19/11/2011 - Report by Steve Hill
Report: Lea Hall 2 FC Village 5
The Village turned in their best display of the season as they travelled many miles for this Northern Cup match and came away with a fine win against a very good side. Having arrived to find themselves in Rugeley near Lichfield the team found a smart set up and knew during the warm up they were in for a tough test. Team selection saw three changes as the returning Adam replaced the absent John, Peter I replaced Peter V as right back and Beren was given a well earned run out on the right wing in place of Sean who dropped to the bench.
Knowing they had to go at their opponents right from the kick off the Village went out with just that attitude right from the front two of Matty and Jim Bob through the whole team down to Jay and they would go on and dominate a half in which they scored twice, had two goals disallowed, saw the home keeper make two fine saves and see another two clear cut chances go just wide. In fact they knew they should have wrapped up the game by the interval when they knew Lea Hall would come out a different side. Two early chances fell to Matty but he shot just past the post and then in to the side netting when well placed before Jay had to make his one save of the half when he turned a shot round the post. You can never keep a good striker down and minutes later Matty ran clear only to be brought down right on the edge of the area and the ref and linesman had no hesitation in pointing for a spot kick. Up stepped Adam to coolly convert and put the visitors ahead and it wasn’t long before they doubled their lead. This time Matty was sent clear and he made no mistake in slotting past the advancing keeper. Jim Bob then saw the keeper keep out two efforts with fine saves before he put the ball in the net only to be given offside. Then just before the interval Josh swung in a long free kick that Adam rose to head past the keeper but the ref for some reason unknown to the players disallowed it and awarded a free kick to Lea Hall. So an excellent first forty five minutes from the Village with the only disappointing thing about it being just two goals ahead.
As expected Lea Hall came out a more determined side after their probable half time rollicking and would dominate first part of the half but not before the Village nearly scored a wonder goal when Matty flicked on a long through ball and Jim Bob hit a superb first time volley that went inches wide of the post with the keeper well beaten. So the home side using the long ball started to make inroads on the Village defence but the visitors were holding out until a corner from the right was swung in and a home player headed home to make it 1-2. Game on and the Village now decided to freshen things up as they replaced Matty and Beren with Neish and Sean. Lea Hall really went for it now and Jay in the Village goal had to make several interceptions to cut out the through balls that were cutting the side up down the right. Then down at the other end a break down the right ended with Sean crossing in to the centre of the box where the incoming Iain just managed to hold off a defender and nudge the ball home via the foot of the post to restore the sides two goal lead. That was the defining moment of the half as within minutes the Village made it 4-1 when Sean’s corner reached Carl on the near post and he reacted first to prod the ball in for his first goal for the club. The home side now out of it kept plugging on and were rewarded with a second goal as a free kick was flicked on by a forward in to the corner of the goal. However any joy was short lived as the Village scored a fifth with probably the goal of the game as the home keeper came out of his area to clear but the ball fell to Josh on the wing and some thirty yards out and he just belted it towards goal past a startled keeper and a couple of defenders in to the back of the net. The Village now gave Jim Bob a deserved rest as they bolstered the midfield by bringing Philly on but this didn’t stop them from creating a couple of more chances with Neish being really unlucky as he saw his effort hit the foot of one post and somehow spin all the way across the line and round outside the other post. The Village saw out the remaining 10 minutes and had won their first cup tie of the season as they now embark on another journey around the North West. The long trip home was certainly an enjoyable one.
Team Line-up: Hill(J): Irvine, Coulls(C), Stewart, Houghton; Moylan(Phillips), Coulls(A), Thomas(I), Dunroe; Smith(Neish), Thomas(J)(Ashdown)
Subs not used:- Vaughan
More photos from this game click here and/or click here
