smith had been guilty of wasting a straightforward opening after outwitting the offside trap and Hallam’s nonchalant hit from the edge of the penalty area drifted uncomfortably wide of Dom McMahon’s far post.

A gilt-edged chance for Derwent’s Ben Smith, left one-on-one with Dom McMahon but the striker sent the ball wide. Photograph by Maggie Aslet

Hallam was everywhere, leading by example, hassling the James midfielders and not shirking the aerial duels. He was a scorer too, although we’ll never know whether he meant the looping cross-cum-shot which foxed the backtracking McMahon and edged Derwent into an early second-half advantage. But they weren’t satisfied to protect their slender lead, continuing to pour forward with assurance – even Joe Boughtflower, relatively new to the first team standard of football, was bombing down his flank to support the frontline.

A decisive third looked likely and Barnett prompted a full stretch save from McMahon when seeking out the bottom corner, before hesitation from James Loftus allowed Smith to slip through. The striker managed to nudge the ball past the goalkeeper but saw the ball trickle agonisingly wide of the upright.

The goal came with the game’s final kick. Nav Jabarkhyl, a substitute, was being encouraged to head to the corner and wind down the clock but had other ideas. Shimmying past his marker, he cut a low ball across goal where Barnett had steamed in at the far post. He couldn’t miss this simplest of tap-ins and Derwent dreams could commence.

“We showed fantastic character after going 1-0 down,” Hallam added. “Our heads could easily have dropped but instead we dug deep, worked hard and in the end it paid off. Everyone played their part which goes to show our strength in depth as we were missing four key players through injury.”

Derwent, Halifax and Vanbrugh, then, form three-quarters of the semi-final line-up but those quick to label Derwent the weakest of the trio might want to think twice. In a tournament all about building momentum at the perfect moment, they might have got it spot on.

Chris Barnett was on song for Derwent today, scoring two goals to guide his team into the semi-finals. Photograph by Maggie Aslet

Derwent Firsts: David Attwood, Paul Ward-Jones, Dom Henney, Steve Walwyn, Joe Broughtflower, Matt Hallam, Alex Cooper, Chris Barnett, John Pinkstone, Matt O’Connor (Nav Jabarkhyl), Ben Smith

Nouse Fantasy Football Man of the Match: Matt Hallam

James Firsts: Dom McMahon, Joe Jenkinson, Oscar Lynch, James Loftus, John Carroll, Simon Mole, Angus O’Brien (Dave Williams), Sam Mellor, Mark Johnson, Richard Baxter, James Offord

Nouse Fantasy Football Man of the Match: Richard Baxter

Stand-in goalkeeper Nick Harris was Derwent’s shoot-out hero, saving from James Worthington and Tim Green as his side squeezed past their James counterparts in an otherwise dull Plate quarter-final on Monday. A late replacement for normal stopper Roy Moore, Harris was thrust into the dreaded high-pressure penalty scenario following an abysmal 0-0 draw, but acquitted himself very well.

Sam Clitheroe had saved Derwent’s first spot-kick, guessing correctly to repel Ben Creswell’s effort, but their remaining takers were faultless and they prevailed 4-3 to reach the last four. Worthington struck his kick perfectly towards the right corner, but Harris scrambled across to push it round the post. Green mis-hit his, James’ fifth, leaving the stand-in with a comfortable save.

After five weeks, forty matches and not a single goalless draw, it was disappointing that the knockout stages should commence with such a soporific stalemate. There have been 147 goals to date in the College Cup, a level of entertainment FIFA can only dream of, but neither side looked like adding to the total here. The closest we came was when Freddy Harris, a replacement for the injured forward Ed Lacaille, headed against the crossbar when it seemed easier to score ten minutes after half-time.

James saved their best until last but didn’t enjoy the rub of the Green when the College Chair, promoted from the thirds, sent a dipping shot over the crossbar in one of the many minutes of stoppage time added on by referee Michael Wynd.

Derwent celebrate their penalty success. Photograph by Maggie Aslet.

They were missing a number of key players – Matt Vermeulen was ill, Angus O’Brien cursing his car and Alex Collins was probably in the two-hour queue for the Oblivion at Alton Towers – but matched Derwent throughout without creating a great deal. Green sent a first-half header wide following great build-up from the impressive Sam Mellor on the left flank, while Richard Baxter fired past the left-hand post on the turn. Andy Yates, another forward called up from the eliminated third team, latched on to Green’s knock-down but his effort ditched fractionally wide.

Derwent had their openings too, with Barnaby Francis lashing a shot across goal in the first-half and Harris miscuing when well-placed in the second, but it took the lottery of penalties to settle this one.

James Seconds: Sam Clitheroe, James Worthington, Nick St George, Johnny Hyde, Sam Gibb, Sam Mellor, Richard Baxter, Dave Williams, Tom Prifti, Tim Green, Andy Yates

Derwent Seconds: Nick Harris, Matt Worsfold, Joe Broughtflower, Andy Jeffreys, Steve Weavis (James Beggs), John Pinkstone, Barnaby Francis, James Mathews, Matt O’Connor, Ben Creswell, Ed Lacaille (Freddy Harris)

Sam Clitheroe guesses correctly to save Ben Creswell’s spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out. Photograph by Maggie Aslet.

Penalties (James first): Baxter (scored) 1-0, Creswell (saved) 1-0, Worthington (saved) 1-0, Pinkstone (scored) 1-1, Hyde (scored) 2-1, Mathews (scored) 2-2, St. George (scored) 3-2, James Beggs (scored) 3-3, Green (saved) 3-3, Francis (scored) 3-4

Although liable to get rather carried away, Bild, Germany’s answer to The Sun, might have been on to something this morning. Dream goals, dream football, a World Cup fairytale in the offing – well possibly, but at the very least a brand new, more empowered, more unrestrained Nationalmannschaft? Definitely.

Yes, so it might only have been Australia, a side who still look naïve on the world stage and, let’s be honest, prioritise about half-a-dozen other sports before this one, but last night’s exquisite 4-0 romp at the stunning Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban gave us a glimpse of a new German philosophy on football.

Traditionally, to beat the Germans you would have to outrun them because they were the envy of the world in terms of physical conditioning and endurance – all the way through extra time and penalties too. And you would also have to outwit them, because they would have experience and intelligence on the ball, feeling supremely confident in possession. The European Championship winning side of 1996 was anchored by skipper Matthias Sammer, with the experienced heads of Thomas Häßler and Stefan Kuntz further forward. In Christian Ziege, Oliver Neuville and Dietmar Hamann, the side which finished second to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup had players who had been round the block a few times, while in 2008, Michael Ballack (then 31), Neuville (35) and Torsten Frings (31) featured in a tournament which saw them again reach the final.

But last night was something different – more spectacular, more daring, easier on the eye. The average age of the starting eleven was just under 25 (in the final two years ago it was nearly 28), the skipper Philipp Lahm is at 26 the country’s youngest leader and featured three players from the team which won the European Under-21 Championships just last year. Television pictures caught Joachim Löw prior to kick-off leant casually against his dugout, in relaxed attire, cradling a cup of coffee. He clearly knew something we didn’t and his judgement in giving youth a chance was proved spectacularly right.

With an advanced Miroslav Klose supported by the trio of Lukas Podolski, Mesut Özil and Thomas Müller, Germany provided the Socceroos endless problems all night. Podolski and Müller were particularly effective off the ball, making well-timed darts into ever-increasing space behind the Australian wing-backs and both scoring deserved goals, while the vision and passing of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira from deep midfield, and Lahm from right-back, ensured the front line were well supplied. More importantly, the attitude was positive and exciting, so when Australian heads started to drop after the second goal and their spirit, and hopes of advancing from Group D, diminished by the dismissal of Tim Cahill, the Germans didn’t rest on their laurels. Preserving the high tempo and attacking mentality, they piled on the misery and became the first of the big names to actually show us something.

In a group of limited talent, as shown by the disappointing Serbia-Ghana match earlier in the day, we should expect this group of German players to thrill us again soon. Time will tell whether Traumstart turns into Trophäe for the most exciting German side in a generation. It’s definitely Germany, but not as we know them.

It was meant to be the end of the phoney war. After days, months, years of interminable build-up and speculation, with idle chatter at last replaced by action, we had hoped for definitive answers. Definitive answers about England’s best eleven, their best system, their attitude and whether they had what it takes. Sadly, as has become the recent norm with following the Three Lions, we were left with more conundrums than clues after last night’s retreat in Rustenburg.

Fabio Capello’s in tray this morning indicates a testing six days ahead before his team make the long south-west trip to Cape Town to play Algeria. Yes, there were positives: a vindication of Emile Heskey’s worth, verve going forward from Aaron Lennon and Glen Johnson, a valiant performance from Steven Gerrard – arguably the only English lion not out of place in Africa last night – and the player’s ability to maintain a high tempo for 90 minutes at altitude.

But rather than feeling the satisfaction of knowing how to approach the next match, Capello has a lot on his conscience. To persevere with a fragile Robert Green or destroy him by turning to Joe Hart, or David James. To risk Ledley King’s equally fragile knee; to stick with Jamie Carragher, who showed his age at times, in his place, or to ring the changes with Matthew Upson or Michael Dawson. How best to harness Wayne Rooney’s impudence, will James Milner’s stomach recover, how to drop Gareth Barry into the strategy – not to mention the timeless Gerrard-Frank Lampard dilemma. Shaken together with Capello’s vignettes of exasperation from last night and more than a twist of expectation, it’s not a nice cocktail.

After a season of dominance domestically, it was infuriating to see Rooney having to surge back 40-50 yards to retrieve possession and initiate attacks in the second-half. I thought such a policy died with Manchester United’s tame surrender in the Rome Champions League final of 2009. While it is tempting to give such a bullish player free rein, Rooney must learn some positional discipline – ostensibly playing between winger and strike partner Heskey, he spent too much time far too deep or, conversely, in advance of the Aston Villa battering ram. And given the column inches devoted to observing Rooney’s temperament pre-tournament, we know that the fastest way to detonation is when he sees little choice but to drop deep.

Thank goodness for Heskey, then. He fully justified his inclusion and was perfectly suited against American centre-halves not renowned for their prowess in the air and wing-backs willing to grant licence to enter the penalty box with ball on the ground. The return of Oguchi Onyewu following a lengthy injury lay-off was a blessing for the States – he won 11 aerial duels to Heskey’s 10 – as the anticipated partnership of Jay DeMerit and Clarence Goodson could have been swamped. But, contrary to popular belief and as he showed in setting up Gerrard’s early goal, Heskey’s utility goes far beyond aerial flick-ons and he sustained England’s threat down the flanks by holding the ball up time and time again. Sadly, when presented with a gilt-edged opportunity to win the match, when one-on-one with Tim Howard in the second-half, he remembered his role not to score all too readily.

In an unbalanced midfield, Gerrard managed to stand out, but like many around him slipped into some bad habits late in the game. Although likely to return to the left against Algeria so that Barry can return to his accustomed position, a ploy which proved effective in qualification, last night confirmed what we already knew, that the Liverpool skipper prefers a central midfield battle. Industrious and imaginative in equal measure, he didn’t shirk a tackle all evening but, let down by those around him and instinctively wary of the USA’s ambition, reverted to a restricted role guarding the back line and lumping aimless balls forward.

But compare his performance to the lifeless Lampard – he epitomised a serious problem that you won’t find with Argentina, Spain or any of the other nations bracketed as contenders for the tournament. Earlier in the afternoon, Argentina took great pleasure in toying with Nigeria, retaining possession for four or five minutes through 30-40 passes. We were lucky if England could muster four or five without the ball going astray, and Lampard, who lost possession 16 times, was chief culprit. He seemed bewildered that Michael Bradley and Ricardo Clark should show such discipline, sitting without fuss in front of the back four, and shackle him so effortlessly. With the narrow approach favoured by the US pushing England’s central midfield progressively backwards during the game and Lampard clueless on how to counter it, it was little wonder England’s main threat came out wide.

Between the posts, it was not easy being Green last night but the manager must have faith. With nearly a week of preparations to rebuild his confidence, there should be no rash decisions which would ultimately cripple the confidence of one of our best goalkeeping hopes. Hopefully, more straightforward games against limited opposition in Algeria and Slovenia will enable Green to repair the damage of last night’s calamity.

Of course last night’s result has not fatally undermined England’s prospects of advancing in the World Cup, but Algeria already looks like an acid test of which set-up and which starting eleven England must now stick with. With the return of Barry to the midfield, expect to see a return to the tried and trusted method of Gerrard on the left in support of Rooney. If this approach works, then maybe some of the questions raised by last night’s performance will be answered but don’t bet against there being new issues to address this time next week.

What did you make of England’s performance? Comments are open below.