Vanbrugh 2nds showed resilience and claimed the college’s first point in this year’s competition with a last gasp equaliser against defending champions Alcuin. Their opposition on the other hand will be disappointed to drop early points against a side they would have hoped to have beaten in a difficult group, especially after holding the lead for an extended period of the game and missing key opportunities to kill the game off.
Vanbrugh opened the scoring with a goal that their early pressure deserved. As has been the case in a number of games in the league this season, a long throw-in from Jon Gill caused havoc amongst the Alcuin defence, allowing Adam Jerelle Lewis to open the scoring with his chest.
The goal seemed to rile Alcuin, who were presented the opportunity to come back into the game when they were awarded a penalty, only for it to be sent sky high by Will Taylor. Alcuin continued to press and were eventually rewarded with the equaliser. Will Taylor gained retribution as his shot could only be parried by Vanbrugh ‘keeper Kallum Taylor, pushing the ball into the path of Graham Kimber who finished with aplomb.
Alcuin were beginning to show the sort of ability that won them last year’s college cup, but anything they showed was matched by Kallum Taylor in the Vanbrugh goal, who made strong saves from Paul Desoisa and Alex Brown, whilst constantly barking out orders to his back four. Even Taylor’s resistance was futile though as Alcuin took the lead with the half drawing to a close. Brown found himself on the end of a Phil Bowers freekick and fired into the top corner of the Vanbrugh net on the turn, showing superb improvisation in a crowded penalty area. The lead was almost doubled by Simon Reiss’ header late in the half, only for it to be clawed out by Taylor, keeping Vanbrugh in the game. When Vanbrugh did threaten, their line was led well by Lewis, who lived up to the “Adambayor” nickname his team-mates have coined for him, showing power and presence in his role as the lone front man.
As the half-time whistle blew, in truth Vanbrugh were lucky to only go in a solitary goal behind, and that wasn’t to be the end of Alcuin’s attacks. Kimber added a third for Alcuin with his head, only for it to correctly be ruled out for a push in the back by the referee, whilst Keiran O’Dwyer fired wide for Vanbrugh. Alcuin’s chances were restricted as the Vanbrugh back four performed excellently both on the ground and against Kimber’s aerial threat, to keep the waves of red at bay, particularly Dan Radford whose performance stood out even before the late drama.
Coming forward from the back, Radford collected Max Poynter-Hall’s flick-on following a freekick, controlled the ball, and fired across goal, past the any Alcuin defender, and goalkeeper Chris Boyd, into the corner of the net. The ensuing celebrations were wild, particularly on the touchline, whilst many Alcuin players slumped dejected.
Vanbrugh captain Kallum Taylor spoke highly of his side, explaining that, “whilst we’d always have taken a draw against most 1st teams such as Alcuin, I still think that we have more to offer this tournament”, and spoke of his relief of the late goal as his players, “now know that they can compete”. Next up they face James 2nds, who will be looking to get back on track after their 3-0 defeat to Derwent 3rds. If they can win that, maybe Vanbrugh can start dreaming of ousting Alcuin for a place in the quarter-finals.