Forget about the College Cup. It’s the Vase where it’s at. And we’re in it!
A 1-1 draw in the unremitting sunshine of the JLD on Tuesday against Goodricke 3rds was enough for us to make it there. We didn’t play our best; the conditions weren’t easy, but of course it was the same for both sides.
Goodricke got off to the better start but I feel we soon got the upper hand in the first half. I had a quiet game, without having to make a save or difficult catch at all in the first period. The second period was end to end. Goodricke knew they had to win to go through, so they pressed, and after they took the lead the pendulum swung the other way.
We equalised and then we had a few moves which could have led to a crucial second, before Goodricke piled the pressure on, as you would expect them to, in the final few minutes. Their goalkeeper Noel Rogers went up for a corner with two minutes to go, and I’m not sure he ever made it back into his goal.
I conceded an interesting goal to say the least. It came direct from a throw-in. Had I thought about it, I could have left it to go into the net and (in theory at least) the goal would have been disallowed. But when you’re on the football pitch you don’t think like that. So the throw came in, missed the bunch of players who went for it, and took a typical “JLD bounce” over me.
I stuck a hand up but couldn’t divert it away. But the fact I got a touch meant the goal stood. It was a mistake, but unfortunately in the (literal) heat of the moment, you don’t have time to think about rules. You just do the natural thing and try and stop the ball going into the net, which I couldn’t quite achieve.
Thankfully, we got a goal back. The last few minutes in particular were tense, though they could so easily have been less so. On one occasion a Goodricke player smashed the ball high into the air. I came out towards the right hand side of the box to claim it and, as I was about to do so, I got a huge shove in the back which sent me flying… But no free kick was given!
I scrambled back into my goal, but fortunately no shot ever came. In fact I still didn’t have to make a proper save in the second half. I did have to come and claim the ball more which I managed to do, except for on that single baffling occasion.
But that’s gone now. And we’re into the Vase. We play Derwent 5ths, which won’t be an easy game. Derwent are a strong college, but we did get a point earlier in the competition against their 2nds. That was our best performance of the Cup so far, so we’ll be hoping to get back up to that level of effort to get through to the final four.
Finally, I’ve got to give a shout out for the crowds who went down to cheer us on. Crowds flock to the JLD for the College Cup, especially on sunny days like this one was. The big colleges who don’t have far to travel, like James and Halifax, usually have great turnouts (except when the rain pours, in which case nobody hangs around long). But we’ve had great support from Alcuin throughout the competition with a group of regulars (committed or crazy, I’m not quite sure which) there at every game. They really are a big boost.
This week has been an exciting one as teams discovered their fate. On Monday James 3rds found the point they needed against Langwith 1sts to get into the Cup, with Langwith consigned to the Vase. Derwent 3rds ended in the Plate, but had they not been deducted two points for failing to provide a referee earlier in the competition, they would have supplanted James in the Cup. Halifax 1sts completed a 100% record, as did James 1sts in Group B on Tuesday. Vanbrugh 2nds drew with Wentworth 1sts to join James in the Cup from that group.
On Thursday Vanbrugh 3rds gave Halifax 2nds a scare, but ‘Fax came out 2-1 winners to claim 2nd place in Group C and condemn Alcuin 1sts to the Plate. While Friday saw Group D climax, with Derwent 1sts winning the crunch match with James 2nds to make the Cup, and Goodricke 2nds picking up their first points by hammering Langwith 3rds to make the Vase.
Game of the week
Surely the colossal 3-3 draw between Vanbrugh 2nds and Wentworth 1sts. Both teams knew a win would see them advance to the Cup, through Vanbrugh also knew they would get there with a draw. But they put on a show in a six-goal thriller which is what the College Cup is all about. Both teams went for it and they came out all square in the end.
Wentworth took the lead with a controversial goal, Tom Cantrell heading smartly in from Dom Green’s free kick, given for a dubious handball. Vanbrugh hit back, with goals from Kyle Picknell and John Sanderson, before Wayne Paes levelled the scores again before half time.
Both times went for it in the second half which provided a great spectacle. Dan Shepherd re-established Vanbrugh’s lead before Dom Green popped up to make it 3-3, but neither team could force a winner, which sees Vanbrugh 2nds through to the Cup to face Halifax 1sts.
Performance of the week
Derwent 1sts really turned on the style to overcome a tough prospect in James 2nds. James turned in a good performance, but Derwent looked strong throughout the game and, particularly in the second half, they piled the pressure onto the James backline, which finally cracked with three late goals. Derwent haven’t fired on all cylinders yet in the College Cup, but will be looking to kick on from here and challenge for the trophy.
Team of the week
Frank Woodcock;
Jordan Steel, Ralph Gill, Luke Parker, Dave Bullock;
Mizan Ally, Dan Shepherd, Ryan Gwinnett, Joe Mann;
Dave Clinton, Dan Gorringe.
Quarter-Final Fixtures:
College Cup (all 2pm): Halifax 1sts vs Vanbrugh 2nds (Monday), James 1sts vs James 3rds (Tuesday), Goodricke 1sts vs Derwent 1sts (Thursday), Vanbrugh 1sts vs Halifax 2nds (Friday).
College Plate (all 3pm): Wentworth 2nds vs Wentworth 1sts (Monday), Derwent 2nds vs Derwent 3rds (Tuesday), Alcuin 1sts vs Halifax 3rds (Thursday), James 2nds vs Vanbrugh 3rds (Friday).
College Vase (all 4pm): Langwith 1sts vs Vanbrugh 4ths (Monday), Alcuin 3rds vs Derwent 5ths (Tuesday), Langwith 2nds vs James 4ths (Thursday), Goodricke 2nds vs Halifax 4ths (Friday).
Coming up this week
The knockouts begin with every quarter-final fixture happening in the next week. On Monday Halifax, yet to concede a goal or drop a point, face Vanbrugh 2nds, while Tuesday sees the all James encounter between their 1sts and 3rds which is certain to prove an interesting match. The only meeting of two 1sts teams is on Thursday as two good footballing sides, Derwent 1sts and Goodricke 1sts meet. The action is rounded off on Friday with the reverse of the fixture from Monday, as defending champions Vanbrugh 1sts meet the dangerous Halifax 2nds. Meanwhile there are also some enticing fixtures in the Plate and Vase, including two matches pitting teams from the same college against eachother and numerous lower rated sides hoping to cause problems for higher ranked oppositions.
Pick up your copy of York Vision on campus on Tuesday, including your eight-page Goalside College Cup pull-out. Includes match reports from Monday’s matches, previews of the week’s other Cup quarter-finals, and stats and a round-up from the competition so far including team-by-team grades.
Your team of the week is so bad.