College Cup: Langwith 2nds 0-3 Vanbrugh 3rds

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Photos: Jack Western

Vanbrugh 3rds kept their hopes of progressing to the Cup knockouts well and truly alive with a comfortable 3-0 win against Langwith 2nds. Vanbrugh are now guaranteed at least a place in the Plate, while Langwith need to at least match the result of Wentworth 3rds in next week’s fixtures to make it into the Vase.

They got off to the best possible start with a goal inside two minutes. Chris Mason ran on to a wonderful through-ball and just managed to get his toe onto it before the onrushing Langwith keeper, Oliver Williamson. The ball trickled towards the goal with no defenders in sight, going in off the inside of the post.

Langwith could have hit back two minutes later. Kallum Taylor came charging out to clear a ball over the top but his kick didn’t get the ball very far away. Much to his relief, Langwith couldn’t get the ball down and never managed an attempt on the open goal.

Vanbrugh weren’t affected by their lucky escape, though, as the impressive Aaron Hooper nearly doubled their lead. He was in the right place on the end of another skilful through ball, but mis-kicked and the chance went begging.

Langwith’s best chance of the first half came in the eleventh minute as a sumptuous Ritchie Hemingway cross found the head of Tom Rudden. Unfortunately, Rudden had his back to goal and could only flick his header wide.

Then Taylor almost provided an assist as his huge goal kick was missed by the Langwith defence and let in Mason, but just as he was about to pull the trigger a Langwith foot diverted the ball out for a corner.

Vanbrugh looked to be winning the battle in midfield and were good value for their half-time lead. Lnagwith had a nice move involving Alex Billings, Matt Morton and Rudden but none could get a shot away; the story of the first half for Langwith.

And just before the interval it could have been much worse for them. Vanbrugh were attacking up the right and, as the cross came in, Errol Waters appeared to block it with an arm from close range. Nothing was given.

After the interval, it didn’t take Vanbrugh long to increase their lead. Once again, the goal came within a few minutes of the kick-off, and it was Mason again who was the scorer. He lost his marker and drifted to the back post at a corner, where he met the ball on the volley. His shot appeared scuffed but, once again, it bobbled towards the corner. Waters, guarding the post, couldn’t get anything on it and Vanbrugh led 2-0.

It was almost three two minutes later, as Hooper’s curling free kick needed a defensive header at the back post to keep it from going into the net.

But half way through the second period the game was over as a contest as Dom McKinnon-Green added Vanbrugh’s third. Hooper was the provider, curling a wide free-kick into the box where McKinnon-Green facing the wrong way, skilfully met it with the back of his head for the goal.

After this the game settled, neither team really looking likely to score. Vanbrugh were clearly content with an impressive victory, while Langwith seemed unable to muster anything which might threaten to get them back into the game.

Langwith did have one final chance three minutes from time, but on that occasion James McDonald could only turn his header wide of the post after Morton’s delivery put the ball on a tee for him at the back post.

As the whistle went, Langwith trudged off aware that their Plate chances have now disappeared. Vanbrugh, on the other hand, have Plate qualification guaranteed, and can go all out next week against Halifax 2nds to try and cause an upset which could see them finish in the top two of Group C.