On an FA Cup weekend in the world of top-flight football, college football almost saw a giant-killing of its own, as plucky Wentworth came close to toppling a Halifax team featuring three university firsts players as well as their returning captain, Tom Ragan.
The first half was a scrappy affair for the most part, with neither team managing to create decent chances. Wentworth were outmatched physically and finding no way past dominant Halifax centre-backs Alex Simon and Dom Petschak, but Halifax’s thirst for a champagne moment was hampering their ability to put two passes together.
Ragan, playing his first full-game since dislocating his shoulder at the start of first term, was slowly finding his feet in the game, sending a couple of headers wide from Ash Daly and Connor Brennan crosses. Mark Lund and Tom Day also went close, but it was Wentworth’s Bruce Rawlings who opened the scoring; finding space in the box after a corner, and side-footing into the top-corner of the net.
Halifax kicked-off the second half and were knocking on Wentworth’s door immediately; Mark Lund surged forwards and cut inside, but ‘keeper Matt Taylor was equal to his left-footed effort. An equaliser looked imminent, and it came from Ragan, who spun inside the box and slotted the ball home. Mark Lund added a second, stooping to meet Ash Daly’s cross with a superb glancing header. The comeback was complete when Anton Ellis won a penalty after taking down a Brennan cross in the area. Brennan’s penalty was hit hard and low, Taylor did well to get a hand to it, but he could only palm it inside his own post.
With a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Phil Taylor’s Vanbrugh fresh in mind, Wentworth were playing timidly, and struggled to get the ball out of their own half for long periods of the second-half. However, they scared Halifax with ten minutes remaining by adding a second goal against the run of play: Rawlings latched on to a through ball and finished cooly, from a seemingly offside position. Halifax defenders’ protestations fell on deaf ears and the goal stood.
Wentworth skipper Rick Rhodes admitted he had ‘expected to get pasted’, and was content with the performance. Tom Ragan was dismissive of the idea that it should have been an easier win, crediting Wentworth as a ‘solid team’.
I didn’t say that. My name isn’t Rick. Well done