College Cup: Thursday Week 7

Alcuin 1sts 6-0 Vanbrugh 3rds

Alcuin rounded off their comfortable stroll through group C of the college cup by crushing Vanbrugh thirds with a display of ominous attacking intent from the kick off. Their 6 goal rout, which could have been more still, ensured them a 100% record and allowed them to show off the depth of their talent by benching several key players.

They were cleary not keen to hang around either. Joe Cooper got the show on the road after all of three minutes by smashing home a rebound and shortly later Christy Cormac doubled the lead after Udy Onwudike’s powerful header had been well saved by Vanbrugh keeper James Wilson.

Vanbrugh rallied well and more than matched their opponents for the next twenty minutes. Alex Willings was especially impressive, pulling the strings superbly in the middle of the park. Resistance however was futile. Alcuin resumed normal service just before half time. Cormac headed in his second to make it 3-0 and Miles Mcdermott scored with a thumping drive after his free kick had rebounded kindly back to his feet to make it a fantastic 4.

The seond half gave Alcuin a chance to display the two sides of their team. On the one hand, they dominated. Their defence was solid and efficient whilst their attacking arsenal was creating chances at will. Cooper, Mcdermott and Ali Laird were simply far too much for this thirds defence to handle. Vanbrugh’s plight did not ease when Cooper and Laird were replaced by Jack Crane and Dan Cox early in the second half. It was no suprise when Crane fed Cox for the fifth goal. The icing on the Alcuin cake was Cormac’s hattrick goal with the midfielder latching on to a mishit shot by Matt Stopforth.

On the other hand Alcuin were, on occasion, wasteful. At times their multitude of talent up front gave them simply far too many options, which they did not always choose wisely. They will however advance to the knockout rounds with well merited confidence. Vanbrugh 3rds on the other hand exit the tournament as the most successful of the 3rds teams, the only one to have earnt a point.