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Photos: Oliver Todd
The ability to handle the pressure from the penalty spot proved the difference between the two sides as Wentworth 2nds secured a place in the semi-finals of the College Plate at the expense of Goodricke 2nds.
Lachlan Murray, Rich Rhodes, Nick Townson and Matt Beacham all converted their spot kicks whilst Jon Cook saved from fellow goalkeeper Tom Neill to send Wentworth through in a game which Goodricke will rue missed opportunities, having been narrowly the better side in normal time.
Goodricke had taken the lead early in the first half through Rob Young, who went on to miss the opening spot-kick of the shoot-out.
However, Wentworth equalised after 35 minutes when Lachlan Murray capitalised on a mistake in the Goodricke defence to steal through the middle and fire home, and the men in purple held on to take the game to the penalties which saw them into the semi-finals.
The prize of a semi-final spot was evident in the game’s opening phases, as both sides seemed anxious to supply the killer ball, but to no effect.
Wentworth’s Matt Beacham had a bouncing effort tipped over the bar before Young opened the scoring.
Fabian Ashurst latched onto a loose ball following a mistake in the Wentworth defence and played the ball square to Young inside the area. The Goodricke striker drilled his shot past Cook into the bottom left corner to put his side 1-0 up.
The goal settled Goodricke and the men in green moved into the ascendancy. Ashurst wasted a chance when he skied his shot following some good work from Joe Mann down the left before some great defence work from Kosunalp made sure Goodricke’s lead stayed at just one.
The Wentworth centre-back cleared a powerful Cottenham half-volley off the line before also blocking from Mann.
Goodricke’s performance strengthened as the half drew on. The Wentworth defence was often flustered by Alex Hurd’s long throws and Joe Mann’s fizzing balls from the left but Goodricke were not clinical enough in the box and could only take the narrowest of leads into half-time.
Goodricke were made to pay five minutes into the second half. Sam Astbury had almost doubled their lead with a headed effort only for Kosunalp to again be on hand to block before Wentworth stole an equaliser.
A long throw from Rich Rhodes caused a mix up between the Goodricke centre-backs and Lachlan Murray squeezed in between them, surviving shouts of handball, before firing his effort high into the net past the helpless Neill to make it 1-1.
Just as Goodricke’s goal had propelled them into the ascendancy in the first half, so Wentworth’s did in the second. The postgraduates enjoyed a prolonged period of comfort before Goodricke launched a late desperate attempt to regain their lead.
Young, Mann and Hurd all missed the target with efforts before Astbury came closest of all in the dying minutes, his downward header from Joe Mann’s corner bouncing just over the bar.
Once again, Goodricke were left to regret missed chances and this was only compounded when Young sent the first spot kick wide.
By contrast, Wentworth’s penalty takers were the depiction of cool. Murray, Rhodes and Townson all dispatched confident efforts before Wentworth ‘keeper Jon Cook saved low to his right from Neill, leaving Beacham with the chance to win it.
The winger made no mistake, slotting his side into the quarter-finals to the delight of Manager Dan Howdon.
“Everyone is shattered after that,” he said. “To get seven points in the groups and to beat one of the best 2nds sides in the tournament when we are fat and postgraduates is a fantastic achievement. We think we can go on and win this.”
Wentworth 2nds will now face either Langwith 1sts or James 2nds in the semi-finals next week.