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Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 9th May 2009
Paull and Crown celebrate Cup and League successes.
For well over twenty years, Paull Wanderers have strived to win silverware, and their pleasure at securing a place in the Amateur League Junior Cup semi finals was tangible and when success at that stage over AFC Piper provided a place in the final of the competition, the riverfront community was literally buzzing, and to add just a little extra spice, the opposition in the final showdown was AFC Preston 2nd, thereby adding a derby atmosphere to the occasion at Dene Park, Dunswell.
This game was always going to be a tight game with so much riding on it – Preston hoping not to see history repeated having failed at a final stage last season – and Paull overcame nerves to settle first and put Preston on the back foot almost from the off but they did not really have a clear chance on goal in the first quarter of an hour.
The situation changed after 18 minutes when a huge clearance by Paull keeper Liam Smith bounced high over the Preston defence and centre forward Danny Wilbor ran through and found himself one on one with keeper Malcolm Parker and though the shot stopper got a finger to the ball, he was unable to stop it finishing in the back of the net – leaving Wilbor delirious as he performed his Peter Crouch style robotic celebration.
Paull created a couple more chances during the first half, but a Terry Thompson effort and a bullet shot from Tommy Donnelly both flashed well over the bar.
Preston thought that they had levelled matters when a good team move finished with the ball in the Paull net, but celebrations were cut short as the referee accepted the linesman’s ruling that an offside infringement had occurred.
Paull were aware that the second period would be as tight a contest as the first, but a solid defensive display denied an increasingly desperate Preston side a clear shot at goal.
The game was nearing its conclusion when Paull manager Mark Sexton rested veteran Terry Thompson’s old legs in favour of his own introduction from the sub’s bench, and he immediately found himself in on goal but his shot not only cleared the crossbar, but the stand as well!!
The miss, however, was not crucial, and the final whistle soon followed, leaving Paull jubilant at lifting a long awaited first trophy, while Preston finished disappointed, but their effort and desire to win could not be questioned.
Only one divisional title remained to be decided – the Premier Division - and Crown were hoping to secure the honours against The Lair, ahead of their weekend encounter with Sutton Fields Rangers, the only team who could prevent them completing a league and cup double.
Crown would no doubt have thought the game to be a formality, having remained unbeaten in the League, after losing the first game of season, but The Lair decided that it was time for an upset, and the clash produced a great game of thoroughly entertaining end to end football for the full 90 minutes, refereed superbly by Steve Lazenby.
Lair took the lead after a slow start by Crown with neat interchanging of passes before Liam Khan finished well. Crown responded, but the Lair went 2-0 up when Crown keeper Rich Davy misjudged a John Longthorn free kick and the ball slipped through his hands.
Quality football from both sides followed and Crown were rewarded when the Lair failed to clear a corner and it was smashed into the roof of the net.
Crown were now into their stride, and at times it was backs to the wall defending for the Lair, and eventually the equaliser was conceded.
The Lair responded well and Rob Hunter beat the offside trap to lob the keeper from 30 yards - and everyone waited anxiously to see if the ball, hit into the wind, would actually cross the line. The ball eventually did creep home, despite a defender doing his best to prevent the goal.
Another good passing move by the Lair released Hunter again and he grabbed his second with 10 minutes to go.
Crown then besieged the Lair goal and pulled one goal back with seven minutes remaining, but with solid and sometimes desperate defending, the Lair held on to inflict on Crown only their second defeat of the season.
Onward to Saturday, Crown now faced Sutton Fields who had a double incentive to win – to keep their own title hopes alive, and gain revenge for a League Cup semi final defeat.
The playing area at Bude Road was not ideal with a dried and cracked surface – perhaps to be expected at this stage of the season – and a side wind made conditions even more difficult, but both sides played with control and the half, which remained scoreless, was full of good football.
Crown took the lead in the second half when Lewis Barley crossed the ball for Glenn Morfitt to apply the finishing touch, as he does so often, and side foot the ball home.
The match was far from over, as Sutton Fields still felt the game could be won, and Crown keeper Rich Davy produced two blinding saves, and relied on the post on another occasion, to keep a clean sheet.
The action was not all one way, though, and Sutton keeper Liam Walker had to make at least half a dozen excellent saves, including an exceptional one-handed save from a Morfitt effort.
Crown soaked up Sutton’s pressure until the last minute of the game when Sean Wilson, who was playing an unaccustomed defensive role, conceded a corner.
As the corner was crossed, the referee sounded his whistle for the end of the game, allegedly before a Sutton forward rose to head the ball into the net, and the goal was allowed to stand.
Amid recriminations at the decision, the game concluded, and although the single point was enough to secure the title for Crown, the gloss was taken off the moment, but with other games still to play, Crown should create a useful title-winning margin.
Quaddy Rangers are feeling the effects of a long season, and, with their cup final behind them, are now just playing out fixtures, and against Pinefleet Wolfreton mustered only the bare eleven players, but started brightly and took the lead when Danny Thompson took the ball on his chest, a fired home into the top corner.
Pinefleet scored almost straight from the restart, but Mike Thompson restored Quaddy’s lead on the half hour, smashing the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
As half time approached, Pinefleet, who had drafted several second team players into the side, scored again and the half ended all square.
The interval seemed to revive Quaddy, who resumed brightly and early goals from Danny Garner and a second for Danny Thompson gave them a comfortable lead.
Pinefleet pulled another goal back after 80 minutes to set up a potential tense final period, but Quaddy’s Simon Start, possibly remembering the controversial finale to the first meeting between the sides earlier in the season, finished the game off at 5-3.
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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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