|
|
Sunday 5th September 2010
|
|
Matches played Saturday 27th March 2010
Bev Road Rangers and Kingburn Athletic 3rds book Junior Cup Final date.
After the exposure suffered by players and spectators in the first weekend of league cup semi finals, it was hoped that the playing conditions for the Junior Cup semis would be somewhat more pleasant, and thankfully that turned out to be the case, although throughout the week intermittent rainfall kept a worried frown on the faces of league officials, but as the weekend approached, windier conditions prevailed and did a good job drying out the pitches at Springhead Lane.
The windy conditions remained throughout Saturday, and played a significant part in the ties between Bev Road Rangers and Goodwin FC and that of AFC Orchard and Kingburn Athletic 3rd – a side who seem to save their best form for playing in the cup.
Bev Road began against Goodwin at a fast pace, using the strong wind to advantage and enjoyed a lot of early possession, concentrating play into the Goodwin half, and their pressure was made to count when Sunderland lad Craig Adams smashed the ball from 30 yards straight in the top corner of the net.
Bev Road still carried on playing well, and hit the bar twice as Goodwin became the latest team to be caught out by the long throw-ins of Darren Kenny.
Twenty minutes into the action and Bev Road were awarded a direct free kick in their own half, and Darren Kenny, who it seems does everything with added gusto, stepped up and struck the ball up high upfield and from 50 yards, the ball sailed straight over Goodwin keeper Trevor Stacey and into the net.
The game could not have gone any better for Bev Road who went into a three goal lead following a bit of scrambling in the box, which saw the ball break for Paul Ulliott who tapped the ball home.
Goodwin started hitting back with a few long range shots and a couple of corners, but the Bev Road defence cleared everything which came their way. Meanwhile, Darren Kenny carried on getting a lot of joy from his dangerous, tremendous length throw ins.
As half time approached, Bev Road won a corner and Andy Lambert’s cross provided captain Shaun Taylor with the opportunity to send a bullet header straight into the roof of the net to make the half time score a remarkable 4-0.
Doubtless shell shocked from what had gone before, Goodwin came out for the second half fighting back and finally started looking as though they wanted to win the game, and an early goal came from a corner was headed past Bev Road’s keeper Benjamin Gallagher.
Both teams were guilty of missing chances, but Goodwin had more of the ball in the second half, and another corner was headed past the Bev Road to reduce the margin to 4-2 with 10 minutes to remaining.
Bev Road were on the back foot for the first time in the game but survived a late onslaught, clearing their lines confidently except for two occasions when superb snap shots, which looked goals all the way, were turned to safety by outstanding saves from keeper Gallagher, and without doubt it was he, who kept the score unchanged at 4-2.
On the adjacent pitch AFC Orchard went into their game in confident mood, given the relevant league standing of themselves and opponents Kingburn, and buoyed by their form in the previous round, but it soon became apparent that Kingburn were intent on giving a good account of themselves and took an early lead through Dave Farrow.
AFC Orchard responded with some neat moves and should have levelled on several occasions but Kingburn’s emergency keeper Mike Whithead performed as though he had played between the poste all his life, producing some unbelievable, and brave blocks.
Eventually, Whitehead was beaten by a neatly taken finish by Graeme Hoff, and the scores remained tied through to the break.
The second half saw both sides working hard but not carving out many chances, and it was difficult to see there the next goal would come from.
Kingburn launched an attack which forced Orchard keeper Paul Creasey to race from goal, ahead of the onrushing forward, and he was unfortunate to see his clearance fall straight to the foot of Kingburn’s Tony Wilson, whose aim was perfect as he rifled his shot into the back of the net, with keeper Creasey desperately trying to regain his ground.
Undoubtedly rough justice on the keeper, but worse was to follow minutes later, when Wilson again received the ball on his left foot as he bore down on the goal at pace, and a thunderous shot was again despatched into the net, giving keeper Creasey no chance.
Somehow, when goals like these are conceded, you know that it is simply not your day, and Kingburn, became possibly surprise, but deserved, finalists and will be looking forward to their contest with Bev Road at Dene Park on 8 May (2.00pm).
Following some recent dismal performances, AFC Hull could have been forgiven for not relishing the short trip to Amateur League Premier Division runaway leaders Pinefleet Wolfreton's ground.
Pinefleet include in their side, several members of the AFC Hull team which lifted the Division One crown last season, and went into match nineteen points clear of the second placed team and knowing only a collapse in form, and an incredible end-of-season run from Eddie Beedle, can deny them the league title.
The game started at a quick pace, and within fifteen seconds, AFC Hull’s Simon Worthington crossed to the head of Nathan Nicol, but when the out-rushing, stand-in Pinefleet 'keeper Shaun Drury attempted, but failed to get a hand on the ball, the referee adjudged that Nicol had committed an infringement.
The game settled down with few clear-cut chances, suggesting that set-pieces could be crucial to the game's outcome, and on twenty-three minutes, such a set piece was awarded to Pinefleet. AFC Hull keeper Dave Leese was a little unfortunate not to get anything on the resulting cross, which was bundled home by Louis Kirk to give Pinefleet the lead.
With seven minutes of the opening half remaining, Pinefleet doubled their lead from another dead ball play. A free-kick taken close to the corner flag found Pinefleet’s Jason Watson unmarked at the far post, and he gave Pinefleet a two-goal cushion.
The margin was almost reduced in the last minute of the half when a Simon Worthington shot forced the Pinefleet keeper Drury to produce a reflex save, and the ball fell to a closely-marked Matimo Manyake, who couldn't quite get his shot on target.
Early in the second half, Pinefleet looked to further extend their lead, and a run into the box from former AFC Hull player Callum Harrison was only stopped by an excellent tackle from former team mate Damon Brookes.
Pinefleet grabbed a third from another set piece just short of the hour mark. Dave Leese fumbled a free-kick taken from some twenty yards out, and the only player following the kick up was Jason Watson who placed the rebound past Leese from close range.
A bad day for AFC Hull got a little worse with just twelve minutes remaining - a poor Pinefleet cross headed straight towards AFC Hull right back Ashley Smith, who was alone in acres of space, and he chose to head the ball towards his own and unfortunately managed to place the ball past a despairing Dave Leese to make the score 4-0.
Smith atoned for his error with two minutes of the match remaining, his long-range free-kick looping over everyone and into the top corner of the Pinefleet goal.
Pinefleet were delighted with the win, and winning margin, which matched the score by which rivals Eddie Beedle overcame Quaddy Rangers.
Quaddy’s season seems to have fallen off the rails, and their present slump may see them fail to secure a top four finish.
Nonetheless Quaddy were sporting enough to recognise that Eddie Beedle deserved their win, but helped them ensure they achieved their success by having Danny Thompson unnecessarily dismissed with 20 minutes remaining, although it was after this event, that Quaddy started to play their best football of the afternoon.
Youngster Johnny Laverack scored the goal for Quaddy, and should have doubled his tally.
With two of the top teams in Division 1 involved in the Junior Cup, the spotlight fell on the game at Paull Foreshore, where Paull Wanderers were making their last appearance on that pitch – against West Hull United – after many year’s tenancy, having decided to move the team into Hull, where most of the players are based, next season.
Paull were hoping to extend their recent unbeaten three game run, particularly in this swansong, but unfortunately West Hull had not read the script!!
True to form, Paull performed admirably for the first 25 minutes of the game, with a James Sexton effort hitting the crossbar, after which chances for their front men became scarce.
Paull’s defensive back four were found wanting after 30 minutes when a long ball was allowed to bounce, and West Hull’s Jakub Skiba was able to nick in for an easy goal.
Ten minutes into the second period, and an almost identical scenario brought West Hull a second goal, Skiba again applying the finishing touch.
Paull were playing well below the standard of the previous three weeks, and West Hull did not really need to get out of third gear, to score a another goal – with a free kick, quickly taken by Darren Welsh as Paull keeper Liam Smith concentrated on setting his defensive wall!!
Paull Wanderers late in the game created a couple of chances for Terry Thompson and Mark Rigione, but both went astray, and in reality, the final whistle, for the first time this season, could not come soon enough for a disappointed Paull side.
AFC Hull Reserves switched their game from the grass surface to the 3G pitch at Hull University to ensure their game against Anlaby Park went ahead and it proved to be something of a lunch-time thriller.
In a match played end-to-end, several chances had fallen to both teams before AFC Hull were awarded a penalty when a Billy Tuttle effort was handled on the line. The penalty was converted and AFC Hull added a second in quick time before Anlaby clawed two goals back before the break.
The second half was as frantic as the first. AFC Hull were able to exploit a one man advantage to re-take their two goal lead at 4-2, but the visitors were not keen on leaving the game empty handed, and managed to regain parity at four-all with just nine minutes left to play.
One quality AFC Hull Reserves have not lacked this season is spirit, and the team were intent on pressing to the final whistle, and were rewarded for their efforts with a winning goal in the 85th minute, bagging an excellent three points from a good all round performance from a team who have been improving week on week.
There was little to choose between Cross Keys Cottingham and AFC Piper, but Keys gained the upper hand with goals from Ollie Purcheon and Wayne Kirk – the wind factor contributing, but this did not deter Piper who, after the turnaround, similarly utilised the elements.
Piper’s first goal was wind assisted into the top right hand corner of the goal from Andy Kingston while the equaliser came from a last gasp – last minute – header from James Howard.
Division 2 leaders Queens County went a long way towards securing the divisional title with a handsome win in a re-arranged – and refereeless – game against Orchard Park United, and would have been further encouraged to learn that season long title challengers Hull Corinthians had gone down to on an adjacent pitch Grassroots Sports (BHE).
The Corinthians and Grassroots game had a very slow start, with a lot of the play concentrated in the middle of the park, producing only the odd chance for both sides, and nothing could break the deadlock in the first half.
The second half could almost have been a different game, and very high tempo and twenty minutes in, Grassroots took the lead when Adam Reah rose higher than everyone else and headed the ball into the net.
Corinthians equalised straight from the kick off with a good strike into the top corner by Ian Smith past keeper James Proctor who was in top form - but could not do anything to prevent the goal.
With ten minutes remaining, the game could have gone either way but Grassroots gained control of the match, retaking the lead when Jody O'Connor’s cross-cum-shot from 30 yards dipped in over keeper Mike Hill.
As the clock counted down, Corinthians tried to put the pressure on, but Grassroots dealt with everything that was thrown at them and then caught Corinthians on the break, Jody O'Connor skipping past two defenders and slotting the ball beyond the keeper.
|
|
Match Reports
|
24th April 2010
17th April 2010
10th April 2010
3rd April 2010
|
Personalise
|
Personalise
this website to feature the division which you're most interested
in.
|
|
