Photos: Oliver Todd
| Team | Pld | Pts | GD |
| Derwent 1sts | 5 | 15 | +15 |
| Wentworth 1sts | 5 | 10 | +12 |
| Halifax 3rds | 5 | 8 | +4 |
| Goodricke 2nds | 5 | 7 | -3 |
| Langwith 2nds | 5 | 3 | -11 |
| Alcuin 3rds | 5 | 0 | -17 |
Wentworth 1sts and Langwith 2nds both went into Thursday’s Group 3 encounter with something to play for. A win for Wentworth would ensure qualification for the Cup quarter finals, whilst Langwith needed a victory of their own to stand any chance of making the knock-out stages of the Plate competition. However, the match was unable to live up to its billing and was a one-sided affair from the outset, with Langwith beginning the game with just nine men, allowing Wentworth to ensure safe passage to the latter stages with relative ease.
Wentworth made use of their numerical advantage from the first whistle, and were ahead inside five minutes, the unmarked Dom Green taking advantage of slack Langwith marking to head home from close range. Indeed, Wentworth were monopolising possession in the early stages with Bruce Rawlings and Andy Pratt both going close to doubling the lead.
Wentworth’s second did come on the quarter-hour mark, but it did so from the boot of Langwith centre-half Adam Blythe, whose attempted interception wrong-footed keeper Andy Hutt, allowing the ball to roll agonisingly into the bottom corner.
Langwith were only enjoying brief and sporadic spells of possession, but on 18 minutes they created their first and only chance of the half. James Newsome’s persistence took him beyond Wentworth centre-half Hodgson but his lobbed effort was drifting wide of the far post before being cleared.
The chances continued to flow for Wentworth with Green and Pratt both testing Hutt. However, the Langwith keeper could not do anything about Wentworth’s third on 25 minutes. The impressive Samik Datta once again got away from his marker and his pinpoint left-wing cross was volleyed home first time by Rawlings.
Moments later, it could and perhaps should have been four, as a one-two between Green and Tom Scott saw midfielder Scott’s toe poke clip the outside of the post. However, Wentworth were not to be denied a deserved fourth first half goal. Right-back Rich Rhodes won a tackle high up the field and crossed well for the advancing Pratt to tap home.
Langwith began the second period with a full complement of players but were unable to prevent Wentworth from increasing their advantage almost immediately. A long throw from the left caused havoc in the box and after a shout for a penalty was waved away, the ball broke for Rawlings to slide the ball between the legs of the advancing Hutt.
The second half continued in a similar vein to the first, Wentworth enjoying the vast majority of possession, and only a combination of good keeping from Hutt and some profligate finishing preventing further goals. Indeed, both Rawlings, and the tricky Datta who terrorised the Langwith defence should have added to the lead, before Green tapped home late on to complete the scoring.
It was a competent performance from Wentworth, albeit in the face of depleted opposition, but, with a front three of Datta, Green and Rawlings at their disposal, they remain a side to watch as the competition enters the knock-out stages.
Vision’s MOTM: Bruce Rawlings – Rawlings was a constant threat, bagging two goals as well as providing good delivery from the right-wing. He also forged a good partnership with Rich Rhodes who advanced well from right-back.
Really well written article mate. Your use of words is beyond me and I’m a Eng Lit student!