Pictures by Daniel Golton
Langwith 1sts 6-0 Goodricke 1sts
Woodall
Campbell
Parsonson
Hudson
Woodall
Woodall
– Woodall hat-trick inspires Langwith’s biggest win of the season.
– Carmichael red proves costly for Goodricke.
– I get sussed out for trying to imitate the BBC Football match report format.
The Langwith 1sts booked their place in next term’s Revolution Premier League with a resounding victory over ten man Goodricke.
The result means that the Goodricke 1sts must now sit and hope that Vanbrugh beat Wentworth tomorrow afternoon, a result which would ensure their survival on goal difference.
As I began asking every living soul on the 3G why the match had been scheduled for 5:30pm, with the fog thicker than my profile of Alex Woolley in this week’s print edition, students of the Langwith variety had started to arrive to support their pseudo-heroes.
With captain Tom Benney and playmaker Dyaus Gohil-Patel unavailable, you’d have thought the crowd might be needed to spur them on. On the contrary, Langwith started brilliantly when the ball found its way through to striker Sam Woodall, whose poked effort came off the post, allowing him to tap home the rebound.
Goodricke, however, had a golden opportunity to equalise moments later when a low cross found its way through to Matt Carmichael six yards out, who somehow managed to scuff his effort wide with the goal at his mercy.
Aaron Sullivan’s men continued to battle for that elusive equaliser, with Billy Bruce firing an effort from a James Lewis corner which was brilliantly palmed away by Steve le Cornu between the Langwith sticks. Though Bruce and Luke Sides then placed efforts wide of the mark, a Goodricke equaliser was brewing.
Cometh the game-changer. Matt Carmichael, already on a yellow and having exchanged some naughty-looking words with Langwith’s Jack Parsonson moments earlier, received his marching orders for an incident obscured by the bloody fog. Needless to say, Carmichael marched off the pitch a frustrated figure, surely recognising that he might have just cos his side the game.
And cost them he did. Minutes later, Langwith striker Ope Okusanya hit the post before managing to miss the ball on the rebound. A close miss, but a sign of things to come in the second 45.
Around ten minutes into the second half, Langwith looked to have put the game beyond their local rivals when Louis Pegg crossed for Okusanya, who once again missed the ball before it fell kindly to Marcus Campbell who provided a simple finish past Woolley.
The game’s moment of magic quickly followed when Parsonson curled an absolute corker into the top corner, an effort so good that I actually nearly applauded (…nearly).
The goals kept coming as one by one, Goodricke heads began to drop. Ben Hudson tapped home after a mazy run from substitute Arian Sarrafan, before Woodall followed up on a Sarrafan effort against the bar to make it 5-0. Woodall then completed his hat-trick when he rolled the ball past Woolley in what was to be the last action of an extremely entertaining game.
Despite said entertainment, it was disappointing to observe Goodricke’s capitulation when they had looked so promising after going behind. Skipper Aaron Sullivan, forced to direct from the sidelines due to injury, was clearly exasperated:
“Deservedly went down to ten men because of a moment of stupidity, but the work rate, especially from out striker Simon [Hurst] was unbelievable…but it’s just not good enough in the end”.
Whilst the Langwith players began bouncing with joy at the prospect of celebrating in their beloved Glasshouse, it is left for the Goodricke contingent to head home and hope that the Wentworth 1sts are too indulged in their studies to turn up tomorrow.
Goodricke 1sts (4-2-3-1): Woolley; Thomas, Anderson, Olsen, Duffin; Carmichael, Lithur; Lewis, Bruce, Sides; Hurst.
Langwith 1sts (4-1-4-1): Le Cornu; Abubaker, Henn, Pickersgill, Grindell; Hudson (c); Pegg, Parsonson, Campbell, Morton; Woodall.
Wong’s MOTM: Louis Pegg (Langwith).
