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Photos: Ruth M Gibson
The assumption that due to Derwent 2nds being a higher ranked XI on paper, they would have been favourites for the second plate semi-final went out of the window inside the first minute of the match on a windy JLD. Halifax’s notorious strength in depth showed as Dave Lewis fired a sweet 25 yarder into the bottom left hand corner past Chris Yelappa after the Derwent defence failed to clear.
The early strike did not seem to wake Derwent up, as Halifax continued to camp inside their final third, Lewis, with the wind seemingly in his sails, attempting an audacious 30 yard dipping half-volley which just dropped wide of the goal. Derwent could not find any fluency to their game, too often hoofing the ball long while attempts on goal were at a premium, first Ben Cresswell, and then Jim Norton, firing free-kicks well over the bar from long distances.
At the other end, Halifax continued to threaten, nearly producing an own goal out of Andy Jeffries, who headed just over his own crossbar from a Dave Lewis cross. From the following corner, John Lord poked over when the ball, fired in low, was not effectively dealt with by the static Derwent defence. Just before the whistle, Andy Wallace tried the scissor kick volley from Jake Mundy’s ball in.
Yet the score at the break remained 1-0 to Halifax after the early strike, a lead fully deserved against opposition who by the looks of things had lost their voices, more communication and shouting coming from the sidelines than the actual players on the pitch and as a result struggling to at all penetrate the Halifax back line.
However, Rick Morris’s team talk must have inspired the Derwent players as they resumed the match a different team, with more desire, playing at a higher tempo with more enthusiasm and communication. Derwent right back (and current college chair) Matt Jenkins’s long throws were causing havoc amongst the Halifax back line, Morris producing a bullet header from inside the 6 yard box which went straight down the throat of Halifax keeper Josh Fisher. Dave Lewis headed onto the crossbar at the other end from a corner in a rare Halifax second half attack.
The game truly turned after a moment of controversy with 5 minutes of the game to go, a Morris long free kick into the Halifax penalty area was nodded goal-bound by Conor Scanlan (who had come on for Jeffries who looked to have pulled his hamstring), before college cup top scorer Jon Garness, in real poachers fashion got the final touch beyond Fisher. His wild celebrations were cut short by referee Sam Clitheroe, who signalled for offside much to the distaste of the Derwent supporters on the touchline.
Nevertheless, the disallowed goal galvanised Derwent who finally scored with their next attack. And what a goal it was, worthy of gracing any final, Jim Norton laying it off to Will Da Silva on the right wing, who ghosted past Halifax left back Ben Murphy like he was not there before laying an inviting cross into the path of Barnaby Francis who sweetly volleyed into the net from 6 yards out. Da Silva showed he could defend valiantly for the cause as well as create assists as Hamish Denham, from the kick off, powered his way past Derwent defenders before cutting the ball back to the Halifax attacked who was thwarted by a sprawling Da Silva, who made sure the scored remained one all.
That piece of defensive work proved absolutely vital as Derwent went up the other end and clinched a last gasp winner to take the through to the final. A short corner allowed Ben Cresswell to pass into the feet of Norton who, from the edge of the box, fired low past everyone into the bottom left hand corner, cue wild celebrations from the Derwent fans and players and devastation from Halifax, who knew that with only 30 seconds of the game remaining, the game was up.
The Halifax captain said he was “absolutely gutted, devastated, I’m going to go home and cry” before admitting that “Derwent were the better team in the second half, good luck to them in the final” while winning goal scorer and ex-Vision editor Jim Norton took the opposing view, saying “we didn’t really deserve to win, but we have a great spirit. Credit to Halifax for making it a good game” before finally adding “it is a great feeling to finally come good in the plate, everyone knows it is the best competition”.
Derwent will face an incredibly difficult task in trying to beat James 1sts but if they can call on the fighting spirit they showed in the second half here, then who knows?
Vision MOTM: Will Da Silva. His build up play on the right hand side for the equaliser was superb, as was his last ditch tackle in his own penalty box a minute later, both of which were major components in the overall victory.