Senior Cup Semi-Finals
(View all Senior Cup Results and Scorers. . .)
Thursday, 12th March 2009
Magical Wizards march into final
Robbie Waters and Peter Thomas scored the Wizards' extra-time goals. >>
Merlins Bridge 3 -
Monkton Swifts 0
(After extra-time)
Merlins Bridge overcame Monkton Swifts in extra-time to reach the final, where they'll meet Hakin United on Saturday, 18th April at the Bridge Meadow Stadium. Peter Thomas was the Wizards' cup hero, scoring twice, the first with a sublime free kick and the third with a header after Robbie Waters netted the second. The Wizards were clearly delighted by their success but there was a black spot since Chris O'Sullivan sustained his ninth shoulder dislocation in the first half and had to be taken to hospital.
Both teams took a while to settle on the wide open spaces of the Bridge Meadow and a steady drizzle didn't help either so that there were few chances in normal time, with Dan Scourfield volleying wide for the Swifts and Simon Thomas always looking likely to make a break out wide for the Wizards. There were a few chances as Thomas forced a good save from Wayne Reynolds before the Swifts' keeper also recovered well to pouch a free-kick from Nathan Thomas which skidded low. At the other end Ben Goldsmith had a shot comfortably saved by Ian Kerrison, John Hyde rattled the far post with a super Swifts' free kick from fully 30 yards - and a blank scoresheet was an almost inevitable consequence of both teams' inability to hold onto the ball for long.
But all that changed in extra time as play opened up and the Bridge took the lead with a cracker of a goal when Peter Thomas took a free kick some 28 yards out and rifled his right-footer into Reynolds' top corner for a stunning strike. Robbie Waters should have made it 2-0 with his first touch as sub but his close-range header lacked power and Reynolds did well to scoop the ball away from danger. Waters soon made amends, however, after a McNabney run had created the space - and although he was pushed wide by Reynolds, Waters did really well to turn a tackler and rifle the ball into the far corner of the Swifts' net from a very acute angle indeed.
The game was finally settled beyond any doubt when the Wizards claimed goal No 3 after the change of ends for two very tired teams, with a Simon Thomas free kick from wide on the left finding twin brother Peter at the far post to nod home from close range. There was still time for Kerrison in the Bridge goal to make a good save from Swifts' sub Lee Gilpin but it was Merlins Bridge who trooped off to celebrate victory whilst the Swifts were clearly dejected in defeat. And finally, a word of praise for referee Alan Boswell and assistants Roy Boswell and Darren Thomas, who formed an effective team and made sure that the game was played in a good spirit.
Monkton Swifts:Wayne Reynolds: Ben Nicholas; Paul Lowe; Paul Jarvis; Ben Jones; John Hyde; Marcus Taylor; Clem Boswell; Ben Goldsmith; Jamie Callan; Dan Scourfield. Subs: Lee Jones; Lee Gilpin; Dan Harts.
Merlins Bridge:Ian Kerrison: Chris Ormond; Ben Field; Peter Thomas; Paul Thomas; Matthew D'Ivry; Chris O'Sullivan; Mike Canton; Steve McNabney; Nathan Thomas; Simon Thomas. Subs: Matthew Morrissey; Robbie Waters; Carl Mason.
Referee:
A Boswell
Assistant Referee 1:
Roy Boswell
Assistant Referee 2:
Darren Thomas
Tuesday, 10th March 2009
Vikings' fitness sees them through
Hakin United's cup scoring heroes:
Steve Mathias, Kristan Bennett and Paul Jones. >>
Hakin United 5 -
Kilgetty 1
(After extra-time)
Hakin United's greater fitness levels paid off as they moved into the Senior Cup Final after defeating Kilgetty in a thrilling floodlit semi-final, after extra-time at the Bridge Meadow. Kristan Bennett scored the opening goal for Gary Dawes' team in the first period before Grant James scored a second half equaliser for Kilgetty -but the Vikings took control in the extra time period and bagged four further goals to provide a final scoreline that did little justice to the part that Kilgetty played.
In fact, Kilgetty looked the sharper at the outset but Hakin took the lead after 12 minutes when a Steve Mathias corner was headed goalwards by Paul Jones but was blocked on the line - only for superb centre half Kristan Bennett to blast the rebound into the roof of the net.
Kilgetty also had chances but Adam Johns' shot was parried by James Manson, who also saved a header from the same player - and when Grant James eventually found the net it was disallowed for offside. The second half also saw Kilgetty have further chances but it looked as if Hakin might double their lead as first Paul Jones fired into the side netting and then Adam Davies forced a cracking low save from Kilgety keeper David Lewis. It was to prove decisive because Kilgetty immediately stormed back on the attack and striker Nick Cope rounded Manson and fired home the equaliser with 16 minutes to go. There were other chances in the final stages and Lewis again made a super save from man of the match Bennett to deny the Vikings a late winner and send the game into extra time.
Lewis saved well from Bennett at another set piece and Adam Davies also went close before Paul Jones finally broke the deadlock with a far-post looping header from a corner - and in the second period of extra time Steve Mathias crowned a good game in midfield as he rifled home a low shot to make the game safe. Paul Jones scored a typical predator's goal after Adam Davies did the hard work on the right and then Jones unselfishly supplied the scoring pass for Mathias to net his second. There was even time for Hakin to seek a sixth goal but Lewis brought off another fine save to deny Mathias his hat-trick.
Finally, a word about the three officials because referee Dave Badger and assistants Chris Stapleton and Steve Williams worked well together in a match which had yellow cards for Hakin's Terry Bevan, Bennett and Davies - but was always competitive, fair and a credit to both camps.
Hakin United: James Manson: Scott Davies; Kristan Bennett; Terry Bevan; Ewan Findlay: Craig Robertson; Andrew Kinsgson; Steve Mathias; James Stanmore: Adam Davies; Paul Jones. Subs: Aaron Owens; Neil Mathias; Steve Hartley.
Kilgetty: David Lewis: Wayne Scourfield; Ollie Griffiths; Dan Cope; Jack Bevan: Geoff Marsh; Grant James; Michael Scale; Josh Bevan: Nick Cope; Adam Johns. Subs: Jake Marsh; Rhys Hewson; Richard Cope.
Referee:
D Badger
Assistant Referee 1:
Chris Stapleton
Assistant Referee 2:
Steve Williams
