It’s been four weeks since College Cup 2010 began, and in a tournament of thrills, goalkeeping spills and some astonishing goals, fans have not been left disappointed.
The group stage of the tournament draws to a close this week, and although the eight quarter final berths all look likely to be taken by the Firsts teams, this year’s Cup hasn’t been short on surprises.
Vanbrugh’s stunning 3-0 win over Halifax in Week 5 shocked many observers, yours truly included. It shouldn’t have. Last year Vanbrugh were criticised in some corners for a less than attractive style of play, despite reaching the final. This year has been different.
The competition’s joint top scorers with sixteen goals scored and only one conceded in three matches, Vanbrugh have been the tournament’s outstanding team: stoic in defence, confident on the ball, and with a deadly strike force of Liam Regan and Ali Prince, they have been a joy to watch. On top of this Vanbrugh are a tight-knit team of players, as shown in their spirit and commitment when defeating Halifax.
Vanbrugh are on course to meet a Wentworth team in the quarter finals that has nothing to lose. This is something that is always a dangerous proposition for any team. However despite hammering James Thirds 4-0 last week, Wentworth were beaten without much difficulty by their rivals in Group A, Goodricke Firsts. With the exception of their striker Dom Green, Wentworth do not provide a great amount of attacking threat, with physicality rather than skill the best chance they have of success against Vanbrugh. Yet hope springs eternal, and Wentworth will be lifted by the knowledge that they have nothing to lose against the tournament’s in-form team. Vanbrugh will take some beating though, and with each match they look more and more like College Cup champions.
Alcuin might have something to say about that. Thrown into a “group of death” containing one of the pre-tournament favourites, Derwent, and a strong Vanbrugh Seconds team, last year’s winners have done enough to suggest this could be their year again. With players like Christy Cormac and Joe Cooper this team has pace in abundance, and a formidable defence consisting of Jake Delaney, captain Miles McDermott and full-back Jack Crane has managed to shield goalkeeper Michael Wynd well, whilst offering an added attacking threat. Their dispatching of Derwent early on in the Cup was impressive, and although the feeling remains that Alcuin haven’t quite hit first gear yet, they remain a strong bet to reach the final.
James are Alcuin’s likely opponents in the quarters, and after their second half collapse against a Bruce Starkey-inspired Langwith side the black and whites are the clear underdogs for this game. James have do have an ace in the pack however, despite the fact that they possess a defence that is susceptible to pace, as Starkey pointed out so ruthlessly a couple of weeks ago. If Mark Johnson can recapture the scintillating form that brought him four goals in two games, before so abruptly deserting him against Langwith, they stand a chance.
Whilst Vanbrugh and Alcuin have shone, Halifax have been disappointing. Tipped as the most likely champions of the three pre-tournament favourites of themselves, Alcuin and Derwent, Vanbrugh’s victims haven’t lived up to expectations. Although winning their first two matches by rugby scores, those games against minnows of the competition couldn’t be seen as true tests of their potential. The Fax choked when faced with their first real challenge of the competition against Vanbrugh, and the resulting hangover from that defeat carried on into their final match, an unconvincing 2-0 win against James Seconds. The controversial docking of two points for illegally fielding player Jake Mundy can’t have helped morale either.
Halifax have cause to be optimistic though. Captain Mark Lund has arguably the most talented squad in the competition, and if he can manage to mould his collection of brilliant individuals into a coherent team unit, then Halifax will be a truly fearsome proposition for any team. Despite their stuttering form, Halifax will still be confident of reaching the semi-finals, where it looks likely they will come up against Alcuin in what looks likely to be the Cup’s signature match.
Before that though, Halifax are set to face Goodricke in the first of next week’s quarter-finals, and what may have seemed a free pass to the next round a month ago is now no certainty. Goodricke, although topping a relatively easy group, have been consistent throughout, and will take confidence from a defence that has yet to concede.
Halifax haven’t been the only pre-tournament favourites to have had a tough start to this year’s College Cup. Derwent were far from impressive in their first two games, and although they showed more fluidity in their final group match, a 3-0 defeat of Vanbrugh Seconds, they know they will need to up their game if they are to reach the final stages of the competition.
Langwith, Derwent’s opponents in the quarters, have shone in the group stages, especially in the way they fought back in the second half against James Firsts when defeat had seemed inevitable. Langwith are a limited team though, and the feeling remains that they rely too heavily on talismanic striker Bruce Starkey to really make an impact in this competition. With possession football not their strength, defending well will be key for Langwith, especially if they are to unleash the kind of rapier quick counter-attacks that destroyed James in the group stages. However with Starkey in bullying form, and the psychological bonus of knowing that few expect them to win, Langwith can be carefully optimistic about the prospect of facing Derwent in the quarter-finals.
The group stages have ensured the College Cup has lived up to the pre-tournament hype, whilst giving fans a tantalising taste of what’s to come. With the serious business of the knockout stages just around the corner the excitement of College Cup 2010 shows no sign of letting up.