The Cat’s College Cup Diary: Week Six

Wentworth 1sts are certainly a Jekyll and Hyde team. Earlier in the competition, with an understrength team, they suffered convincing defeats to James 1sts and Derwent 2nds. As is the nature of postgraduate study, their players tend to have commitments which prevent them fielding a consistent team in the College Cup.

Unfortunately for us at Alcuin 3rds (and for Goodricke 3rds the previous Friday), Wentworth have been able to field a stronger team in their last two games. And it has shown. Two 6-0 wins has propelled them back into contention for a top two finish.

Remarkably, their fate is basically in their hands. A win next week against Vanbrugh 2nds and they will finish 2nds, unless Derwent 2nds pull off the unthinkable and defeat James 1sts, who have already assured progression to the Cup knockouts.

Far be it from me to throw around tired old clichés, but our game on Monday was well and truly a “game of two halves.” We defended resolutely in the first half and went in at 0-0, before Wentworth ran us ragged in the second and scored six.

When they found the breakthrough early in the second period, we knew we had to pull something out of the bag to get back into it. Perhaps if we had sat back the score wouldn’t have been as big. But with goal difference now out of the equation for our campaign, it was the right thing to go for it. We had a couple of chances towards the end which might have provided a consolation, but it wasn’t to be.

Meanwhile we ended up against two of the most potent goal scorers in college football: Tim Martin, who bagged a hat-trick, and Dom Green, who scored twice. Green’s second, in particular, was exquisite. A lofted ball over the top found him inside the box, about 12 yards out, well-marked by our defender. But he hit a first time volley on the half-turn; it was just inside the post and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Overall, though, I was pleased with our performance. 6-0 did not do justice to the defensive effort we put in, as was remarked by opposition players at full time. Meanwhile we were also without our captain, who had made the trip to Wembley for the Championship Play-Off Final, to support his beloved Watford in their ultimately futile efforts to reach the Premier League.

Though we weren’t as understrength as we had been against James 1sts last week, the three who were missing were all key. It may not have changed the result, but it may have influenced the final score at least.

As it is, we are out of contention for the Plate. It would have been nice to get there, and I genuinely think we could have been competitive. We claimed a 1-1 draw with Derwent 2nds and only lost by one goal to Vanbrugh 2nds in Group B. They are two of the stronger 2nds sides, and both found us a tough proposition, so we could certainly have made an impact in the Plate.

With one game left, the permutation is simple. Avoid defeat to Goodricke 3rds next week, and we will enter the Vase. They need to defeat us to overtake us. So we have the upperhand. The two teams do have history and I’m sure it will be a feisty and competitive game. It has a lot riding on it too; it may ‘only’ be the Vase, but if we get in it we will be hoping to win it!

On an aside, I had my first experience of College Cup refereeing this week. I was in the middle for James 2nds’ 1-0 win over Halifax 3rds. I got a bit of stick while out there from the two teams, but on the whole I think the only wrong decisions I made were for things like throw-ins. With no linesmen, it’s impossible to get it right 100% of the time. I even got a few apologies at the end from players for shouting at me – I said it was all fine. We all get passionate on the field, and there was nothing abusive, nothing which went near to unacceptable.

There’s been a lot of focus this week on teams not providing refs. There really is no excuse for it, and the two point deduction (a well-established part of the Cup’s rules) is the best deterrent. I didn’t want to referee, but it became apparent that a lot of my teammates had more pressing exams than I, so I stepped in. Needless to say I’m relieved that it went fine.

 

Game of the week

A tough call, and sadly not because there are too many choices. Only one team (Wentworth 2nds) scored a goal in defeat in this week’s matches, but that game was far from a classic. This award, therefore, goes to the game which was the most hard-fought and competitive, and had probably the most riding on it.

So the award goes to Halifax 2nds’ 1-0 victory over Goodricke 1sts. After the points deduction controversy of last weekend, they came out all guns blazing. They needed the win to be favourites to reach the Cup knockouts again, and they did. Goodricke are a decent side, and the match was a battle between two well matched teams. Halifax came out on top thanks to a Ed Henry goal. ‘Fax now need to finish the job by beating a dangerous Vanbrugh 3rds side next week.

 

Performance of the week

Special mention to a number of teams this week. Vanbrugh 1sts – they may have been playing lowly Langwith 3rds, but getting eight different players on the score sheet is an impressive feat. There were also wins for 3rds teams from James, Derwent and Vanbrugh against 2^nd team opposition.

But the match which really stands out was today’s demolition of Langwith 1sts by Halifax 1sts. Halifax had won the game inside ten minutes as they took a 3-0 lead, but they didn’t take their foot off the gas as they scored a total of nine, with Tom Day bagging a hat-trick. I’ve seen much of Halifax this competition and always got the impression they never left first gear. Though they came up against a poor Langwith side, they looked to have stepped it up a notch. They may be hitting their stride just in time for the business end of the competition.

 

Team of the week

Mitchell Barwick;

Ollie Harrison, Matt Seed, Max Brewer, Oliver Bull;

Tim Martin, Phil Taylor, Tom Day, James Davies;

John Garness, Dom Green.

 

Coming up this week

The final week of group matches sees some pivotal clashes. On Monday, James 3rds and Langwith 1sts meet in the 4pm game from Group A. Langwith will need to win to get into the Cup, but James will only need a draw – unless Derwent 3rds get something from their game with Halifax 1sts at 2pm. Alcuin 2nds and Wentworth 2nds meet at 3pm, with the loser certain to finish bottom of the group. Victory would most likely – though in Alcuin’s case not certainly – bring Plate qualification.

On Tuesday in Group B, Derwent 2nds will try to take something from already-qualified James 1sts, but if they fail to win then Vanbrugh 2nds against Wentworth 1sts becomes winner-takes-all, though a draw would suffice for Vanbrugh. Goodricke 3rds and Alcuin 3rds then play-off for the Vase.

On Thursday Goodricke 1sts will look to confirm their Cup place against Wentworth 3rds, before Halifax 2nds look to do the same against Vanbrugh 3rds – who are not out of Cup contention themselves. Should either Goodricke or Halifax slip up, then Alcuin 1sts will be waiting to pounce – they meet Langwith 2nds at 4pm.

On Friday at 2pm is the single most significant game of the week as Derwent 1sts and James 2nds play-off for the final place in the Cup from Group D. Derwent will progress in the event of a draw. Later in the day, Goodricke 2nds and Langwith 3rds meet in another play-off, this time for Vase qualification.