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Photos: Jack Western
A wet and windy JLD was the setting for Halifax 2’s vs Wentworth 3’s to begin their campaign in the 2013 college cup. With bad conditions favouring the post graduates Halifax had to make sure to keep their discipline and do the simple things right.
It was a nervy start from both sides who looked uneasy on the damp surface, at times struggling for grip. After a scrappy opening ten minutes the Halifax midfield five started passing the ball well stretching the Wentworth midfield and pressuring the back four. With Connor Meckin looking dangerous on the left Halifax began to find gaps between the full backs and centre halves to get crosses into the danger area.
A classy ball into Elliot Ragan saw a well struck shot saved by the keeper before a well placed Connor McCoy tidily finished just inside the left hand post. With the Halifax pressure building they were dominating the game with Wentworth barely entering the opposing half. Meckin looking dangerous down the left sped past the Wentworth full back to deliver a great ball to Luke Stevenson who failed to convert.
Halifax continued to dominate possession with a couple earning a few corners. One notably headed wide by skipper Jonny McGuinness. Just before the half time break Halifax appeared to switch off with a long ball catching the keeper unaware spilling it into the feet of a Wentworth forward who blasted the ball way over the bar from three yards to much delight of the Halifax fans.
A quick turnaround as is the norm in college cup saw one change for Halifax with Sean Kearney coming on for Mark Howorth. Many Halifax chances came to nothing early on with the Wentworth keeper making some vital saves to keep his side in the game. Without any threat from Wentworth Halifax looked comfortable but in search of another goal for added security.
Meckin continued to cause trouble with one long range effort being tipped onto the bar by the Wentworth keeper who was by far their best player on the day. An injury to the Wentworth right back Gerard Ekembe Ngondi saw a straight swap.
A scramble in the box ended when Connor Meckin was pushed in the back and the referee rightly awarding Halifax penalty. The penalty was converted in a stunningly unimpressive fashion by Daniel Lewis dribbling it marginally to the left of the goalie’s legs as he dived the wrong way. The remainder of the match was uneventful with Halifax keeping the ball well.
MOTM: Connor McCoy
Halifax team:
Mitch Barwick, Johnny McGuinness, Mark Howorth (Sean Kearney), Hamid Arezoo, Oli Bull, Luke Stevenson, Connor Meckin, Henry Collins (Ed Henry), Connor McCoy, Daniel Lewis, Elliot Ragan, Hamish Denham.
Wentworth team:
Akash Nashpuri, Gerard Ekembe Ngondi, Dan Horsfall, Dan Franks, Nick Townson, Eamonn O’Connor, Dean Langan, Josh Mangan, Zhao Yang, Luis Loria Robeolledo, Jon Cook, Dan Howdon, Siritas Kettanurak