College cup review week 6

The JLD astro-turf saw six more games this week, but only 10 goals

The results this week were as follows:

• Halifax 1sts 2 – 0 Langwith 2nds
• Goodricke 1sts 4 – 0 Derwent 2nds

• Halifax 2nds 0 – 0 Vanbrugh 1sts
• Vanbrugh 2nds 1 – 0 Derwent 1sts

• James 1sts 3 – 0 Derwent 3rds
• Langwith 1sts 0 -0 Goodricke 2nds

Monday’s fixtures went as expected with highly rated Goodricke 1sts finding form at just the right time as they crushed Derwent 2nds four goals to nil. The usually defensively-minded midfielder Andy Ramsden was the unlikely scorer for two of the goals, whilst Dom O’Shea and Eddie Silson got the other goals in a comfortable win.

There was more than a suspicion of offside for the latter’s goal but Derwent players have conceded that even with more favourable decisions from the referee it would have taken a lot to beat a Goodricke side that boasted copious amounts of experienced university players.

Halifax 1sts secured second place in the group 1 with a 2 – 0 victory over Langwith 2nds. Langwith started with only seven players on the pitch and Halifax defender Will Broadhurst admitted “it was a bit of a joke” and that Halifax were messing around assuming they would win comfortably.

Credit to Langwith though that they held on whilst suffering a numerical disadvantage and the score remained 0 – 0 at half-time. Eventually Halifax’s class showed and it was one of their several university players, Ian McKellow that broke the deadlock. A second goal following a goalmouth scramble ensured Halifax 1sts will be playing in the main cup.

Tuesday’s action produced only one goal in two tight, fiercely contested matches between weakened first teams and hard-working second teams. Vanbrugh 1sts were missing university first team regulars McWilliams and Gouland, plus university first team captain-elect Mat Witherwick.

Gouland featured as a substitute but the sharp-shooter could not help break the deadlock. Halifax 2nds needed a win to finish second but James Sweetman’s men held firm and the 0 – 0 was enough to send them through.

Alcuin are plucky outsiders!
Myles Preston, Alcuin 1sts captain

Perhaps the biggest shock of the week was the hotly-tipped young Derwent 1sts side losing to Vanbrugh 2nds. Although both teams had already qualified, this was a battle for top spot and a heavily deflected shot in the second half that left Derwent goalkeeper Amoroso stranded was enough to put Vanbrugh 2nds top and avoid Alcuin 1sts in the quarter finals.

Derwent 1sts captain Chris Barnett acknowledged that it was a lacklustre performance from his players and blamed the previous night’s Viking Raid for the substandard display. Though he praised Vanbrugh’s blonde bombshells (if you haven’t spotted them around campus, the majority of the team have bleached their hair blonde à la Romania ’98) for being the better team for large parts. Vanbrugh’s captain Ollie Regan wasted the opportunity to embarrass Derwent further when he blasted a penalty over the bar.

Barnett does not seem fazed by the prospect of Alcuin 1sts saying sooner the better as he'd rather face them now than in the semis. This lack of fear may have been influenced by Alcuin 1sts captain Preston's latest remarks: "Alcuin are plucky outsiders!"

Two goals from creative midfielder Mark Johnson, the second of which was a delightful scissor kick from 14 yards, and a Jody Rolfe drive meant James 1sts compounded Derwent’s miserable week for football with a 3 – 0 win over Derwent 3rds and in doing so they joined Alcuin 1sts and Vanbrugh 2nds as teams with 100% records.

Captain Tristan Holdsworth was pleased with the way his team are playing and highlighted Johnson as player on fine form who could do damage to Vanbrugh 1sts in the quarters. Holdsworth wasn’t worried by the Vanbrugh challenge: “I’d rather have drawn Vanbrugh 1sts than Goodricke 1sts. We’re two good teams and I think it will be a close game.” As for his cup aspirations, he wouldn’t be goaded into any outlandish statements and maintained that despite their 100% record they’re still “outsiders”.

The group stages’ final game was between Langwith 1sts, looking for their first point of their campaign, and Goodricke 2nds. Fine displays from Langwith’s Bob Higson and Goodricke’s David Coupland aside it was uninspiring match that finished 0 – 0 despite great chances for both sides. Goalkeeper Kennedy did well to repel the Langwith offensive, whilst the irrepressible Senchal squandered Goodricke’s best chance, though Hanlon also admitted to missing a sitter.

Langwith’s captain admitted they didn’t deserve anymore than last place in their group and blamed their drunken Wednesday night antics for the poor display. That draw sealed Goodricke 2nds second place in the group and lined up an interesting quarter final as they will now face Goodricke 1sts.

Final Tables

• First and second place go into the main cup competition. Third and fourth enter the Plate.

Group 1

1. Alcuin 1sts - 9 points
2. Halifax 1sts - 6
3. Langwith 2nds - 3
4. James 2nds - 0

Group 2

1. Goodricke 1sts - 7
2. Vanbrugh 1sts - 5
3. Halifax 2nds - 4
4. Derwent 2nds - 0

Group 3

1. Vanbrugh 2nds - 9
2. Derwent 1sts - 6
3. Alcuin 2nds - 3
4. Wentworth 1sts - 0

Group 4

1. James 1sts - 9
2. Goodricke 2nds - 4
3. Derwent 3rds - 3
4. Langwith 1sts - 1

That means the quarter-final fixtures are:

The 'Main' Cup

• Alcuin 1sts vs Derwent 1sts (Monday 11am)+

• Halifax 1sts vs Vanbrugh 2nds (Tuesday 11am)+

• Goodricke 1sts vs Goodricke 2nds (Thursday 11am)

• Vanbrugh 1sts vs James 1sts (Monday, week 8, 11am)

+ = Subject to change due to Myles Preston's social arrangements

The Plate

• Langwith 2nds vs Wentworth 1sts (Monday 12pm)

• James 2nds vs Alcuin 2nds (Tuesday 12pm)

• Halifax 2nds vs Langwith 1sts (Thursday 12pm)

• Derwent 2nds vs Derwent 3rds (Monday, week 8, 12pm)

Those are the fixtures and click back on the Yorker's sport pages over the weekend for a preview of the quarter finals.

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