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Sunday 5th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 18th April 2009
It's Quaddy and Crown in the Senior Cup Final.
The looming conclusion of the football season brings with it a tiring proliferation of matches as clubs squeeze in the games lost earlier in the season due to inclement weather, and for those clubs with nothing to play for, maintaining enthusiasm can be a problem, though, conversely, for those teams looking forward to cup semi finals and beyond and title deciders, this period is the highlight of the campaign.
The first semi finals – in the League Senior Cup - took place on Springhead Lane last Saturday in warm but windy conditions, and two very different games ensued with Quaddy Rangers taking the honours over Pinefleet Wolfreton, in a game which was initially very encouraging for Pinefleet, while on the adjacent pitch, Crown FC and Sutton Fields Rangers fought out a close tussle which eventually went Crown’s way, and now offers them the chance to retain the trophy for a third successive season.
Pinefleet Wolfreton were on cloud nine after taking a very early lead when Liam Stafford struck a stunning shot from range to completely deceive Quaddy keeper Mark Foster, and for a while, Quaddy who were very much up for the game, looked, and were, shell shocked.
With both teams being caught offside regularly, with the referee having the benefit of linesmen, the game became a little disjointed until Quaddy eventually were nodded onto level terms by playmaker Danny Thompson.
A second goal from Thompson turned the game in Quaddy’s favour and as the match progressed Quaddy took a stranglehold on the action and were rewarded with further goals from Martin Fox and Simon Start.
Sutton Fields Rangers have seen their chances of the Premier Division title evaporate in the last fortnight – the honours now look to be heading to opponents Crown – and were of the opinion that this game was make or break for the season, but also to be enjoyed.
The early signs were good for Sutton Fields who were playing nice football against a lethargic Crown side but Crown are always dangerous and have the ability to score goals out of nothing and this proved to be the case as the scores remained tied with each side having hit the target twice as full time approached.
A beautiful build up provided Sutton Fields with an opportunity to take the lead, but a header which would surely have settled matters, struck the foot of the post and went away to safety, with Crown keeper Rich Davy beaten, and almost immediately, play switched into the Sutton area and a penalty award was given in Crown’s favour, and ace marksman Glenn Morfitt does not make a habit of missing easy opportunities and duly converted the spot kick, finally breaking Sutton’s resolve.
Quaddy and Crown now face each other on Saturday 2 May at Hall Road’s Dene Park ground (2.00pm) and if that contest come anywhere close to a recent league clash between the teams, it will be a game worth watching.
AFC Preston were hoping to replicate the form they showed recently against Eddie Beedle, when facing Kingburn Athletic Reserves, and started in determined mood and comfortably managed to diffuse the long ball tactics employed by their opponents.
Preston had the majority of the play, demonstrating some great moves and excellent football until injury struck, first to top goal scorer Simon Kew who suffered from a heavy tackle when in on goal, which resulted in him being carried off, and then, ten minutes later strike partner Mark Rogers was also carried off with a knee injury. Half time arrived and the influential midfielder Lee Wilson also had to be replaced.
However, such is Preston's resolve in these last few weeks, they were able to regroup and continued to heap on the pressure, but Kingburn’s rear-guard stood firm and the deadlock was never broken.
Goal-less games are not always boring encounters and both sides agreed that they had been involved in a cracking and entertaining tussle, which was enjoyed by all.
The West Campus of Hull University was the venue for what could have been the defining moment for the Division 1 title with season-long league leaders facing Hull Athletic who are becoming close rivals with a late winning run.
AFC Hull opened the scoring mid-way through the first half when Mark Friston passed the ball through to fit again Tony Tummon, who found Sam Nicholson in space, and Nicholson finished coolly to put the visitors ahead.
On the half-hour mark, a well-timed tackle from Callum Harrison stopped a Hull Athletic break on the edge of the box from turning into a shot on goal and AFC Hull had further chances to increase their lead but failed to capitalise and were punished four minutes before the break when quick thinking Hull Athletic forward Danny Rogers latched on to a poor back-pass to Craig Lindley, leaving the AFC Hull keeper had no chance of stopping the resulting shot to his left.
With seventeen minutes of the second half gone, a Tony Tummon through ball tested Sean Leamon in the Athletic goal, but the hosts' keeper beat Dale Carty in the race for the ball by the narrowest of margins.
On sixty-five minutes, Hull Athletic took the lead when a corner found Przemyslaw ‘John’ Ciesielski unmarked man at the far post and he volleyed the ball back across goal, low into the corner of the net..
On seventy-one minutes AFC Hull were offered a lifeline when an Athletic player inexplicably handled the ball as it passed over his head and the match referee had no choice but to award the penalty which was dispatched by Jason Watson to bring the scores back level.
With less than twenty minutes to go, it looked as though AFC Hull had done enough to seal the title ahead of their final league match, but the side have developed a habit of making things a little tricky for themselves of late, and this game was no exception, as, in the gathering gloom, a Hull Athletic corner was turned in from point blank by Mark Collinson and all the match spoils went Hull Athletic’s way.
Geoff Wednesday got off to a flying start in their game against AFC West Hull B and were awarded a penalty within the first minutes, but with his first touch of the ball, Danny Garside struck the ball straight into the chest of a grateful West Hull keeper Paul Davies.
The game was then pretty much end to end until West Hull opened the scoring and the scoreline remained unchanged until 20 minutes into the second half when a super solo effort by Wednesday’s Mike Hawkes ripped into the top of the net from a good 30 yards.
The joy was short lived joy as within five minutes West Hull went back in front.
Richard Hook, not for the first time, became Wednesday’s saviour, when he looped a far post header into the net with the last play of the game.
The midweek Division 2 game between AFC West Hull C and AFC Malt Shovel was able to go ahead after exceptional co-operation from Malt Shovel’s Phil Liversedge and the outcome was an open game of free flowing football as referee Mike Elliott played advantage whenever he could.
Both teams enjoyed good passages of play, and Malt Shovel should have taken the lead but missed from the penalty spot - keeper Shaun Reveley claiming he saved it, but in reality he never moved and the ball was struck straight and hit him!!
West Hull went close when Leon Merrylees hit the Malt Shovel crossbar with a cross cum shot, but the scoreline remained blank at the break.
Malt Shovel finally got the break through after some very good pressure, several corners and a good five minutes camped in the West Hull half and it was no less than they deserved.
The setback seemed to spur West Hull on and they had several chances to equalise but were kept at bay by good defending and goalkeeping.
In trying to pull back the deficit, West Hull pushed forward and left themselves exposed at the back, allowing Malt Shovel to finally made the game safe with ten minutes remaining, albeit from the penalty spot, but on this occasion keeper Reveley was unlucky not to save the kick as he dived the right way and got his hand to the ball but could only push it onto, and not wide of, the post and in.
There was some good football played throughout, and the only down side to the game was West Hull’s Kurt Cruttenden having to go off injured after five minutes and needing an ambulance when his knee popped his knee out of place. This was a particular blow as he getting some game time in after missing most of the season with an ankle injury, and was hoping to earn a place in the side for the club’s up-coming league cup semi final.
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Match Reports
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24th April 2010
17th April 2010
10th April 2010
3rd April 2010
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