How the mighty have fallen. College Cup champions only five months ago, Alcuin looked a shadow of the side that stormed to victory in last summer’s tournament, with beaten finalists last term Derwent comprehensively outplaying Alcuin today to win 4-0, with what captain Matt Hallam modestly dubbed “a professional team performance”.
Derwent were ahead within seconds of the kick-off; they attacked from the whistle and soon had Alcuin defending on the edge of their own area. Jacob Tapper scrambled through their defensive line and confidently placed the ball low to the keeper’s left. The following period of the game was cagey, which was about as good as it got for Alcuin.
After a half hour battle, Derwent again broke through Alcuin’s resistance. Dom Henney added a second after a masterful take of David Kirk’s lofted through-ball. Alcuin goalkeeper Chris Boyd got a hand to his shot, but it wasn’t enough to keep it out of the top corner of his goal.
Joe Boughtflower and Xander Brinkworth surged down the right flank time and time again for Derwent, pushing Alcuin back and winning free kicks for Matt Hallam to seek out Dom Henney at the back post with devastating consistency. And it was from a Hallam corner that Derwent scored their third. The ball fell to the ground in the crowded area, resulting in a table-football moment as players stretched and lunged at the ball. The touch of centre-back Andy Jeffreys was the one that counted, he poked the ball high into the net from close range.
At 3-0 up, Derwent were dominating, but their captain insisted their play could still improve, and improve it did. From Hallam’s next corner there was no ugly scramble, as this time a bullet header from other centre-back, Rick Morris, beat Chris Boyd to his right.
In the second half Derwent set out foremostly to defend their advantage. Hallam and Seper hung back more to guard the already impenetrable defensive unit of Morris and Jeffreys, but Brinkworth, Francis, Henney and Kirk lurked in dangerous positions to ensure that Alcuin could not throw all of their men forward.
Alcuin were allowed to see more of the ball and the runs of Alex Brown threatened, but the only time he beat Derwent’s offside trap, he failed to beat their goalkeeper. Ultimately, Alcuin could not translate their possession into chances, let alone a four-goal comeback.
Their skipper Phil Bowers could only lament his team’s “inexcusable” first half performance. He said: “That cost us the game – 4-0 in the first half.” The College Cup champions have a lot of catching up to do now, having lost two of their first three matches.
Man of the match: Derwent’s Andy Jeffreys was part of a meticulously organised central-defensive partnership, and he also scored a magnificent header.
