The Cherry Red Records Challenge Cup
Round 2
Abingdon United 1 Finchampstead 0
Saturday, 26 October 2002
United were forced to work hard to get the result against an efficient side from Division One East. Finchampstead always looked capable of causing an upset especially as Abingdon didn?t appear to be firing on all cylinders.
The 1st half was best forgotten as both sides served up very little exciting fare and both defences were on top and chances were very few and even farther between. Until the 35th minute efforts were weak or wide or straight at the keepers until Frankie Dorrian hit a 25 yard shot that Harris couldn?t hold but gathered at the second attempt.
Half Time: 0-0
The second half served up a similar style and it looked as though one goal from either side might be enough to secure a spot in the next round. On the hour Darren Beckett fired in a cross that cannoned off the head of a defender and Harris had to be alive to stretch and tip the ball onto the bar and over. With 15 minutes left Abingdon put in their first period of sustained pressure with 3 corners in a row and a Beckett shot went inches wide. The visitors reacted and a whipped cross was met by Humphreys whose vicious volley forced a diving save out of Carl Wilkins to turn the ball around the post. Near the end Luke Brandon charged in to meet a low pass but his rising effort skimmed the bar.
Full Time: 0-0
The game went into extra time and the young sub for the visitors outstripped United?s rearguard and a strong shot was well taken by Wilkins. Seconds later Humphreys beat everyone with a clever effort across the face of the goal but it whistled wide of the far post. Abingdon began to push forward and chances started to come but Beckett wasted a good opening by firing too high. Just before the extra time break Chris Fontaine headed a Finchampstead goal kick straight back into the path of Dorrian who without hesitation chipped the stranded keeper to score the only goal of the game. Immediately afterwards a Brandon scorcher was too hot for Humphries and the ball flew out of his grasp but a defender was on the line to chest the ball down and clear the danger. Finchampstead had to come out and suddenly the game opened up with chances at either end. Brandon spun to hit the ball just past the post and in the dying seconds both sides could have scored. A corner to Finchampstead saw all eleven of their side in Abingdon?s area and a strong header beat the keeper but Brandon was on the line to block the ball. Keeper Wilkins came out with the ball and as his opposite number scrambled back, Wilkins neared the halfway line and laid the ball on for United to try to score a second but a defender had got back was able to block the way and scramble the ball away as the final whistle went.
|
|