[visiongallery set=72157626850285085]
Photos: Oliver Todd
Vanbrugh 1sts were undone by two pieces if magic from Halifax 1sts that lit up an overcast lunchtime kick-off on the JLD. Goals from Conor Brennan and Tom Ragan, following Jack Beadles sweet cross saw the excellent Halifax 1sts into the final, where they will face either Derwent 1sts, or their own 2nds side, a measure of the college’s strength in depth as well as individual brilliance.
Vanbrugh were slight underdogs going into the game, although there were some expectations of an upset, after Wentworth had come close against this Halifax side in the quarter-finals, and with the confidence built from their 1-0 victory over Goodricke 1sts in the previous round, Vanbrugh started the better side. Keiran O’Dwyer arguably should have opened the scoring inside 2 minutes after a Phil Taylor slide-rule pass found him racing away from the Halifax defence. However, his effort lacked precision and only found ‘fax ‘keeper Jonny Sim’s midriff. Ben Stanier saw a free-kick fly just over the bar, and Taylor saw an excellent half-volley well saved by Sim, who even managed to hold his powerful effort.
That wasn’t to say Halifax didn’t create their own chances though. Ash Daly saw his own free-kick bounce narrowly wide after it failed to find a touch in the area, aside from a deft Vanbrugh touch that almost took the ball inside the post, whilst the familiar likes of Brennan, Ragan and Day looked menacing with their intricate passing play, although they opened the scoring in a very different, but spectacular fashion. After a deflected pass played down Halifax’s left-hand side bobbled into the centre of the field, the ball found itself at the feet of Brennan, who, 25 yards out, without even looking up, struck with venom first time into the top left-hand corner, leaving Vanbrugh ‘keeper James Wilson rooted to the spot.
Brennan’s goal seemed to leave Vanbrugh shaken, and suddenly Halifax were at their arrogant and expressive best. Ash Daly hit a similar strike to Brennan’s, this time from a full 30 yards out, that was saved by Wilson, although at the expense of a corner due a fumble by the otherwise flawless Vanbrugh ‘keeper. Brennan cut inside centre-back Jon Gill to fire another shot on goal, and Tom Day again tried to emulate Brennan’s goal, this time seeing his effort go narrowly wide.
Just before half-time though, Vanbrugh squandered two huge opportunities to draw level. First, Jon Gill headed a Stanier corner over from 2 yards out, unmarked, before Taylor headed over from a similar position, this time from a Gill throw-in. The first half was one of plenty of chances, exemplified by Brennan’s moment of magic. However, it seemed Vanbrugh were still in the tie, particularly after the chances missed by Gill and Taylor.
That all changed 2 minutes of half-time though, Jack Beadle’s wicked cross from the left-wing seemed to almost be laser-guided to Tom Ragan’s head, and he gleefully converted with aplomb. Vanbrugh heads dropped again, and Ragan almost added a second, heading on a long free-kick, only to see his effort drop just wide of the far post. Vanbrugh simply didn’t seem to be the side that had impressed towards the end of the knock-out stages, and against Goodricke. Jon Gill’s long throws were ineffective, and Ziggy Heath’s defending was at times erratic, two aspects of their play that had previously been so effective and excellent.
Vanbrugh did grab a consolation though, after a mix up between Dan Turley and Jonny Sim saw the ball loop over the ‘keeper off the left-back’s head. However, with so little time left it meant nothing, and Halifax advanced to the final with a convincing victory. ‘Fax captain Tom Ragan said “It was a brilliant performance against a really strong team. We couldn’t ask any more and it leaves us in a great place ahead of next week.” Vanbrugh’s Phil Taylor rued the chances his side wasted but conceded they were beaten by a team that he expects to go on and win the cup, “On the day they were better than us and deserved it. We had a couple of chances and if we’d scored them it could have gone a different way but they took theirs and sadly, we didn’t”.
Halifax advance to Week 9’s final, where they look likely to face Derwent 1sts, unless their 2nds side can set up an all-Halifax College Cup Final.
Vision MOTM: Conor Brennan. An obvious choice but Brennan showed he can perform on the big stage and changed the game with his wondergoal 15 minutes in.