Photos: Oliver Todd
| Team | Pld | Pts | GD |
| Derwent 1sts | 5 | 15 | +15 |
| Wentworth 1sts | 5 | 10 | +12 |
| Halifax 3rds | 5 | 8 | +4 |
| Goodricke 2nds | 5 | 7 | -3 |
| Langwith 2nds | 5 | 3 | -11 |
| Alcuin 3rds | 5 | 0 | -17 |
Along with Vanbrugh 4ths and Wentworth 3rds, Alcuin 3rds went into today’s games as one of three sides yet to pick up a point in this year’s College Cup. Aside from a magnificent performance from goalkeeper David Ambrozejczyk, their performance was one of little passion or quality and they could have easily lost by more to a dynamic Halifax 3rds side, who will pose a threat to a number of sides in the plate on this, and previous showings.
Halifax looked the better side from the first whistle. On a number of occasions early on, long balls from the back saw Jake Mundy and Sean Cole get in behind the static Alcuin defence, only for the ball to run too long for them and the threat to pass. Mundy also saw a deflected shot from long range go just past the post, and Craig Dean missed a great chance, cutting in from the byline to shoot, only for the ball to go out for a throw-in further away from the goal than where the shot was taken.
However, for all their dominance, it took until late in the half for Halifax to open the scoring and convert their dominance into a final product. To conclude a flowing passing move, Cole slid the ball from the edge of the area to Dean, who, having just missed the aforementioned chance two minutes previously, took one touch to flick the ball beyond Ambrozejczyk and nestled the ball in the bottom corner of the net. As the half-time whistle sounded, despite there only being one goal in it, it was already a question of how many Halifax could score, rather than whether Alcuin could come back into it.
Despite Ambrozejczyk’s protests to his teammates at half-time, Alcuin 3rds continued to give too much time and space to their Halifax counterparts throughout the second-half, and it was left to the ‘keeper to single-handedly keep the score respectable, as time and again Halifax sped past the likes of Matt Bradshaw and Ben Ward with their quick passing and clever movement. He made saves from Dave Lewis, Mundy and Dean, even scrambling a potential own goal following a corner onto his own crossbar and away. Alcuin’s best chance fell to Jon Carney, in a strangely advanced position, as he raced through on goal on the counter, only to punt wide.
Resistance was futile though, and Halifax scored twice more. First, Dave Lewis converted a textbook header from Dean’s teasing cross, and Dean added his second, after being played through and beating Ambrozejczyk with a low, simple finish. Chris To scored a consolation for Alcuin with minutes left to go, but in truth their performance deserved to see them lose in such a convincing manner.
Vision MOTM: David Ambrozejczyk. Although Craig Dean scored twice and assisted a third, he was outshone by the wonderful display from the Alcuin ‘keeper, who they would have undoubtedly lost by more without.