By Roger Baxter
Alcuin managed to see off a resurgent James to emerge victorious at the final whistle, Simon Mole’s side showing great character to come agonisingly close to an unlikely point. A penalty shot for James in the dying seconds of the game provided a modicum of controversy, but this electrifying advertisement for college football deservedly belonged to Alcuin.
The opening exchanges of the game saw both sides threaten; James Offord rattled the Alcuin bar from 25 yards, and Graham Kimber’s scudding shot was parried over by Toby Owen in the James goal. James then proceeded to control most of the half through some astute passing play, but their inability to fashion chances was punished when Alex Brown, through on the break, lobbed Owen for a lead against the run of play.
That lead was to be doubled on the cusp of half-time. Following a period of pressure in the James box, the ball fell to Alcuin’s Will Taylor, who slotted home to make the score 2-0. James’ miserable afternoon seemed all but complete when Kimber beat his man, again on the break, and chipped home past Owen to make his side look comfortable.
Specifically, Alcuin looked comfortable. James won a penalty immediately, after a handball in the Alcuin area. Offord stepped up and hammered his spot-kick hard, only for David Ambrozejczyk to soar to his left and claw the ball away. James continued to believe, and were rewarded when Offord fired home from nowhere to make it 3-1 and game on.
Offord was denied another by a despairing dive, and the ball rattled around the box like a demented game of pinball. Ambrozejczyk was at fault for James’ second, spilling the ball under pressure to allow Nick StGeorge to set up a furious finish. When Offord went down in the final seconds, James instantly appealed, but the referee waved play on, and Alcuin ended victorious. Alcuin skipper Phil Bowers hailed an “amazing team performance”, while his counterpart Simon Mole felt the late penalty was “stonewall, but full credit to Alcuin.” A great win for Alcuin, in an always-exciting fixture.