Photos: Oliver Todd
The contest between reigning champions Alcuin and Derwent 3rds was sewn up within the first 10 minutes of the match on a slippery surface due to hailstones half an hour or so beforehand. Simon Reiss notched the first of his 4 goals very early on, a header at the back post from a corner which caused debate on the touchline as to whether it crossed the line as it rebounded back off the post.
Stu Bruce, the Derwent keeper, had no chance for Reiss’s second goal, a hard, low shot from 25 yards which nestled into the bottom right corner before Graham Kimber fired into the opposite corner from a similar distance. Mid way through the first half, with the score at 3-0, Alcuin keeper Chris Boyd having touched the ball once, the game was already over. Simon Reiss had a different idea, completing his hat trick by slotting the ball under the keeper’s legs after being put through one on one.
Alcuin did not let up, Alex Brown scoring left footed from 20 yards completely unopposed after Derwent left back Charlie Nichols lost possession. In an attempt to make amends for shipping 5 goals, Bruce made a very sharp diving save from Paul Desoisa, which was nearly undone a minute later when he scuffed a routine kick from a back pass horribly, the ball spinning to the Alcuin player, but Bruce recovered to slide the ball out for a corner. Reiss then had a golden opportunity for a 4th goal, completely missing an open goal after a smart centre. Alex Brown had to speculative attempts before half time, but the score remained at 5-0, the Derwent players looking visibly demoralised.
However, the men in black and blue resumed the match with a bit more urgency and purpose to their play. Their first shot of the game came from Alex Nock, but it went well wide. At the other end, Kimber should have made it 6-0 but he lobbed the keeper and the crossbar too when put clean through. Then came the goal of the game, and possibly the tournament, a wonderful through ball by Kimber from inside his own half, which split the entire Derwent defence before falling into the path of Reiss, who scored his 4th of the game.
Kimber managed to score in a repeat performance of his earlier miss to make it 7-0, lobbing Bruce after a hooked through ball by substitute Basim Al-Ahmadi. The score finished that way, a landslide score line, despite an improved Derwent 2nd half display. Derwent 1sts player Joe Boughtflower, who was watching from the sidelines, was surprised about the score margin, saying “We felt the game would be tight and that we had a chance beforehand.”
Vision MOTM – Both Simon Reiss and Graham Kimber played brilliantly.
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