21/11/2009 - Report by Steve Hill

Report: Moreton 2 FC Village 5

On a rain soaked pitch the Village came from a goal down to cruise in to the quarter finals of the Victory Cup as a brace from both Matty Smith and Alan Cairns saw them knockout Moreton. For their first game in nearly a month the side were eager to make amends for their last cup tie and despite still missing several key players they were well up for it. With Cairnsy back in for his first game in ages the side only had to make a bit of a shuffle in the back when Nick failed to show as he was ill and in attack Knoxy wasn’t available.

Still it was a strong looking starting eleven that to the rain soaked pitch and the surface would affect both sides as they tried to get a foot hold in the game. It turned out to be the home side that got in to their stride the quicker and they forced the early pressure as they were aided by the strong wind but it took an error from Kano to gift them the lead. He managed to control a back pass but when he tried to take the ball towards the edge of the area it got stuck in the mud and allowed a home forward to get there, make the tackle and knock the ball in to the unguarded net. The Village knew they had to get going themselves and they duly did this as Booey saw his shot go just over the bar before a free kick from Matty just flew wide of the post. Then they got a free kick out on the left and Stewy Morrell floated over his cross to the far post where Booey climbed unopposed to head home the equaliser. It didn’t take the visitors very long before they themselves were in the lead as Cairnsy made a great run down the left in the area beating several players before pulling the ball back for Matty to plant it in the back of the net. Both sides had chances to add to their tally in the awful conditions but when half time came the Village still led 2-1.

The second half belonged to the visitors as they dominated throughout especially in the midfield with MOM Booey winning everything. Once they scored the decisive fourth goal of the game to extend their lead there was no way back for Moreton. That goal came when some neat passing on the half way line saw the final pass put Cairnsy away in the clear and he raced off to coolly slot past an advancing keeper. Chances came and went as Matty saw another free kick whistle past the post and then a header went just over when he was well placed. Finally he got his reward when he raced through the home defence and rounded the goalie before slotting home his eleventh of the season. Moreton then thought they might just have a chance when the ref awarded them a penalty which was duly converted for 2-4 but any hopes they did harbour were extinguished within a couple of minutes when a bad back pass was intercepted by Cairnsy and he fired past the keeper for his second of the match. The Village duly gave run outs to the two soaking subs in Matty W and Niko and they were somewhat glad when the ref blew for full time and the side were in the quarter final draw.

Team Line-up: Kane: Saunders, Jones, Beattie(D), Beattie(J)(Ward); Cairns, McIvor, Morrell(Sc), Easterbrook, Morrell(St)(Wilkinson); Smith
Subs not used:-

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