Halifax 1sts were forced to come from behind to secure their place in the cup semi-finals and were tested toughly by a sturdy Wentworth 1sts outfit.
Halifax were without a doubt the stronger team over the course of the game and posed far more of an attacking threat than their postgraduate counterparts but Wentworth looked solid and never let them relax.
Halifax started brightly, with Connor Brennan striking a shot at goal from range inside the first minute which forced Jon Cook to pull of an acrobatic stop in between the Wentworth sticks. Tom Day then saw his header go wide after Brennan played the ball in form the right and Jack Beadle had an effort comfortably saved before the men in purple could muster an opportunity at the other end. Midfielder Lachlan Murray attempted a flamboyant bicycle kick but couldn’t find the back of the net.
After the initial buzz of Halifax pressure Wentworth managed to work their way into the game and looked a solid outfit. Not only did they get themselves into the game however, they imprinted their large, purple stamp on it by taking a shock lead courtesy of a penalty kick.
Dan Turley was adjudged to have slide tackled Bruce Rawlings in the area and the rules of the college cup therefore meant that Wentworth were awarded a chance from the spot. Dom Green made no mistake, striking the ball powerfully, high down the centre to make it 1-0.
Halifax pressed for an equaliser and Day, Brennan and Daly all came close before the men in white did eventually level the scores right on the stroke of half time. Jack Beadle took the ball down with a deft touch and beat his man before firing low past Cook from the edge of the area to make it 1-1.
We didn’t have to wait long in the second period before Halifax had turned the game around and taken the lead either. Connor Brennan’s knock-down found right-back Mark Lund completely unmarked and he slammed home to make it 2-1.
Halifax, despite playing some excellent football, were by no means comfortable once they claimed the advantage however. Dom Green managed to get in behind the Halifax defence and rattled the frame of the goal with his effort from outside the area, sending a forceful warning message to the leaders.
Green also flicked a ball just over the bar after Andy Suggitt’s header hit him when it looked destined for the net before Jack Beadle and Tom Ragan had chances at the other end. Eliot Ragan then deflected a Tom Day effort against the bar before the final whistle blew and Halifax took their expected place in the semis.
‘It was really tough, but we played some nice football and I’m really happy we won’, said Halifax captain Tom Ragan after the game, as his side came through their biggest challenge yet in their quest for college cup glory.
Vision MOTM: Dom Petschak