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Photos: Adam Green
Adam Lewis’ 20th minute strike handed Vanbrugh 3rds the three points at a noisy JLD.
Ignoring the Derwent vuvuzela blasts, Lewis demonstrated his class with a beautifully cultivated finish, after being picked out by man-of-the-match Max Poynter Hall.
The result, coupled with Halifax 1sts’ defeat just before, throws Group 3 wide open and a very interesting tussle looks set to develop over the next couple of weeks.
In an action-packed first half, Vanbrugh rode their luck a few times at the back but took their chance, before professionally seeing out the match in the second period.
Derwent fashioned the game’s first opening after six minutes when John Garness headed a ball through to Mike Whittal, who curled a low shot into the side netting.
Garness was again involved soon after when his run to meet Farrell’s near post corner kick delivery was untracked, but his flick header was cleared off the line by the alert George Barnard.
Vanbrugh were struggling to get into the game, leaving smartly-dressed manager Mike Sutcliffe an agitated figure on the touchline.
Derwent had another opening when Matt O’Connor slipped a pass to Sven Sabas who charged through the Vanbrugh defence only for YUSU President-elect Kallum Taylor to smash the ball away. And that clearance led to the game’s only goal.
Max Poynter-Hall collected the loose ball before roaming forward and picking out Lewis. The man they call “Adambayor” shrugged off the challenge of Morris before slinging a deadly finish with his right foot high into the net via the underside of the bar.
The goal had come against the run of play and punished Derwent’s profligacy in front of goal. As the Vanbrugh fans went beserk, the vuvuzelas were silenced.
However, the team in red and blue again had to count on Taylor for another save moments after taking the lead.
A clever one-two between Garness and Whittall saw the latter power an effort goalwards but Taylor’s foot repelled the ball to safety.
Jake Farrell then collected the ball on the left wing before feeding the ever-present Sabas, whose shot trickled just wide of the near post via a Vanbrugh deflection.
But Derwent’s best chance yet fell to Garness minutes before half time. The striker was played in Sabas, who had eluded Poynter Hall in the build-up, but, with only Taylor to beat, his shot lacked any conviction and it slithered wide.
The long ball was giving Vanbrugh joy and the lead was nearly doubled when Priest received a Lewis knock-down from yet another Poynter Hall pass, but his deflected shot dipped just over the bar.
The second half began sluggishly as Derwent failed to make inroads, and Vanbrugh were content to just sit back.
Set pieces were also causing Derwent problems as Poynter Hall’s low-trajectory free kick was swept home by Charles Frobisher, only for referee Joe Lawton to rule the goal out for offside.
With time running out, Derwent went for route one as Steve Weavis’ long punt was cleared by a Vanbrugh head, with O’Connor shovelling the volley straight into Taylor’s gloves.
A comical moment then occurred when Vanbrugh right-back Trent Howell looped a throw-in to himself, which was correctly penalised by the unimpressed Lawton.
In the final minutes, with the Vanbrugh fans screaming for the final whistle, Derwent substitute Alex Nock almost became a hero but his shot from the edge of the area was again comfortably saved by Taylor.
So Vanbrugh held on to secure a crucial win and afterwards, manager Mike Sutcliffe was beaming with delight: “We were absolutely fantastic. The whole of the team, from back to front, showed we are not to be messed with.”
Vision MOTM: Max Poynter Hall