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All Photos: Oliver Todd and Ruth Gibson
| Team | Pld | Pts | GD |
| Vanbrugh 1sts | 5 | 12 | +16 |
| Halifax 2nds | 5 | 12 | +12 |
| James 1sts | 5 | 12 | +11 |
| Wentworth 2nds | 5 | 6 | -5 |
| Goodricke 3rds | 5 | 3 | -9 |
| Vanbrugh 4ths | 5 | 0 | -25 |
An outstanding performance from a resurgent Vanbrugh 4th team coupled with a poor display from James’ first string left the victors dejected and the losers elated as James picked up a 5-2 victory against the college cup’s former ‘whipping boys’. A victory that, in the end, was not enough to take them through to the cup competition.
It is not often that one lauds the performance of a side that loses a game, conceding five goals in the process, but in such circumstances it is entirely warranted. Vanbrugh 4ths have been on the end of some thumping defeats in this year’s competition, even losing 6-0 to a Goodricke 3rd XI whom they believed they could get a result against, so to put up such a fight against a much fancied James 1st team was a terrific effort.
As expected, James started the game strongest, and James Offord had a couple of chances to put his side ahead, but shockingly, it was Vanbrugh who were to score first. A long throw was launched into the box and Sam Clitheroe in the James goal was forced to hook the ball away from goal at full stretch. The rebound fell to Ben Huckle who tucked the ball neatly into the back of the net to stun the favourites and give Vanbrugh a 1-0 lead.
James equalised not long after. A mazy run from Tom Clarke won his side a corner. It was taken short and Clarke then curled a cross into the box which was met by the head of Matt Bainbridge, who had no trouble in finding the back of the net to make it 1-1.
James continued to put pressure on their opposition but the Vanbrugh defence was excellent, with Dan Shepherd and Henry Watts both putting in fine performances it centre-back, and stand-in ‘keeper Freddie Nathan also making some important saves when called upon. Roulston had a chance to put Vanbrugh back into the lead before Richard Baxter put James in front. He hit a sweet strike from outside the area right into the top of the net to make it 2-1, and his side were soon 3-1 up, Mark McLeod expertly lobbing Nathan from the halfway line after seeing him off his line.
The scores remained at 3-1 going into half-time and from this position James would have fully expected to go on and score prolifically in order to attain the goal difference required to progress to the cup. They were far from prolific however, and their quality was matched by the sheer determination and spirit of the Vanbrugh 4ths.
James again controlled the game in the 2nd half but the work rate of the Vanbrugh defence meant that they struggled to create chances. Their frustration began to show as Simon Mole was booked for attempting to trip Will Cooper as the Vanbrugh midfielder made a bursting run down the right hand side.
Substitute Josh Brownlow almost managed to give James a 3 goal advantage but his shot went just wide of the post before Andy Dakin produced a duo of stunning long range efforts which so nearly gave Vanbrugh their second.
He first attempted an ambitious lobbed half-volley from the halfway line which crashed against the crossbar with ‘keeper Sam Clitheroe in trouble. Inspired by this effort, he unleashed a rasping 30 yards drive less than a minute later which again rattled the bar and almost bounced down over the line before Clitheroe could clutch the ball gratefully to his chest.
It was James who were to score next however. Josh Brownlow was set free by a through ball and he slotted coolly past Freddie Nathan to make it 4-1.
This was a game which was so full of excitement and drama that there always seemed like there was more to come, and the drama reached a climax late on when Will Cooper, outstanding in the Vanbrugh midfield, netted a goal which his performance thoroughly deserved. He picked up the ball on the outside left of the area and struck a beauty of a strike right into the bottom right, leaving Clitheroe helpless and making the scores 4-2. As the ball rippled the net a mass of at least twenty Vanbrugh supporters, who had braved the miserable weather to support their team in full voice, rushed onto the pitch to mob the jubilant goal scorer- a testament to the determination of this Vanbrugh side.
Brownlow scored his second late on for James to round of the scoring at 5-2. A ball came in from the left which Baxter nodded back across goal. Brownlow latched onto the knockdown and put past the ‘keeper to give James their fifth, but as they later found out, it wasn’t enough to put them into the cup competition.
Despite the result, after the final whistle it was Vanbrugh 4ths who looked like the winners. James were despondent, and captain Simon Mole ranted angrily at his side before summing up the match using only expletives. Vanbrugh captain James Bugg on the other hand was overjoyed.
‘It was a great performance from a hard-working team against a team of individuals’, he said after the game. ‘It’s the happiest day of my life since my 21st birthday!’
Vision MOTM: Will Cooper- despite being on the losing side, his performance was outstanding, just eclipsing the heroic efforts of Dan Shepherd in defence and the clinical finishing of James striker Josh Brownlow.