A tale of two halfs as York 3rds conquer Keele

• York 3rds 3
• Keele 3rds 2

York 3rds ended 2007 in style with an impressive 3-2 comeback against Keele 3rds.

Written by Adam Lewis

With the wind howling and rain biting there was a delayed start to the match with no referee being available. However, vice-president Adam Kynaston-Smith bravely stepped forward to get the match underway.

Despite the extensive warm-up York started slow out of the blocks with Keele playing the sharper football and battling harder. Within five minutes debutant Michael Wynd in goal was beaten, after a Keele player managed to get a shot away in the box after wriggling some free space for himself.

Despite this setback, the York players were not motivated into action, and within two minutes Keele had bagged another. After some nice work on the left wing, the left-sided player managed to sweep a cross into the box, and with the York defence overloaded three to two, the first header was won by York, only for the other striker to steer the ball inside the far post.

Keele stayed on top for the whole half, with few chances for Sherif and Williams to hold onto the ball. Wing-backs Ford and Hewitt worked tirelessly on the wings for no reward, as Keele threatened going forward and looked solid at the back. Defenders Lewis and Nightingale both put in last-ditch tackles with the Keele forwards through on goal and York went into the break feeling ragged and worn-out.

However, with captain Broadhurst’s words akin to Churchill’s ‘Blood Sweat and Tears’ speech in 1940 or Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech in 1963, the York troops were rallied and were on top from the start of the second half.

Substitute Lister had an open goal within 5 minutes, only for him to do a “Ronny Rosenthal” and scoop the ball over from a yard.

However, this didn’t dismay the players and York now started to show some battle and heart, with Williams and Johnson closing down everything up front and Omarov and Slater putting some crunching tackles in the midfield. York also started to create some chances and soon enough, one of these was converted. With York bombarding the Keele defence, Johnson managed to work himself some space and drove the ball into the bottom corner.

With the whole York side playing some flowing penetrative football, the Keele defence struggled to cope, with the defenders seeming to crumble under the pressure with clearances scuffed and headers missed.

This was capitalised on five minutes later when Williams brought a missed clearance under control, squirmed his way past the Keele centre-backs and coolly passed the ball into the net.

With Keele not showing much adventure, York’s defence were occasionally getting forward to try and help in attack, with wing-backs Hewitt and substitute Clark flying down the wings where there was more grass for them to play their football on. York’s midfield were now dominating the game and a simple move was seized upon by Williams, when he slotted the ball nonchalantly into the far bottom corner from a tight angle.

The comeback was complete. But with 25 minutes remaining (according to fourth official, UYAFC President Richards), York had to be ready for Keele coming to attack them. However, with Keele showing less spirit than York, chances were few and far between for their strikers. It was instead York who looked the most dangerous, playing the better football and getting forward more.

York thought they had the match wrapped up with ten minutes remaining when Lister was sent through to smash the ball home from a tight angle, only for Richards to be the downfall of York again, overruling the referee for offside.

This didn’t deter York’s spirits, but with minutes remaining Keele were handed a lifeline when an innocuous challenge was called foul by the referee. The ball was swung in deep only for everyone to miss it. With the ball not cleared the winger struck a sweet cross past Wynd and with the goal at his mercy the Keele striker headed the ball out of the goal from a yard out. Although the phrase “50 pence head” is used all-too frequently these days, this was a perfect example of the inadequacy and fight of the Keele players.

Kynaston-Smith blew up for full-time and the players ran into the pavilion to celebrate (or perhaps to warm-up). Either way, it was a great advert for university football and the comeback.

Player Ratings

• Wynd 7 - two goals which the debutant could do nothing about and some good kicking and communication indicates a bright future

• Nightingale 7 – Solid at the back, playing the sweeper role instead of his now familiar holding midfield position. Never looked in danger second half.

• Broadhurst 7 – After a poor previous game, the captain bounced straight back and showed true spirit to get the team back into the game second half

• Lewis 7 – Looked solid enough throughout the game, a game suited to his style

• Ford 6 – A harsh rating as it was just misfortune that he played the first half instead of the more attacking second

• Hewitt 8 – Was caught out a couple of times in the first half when balls were swung in, but looked a different player second half, bombing up and down the wing

• Slater 9 (MOM) – The 4ths captain was called upon to play the holding midfield role and ‘slotted’ straight into the side. Battled when it seemed no-one else was

• Omarov 8 – His nice touches and exquisite range of passing was followed in the second half by some ferocious tackles

• Johnson 7 – Some nice touches in the first half, but looked much more comfortable when pushed into a more advanced role second half

• Sherif 5 – Looked a downtrodden player when on the pitch. Barely got a touch of the ball, but to be fair wasn’t given the service, was ill and had an injury. A good effort

• Williams 8 – Like most players, wasn’t in the game first half. As soon as the ball was played to him in the second half, looked a very dangerous player and finished superbly

• Clark (sub on for Ford 45) 8 – Looked like a threat throughout the second half, skinning the Keele wide men time after time

• Lister (sub on for Sherif 45) 7 – Besides his early miss, looked a settled player. A good solid debut.

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