By Mike Regan, Joseph McDermott, Stephen Holcroft, Mark Lund & Jerome Josy
The new College Football Season kicked off with a bang this Sunday, with the eight new look teams banging in 19 goals between them. The standout result of the day was Alcuin’s thumping 5-1 victory over a depleted Vanbrugh side, whilst Derwent, Goodricke and Halifax all recorded impressive wins.
With defending champions Vanbrugh slipping up, the league looks set to be more hotly contested than one of Jordan’s paternity tests this season, with Sunday’s games providing an intriguing insight into the state of the perennial title contenders.
On paper the Vanbrugh v Alcuin clash looked a mouth-watering proposition, pitting last year’s League winners against the College Cup winners- with not even the most optimistic of Alcuinites daring to predict the stunningly one sided nature of the final scoreline.
KEY-MAN
The game was an intriguing clash of styles, as Vanbrugh’s slick passing game came up against Alcuin’s long ball tactics, with powerful striker Udy Onwudike their key man. However neither tactic was able yield a result and the sides went into the break goal-less.
On another day the second half could have been a different story, but the luck was not with Vanbrugh. Dan Radford was presented with a golden chance, but the referee thwarted him with a dubious handball decision. This exchange typified Vanbrugh’s luck as Alcuin went straight down the opposite end and broke the deadlock, scrambling home from a missile of a long throw.
Five minutes later though, Radord had his goal, planting a bullet header in the top corner from a well rehearsed set piece. At this stage the game was flowing from end to end and the final scoreline could not be envisaged, particularly when Vanbrugh were awarded a penalty. But the normally prolific Ali Prince fluffed his lines from the spot, popping the ball straight into the hands of the grateful Alcuin stopper.
A relatively inexperienced Vanbrugh side then seemed to let their heads drop, allowing Alcuin to romp to an undeservedly large winning margin. Paul Taylor dropped the ball straight at the feet of Christy Cormac who had the simplest of tasks, slotting home from six yards, before Vanbrugh’s inexperienced backline capitulated allowing Alcuin to add three more goals, including a customary strike from university seconds star Miles Mcdermott. Alcuin’s greater strength in depth was ultimatley the key factor in this game. They were able to call upon a host of university players, who were still eligible due to the University campaign being yet to kick off in earnest.
ROMPED
Fellow title challengers Goodricke romped to a victory by the same score line, thanks to a dominant midfield display. Josh “Tank” Barker and Adam Botterill bossed the game, snuffing out any creative play from Wentworth all game, and creating the platform for this encouraging victory. Goodricke were also aided by Wentworth’s shambolic defending from set plays, which gifted them three goals within the first ten minutes, courtesy of Barker, Macklin, and Smith. When Botterell added a comical fourth, Goodricke were cruising against this lacklustre Wentworth side.
The title challengers struggled to keep up the momentum in the second half, and they gave Wentworth a glimmer of hope when the previously untroubled centre half diverted Jung Hoon Choi’s cross past his own keeper. But any dreams of a memorable comeback were extinguished soon after, as Macklin added his second of the game to round off a pleasing run out for Adam Leadbeater’s side.
SPECIAL ONE
Skippered by their self proclaimed ‘Special One’ Mark Lund, Halifax will see themselves as an outside bet for this year’s title, and on this display they could have a point. Despite a number of players pulling out just prior to the game, Halifax dispatched a typically weak Langwith side with ease. Experimenting with an astute 3-5-2 formation, Halifax took the lead midway through the first half when a beautifully crafted move was finished by Thomas Regan. In a relentless siege on the Langwith goal, numerous guilt edged chances were missed as Regan and Connor Brennan threatened to put the result beyond doubt.
The second half was a continuation of the first, with Halifax pressure leading to a missed Connor Brennan penalty, until the inspired introduction of Joe Brennan finally put the game beyond doubt. He was instrumental in the final two goals and added fresh impetus to a coasting Halifax side. There were a few positive performances for Langwith, particularly the persistently dangerous Bruce Starkey, and the solid Liam Condron. However they could not mask the glaring weaknesses in a Langwith side that remain well off the pace.
MIX-UP
Many could have been forgiven for viewing Derwent’s clash with James as a meeting between two college cup also rans. Yet Derwent looked anything but mediocre as they defeated a disappointing James side by three goals to one.
Derwent had the best of the opening exchanges, Ed Lacaille playing a delightful pass and move with Anton ‘Dreamz’ Murphy which left James chasing shadows, the eventual shot by Murphy saved. It was only a matter of time before the eventual goal did arrive. John Pinkstone managed to curl in a high cross-field ball which eluded the James’ defence, and Lacaille rose highest to get the faintest of touches to give Derwent the lead.
A mix up between Oscar Lynch and the James’ goalkeeper then gifted Murphy the easiest of goals, as he tapped into an empty net.. Despite the uphill battle, James refused to give up, and managed to win themselves a penalty in the 57th minute, John Carroll dispatching the ball into the left corner beyond Moore. But the victory was eventually sealed twenty minutes from time, Alex Cooper’s attempted lob from 30 yards left the James’ goalkeeper unaware, pushing the ball into his own net.
CLASSY
Perhaps we can best use Alex Cooper’s 30 yard lob to sum up a week where ultimately the beautiful game won out. Classy movement and silky passing was the order of the day as the title contenders Goodricke, Derwent and Alcuin were able to declare their presence in the league. Even Halifax, a team who has spent several seasons hidden on the peripheries of college football put in a performance which will make the top four sit up and take note. Langwith and Wentworth displayed the tradionally sub-par performances that have practically become a league instituition.
As for poor old Vanbrugh, their second half may have been carnage but under the iron rule of Dan Hewitt and Paul Taylor you can bet that next week will be a different ball game.