No scorchers on sun-drenched astro

Long range goals from Mark Gouland and Dan Hewitt helped Vanbrugh firsts forget about last week’s loss and set up a colossal match with Derwent next Tuesday. They beat Langwith seconds with a new formation and Ali Prince joining Gouland in attack. The 4-4-2 decision paid dividends as a dominant first-half display paved the way for a comfortable victory.

Prince, perhaps auditioning for a starting role next Tuesday, started brightly and fashioned two chances for himself. First he won the ball well before volleying wide and then a clever turn resulted in a shot just over the bar. Vanbrugh were looking threatening before Hewitt silenced his critics and thundered a brilliant drive past the helpless keeper. Langwith just could not get on the ball and the Vanbrugh chances continued to flow with Jonny McWilliams providing a great ball into Gouland who hit the post with a header and should have scored with an effort that was cleared off the line.

The second half was a lot more even with Langwith threatening from a few corners. The extreme heat must have taken it out of Vanbrugh after a high tempo fast half, and Langwith took advantage of this and perhaps could even have equalised before some Gouland magic put the game to bed. The university first team striker beat two men before curling a pearler from 25 yards into the top corner. Vanbrugh were much improved from last week but must continue further if they are to beat a Derwent firsts side yet to concede.

That record of not conceding never really looked in danger as they beat Halifax thirds 2-0 in a dour affair. Halifax looked resolute in defence but never really offered anything going forward and were chasing the ball for large periods. Chris Barnett broke the deadlock after latching onto a bouncing through ball and lobbing the keeper. Derwent then immediately doubled their lead through the in-form Ed Lacaille, who bagged twice for the seconds last week. Lacaille turned, beat a man and then smashed home from close range. This could have opened the flood gates, but the heat seemed to drain Derwent, as the excitement drained out of the game.

Derwent did have chances to increase their lead, but the highlights of a dull second half were Barnett’s inability to open and walk through the Astroturf door and star striker Anton Murphy getting substituted. Murphy remonstrated with his captain as he was given the hook and continued telling anyone who would listen why he should still be on the pitch.

Langwith gained their first victory of the competition in an impressive 3-0 defeat of Derwent thirds. However, it was Derwent who had the best of the first half and could easily gone in at the break leading. Langwith came out a different team in the second half and took the lead from the non-existent penalty spot. Andy McCormick skipped pat his man before getting tripped for a stonewall penalty, which Liam Condron expertly dispatched.

The tables were turned on Derwent, without the human catapult Liam Griffin, as it was they who were bombarded with long throws from then on in. The Tom Lynch launch proved hazardous for Derwent as Langwith created numerous chances through throw-ins before Bruce Starkey headed home. The rout was completed by Tommy Chrimes who gambled on a bouncing ball and beat the dallying keeper to head into the empty net. They'll be dancing in the streets of Langwith tonight after the college’s first win this term.

In the final game of the day, Goodricke firsts beat Alcuin seconds 2-0 in front of a now well-burnt crowd. The much-vaunted ‘best defence in the tournament’ again looked solid as a rock, but Goodricke must improve in the final third if they are to realise their ambitions of winning the tournament. Goodricke are using the same formation that led them to last year’s success but have a different type of striker in Ben Smith than last year’s front man Eddie Silson. Silson would run in behind defences, thus creating chances for himself, as well as giving Dom O’Shea more room in behind by forcing the opposition defence to sit deeper. Smith, probably as good a player as Silson, is different though, so maybe Goodricke must change to utilise him fully. But seeing as they've won three out of three without conceding maybe I'm just being pedantic.

In a dull first half, O’Shea added to his claims to be the tournament top scorer by notching for the third game in a row. Reminiscent of goals scored earlier in the day, a jumping ball was flicked deftly over the outrushing keeper and just out of reach of the backtracking defender. O’Shea has scored many goals for Goodricke over his three years, but someone yet to break their uni-long duck is Adam Lewis, and that is still the case after the defender made a storming break away run into the acres of space behind the Alcuin defence only to shoot tamely at the keeper.

The heat of the game then matched that of the actual pitch, as the fiery Adam Leadbeater fouled Matt Bowyer. Few could argue it wasn’t a foul, but Bowyer overreacted and squared up, appearing to thrust his head into Leadbeater’s. Referee Chris Schultz took no action but easily could have done.

The last ten minutes were dominated by Goodricke, as substitute Coupland missed chances with his first two touches before Tom Wilson’s meek shot ended up going in after a calamitous error from David Ambrozejczyk in the Alcuin goal. The two results in this group eliminate Derwent thirds and sets up a winner-takes-all clash between Alcuin and Halifax second teams.

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