RPM Records Supplementary Challenge Cup
Round 1
Binfield 3 Penn & Tylers Green 1
Saturday, 30 November 2002
Binfield made comfortable progress to the next round of the RPM Records Supplementary Cup, brushing aside the challenge of Penn & Tylers Green at Stubbs Lane. A brace from young striker, Nick Kellaway, sandwiched a rare headed goal from skipper Mark Baker.
On paper and current form a close contest looked in prospect, with both teams sharing almost identical league records this season. In reality it was the ?Moles? who made light work of their opponents, without ever reaching the heights of earlier successes. Harvey, in the home goal, had a quiet afternoon with hardly a save to make all game.
Conditions were slippery with the recent wet weather, but the surface stood up well, and it was Binfield that started brightly. In the second minute, Kris Day forced a corner down the right and Harris was narrowly wide with a header from the kick. Within minutes, a long through-ball sent Havermans clear, but the striker saw his deft lob over the keeper rescued by a retreating defender. Penn & Tylers were beginning to look stretched at the back and it was no surprise when Binfield went in front on 14 minutes. Once again it was the lively Day, causing problems on the right. Getting to the byline, the winger fired a low cross into the six-yard box where Kellaway, arriving late at the far post, scored from an acute angle. 1-0. The visitors were restricted to a solitary strike from distance that flashed wide as Binfield looked the more likely to increase their lead. Kellaway, having an eventful afternoon, picked up a needless booking for throwing the ball away and then tested the keeper under his crossbar with a dipping free kick from twenty yards. As the interval approached the home team took their foot of the gas in a period of good possession for Penn. Harris, busy throughout in the home midfield, was twice called on to make clearing challenges to avert possible danger. Keough collected the second yellow card of the day for a foul on halfway.
Half Time: 1-0
Narrow score-lines are always dangerous, especially with one team comfortably on top, so Binfield set out to kill off the tie early after the break. Harris immediately released Smith with a neat ball over the Penn rearguard, but the striker pulled his shot wide of the post. Keough was making some good runs from right-back and fed Day to force a corner on the right. The pair teamed up from the kick to give the home team a second on 59 minutes. Day?s kick was long to the far post where Keough climbed to head back across goal. Skipper Mark Baker arrived to head home at the other post from close in. Penn were restricted to the occasional attack. From one, the ball ricocheted around the Binfield goal area before Harvey collected the loose ball. A near-post header from a corner flashed across the face of goal. Otherwise the home back four, once again expertly marshalled by Jason Day, were very much in control. Martin replaced Smith on 67, with Kellaway pushed up alongside Havermans. The former Youth skipper settled the tie on 72 minutes. Chasing onto a through-ball, Kellaway skilfully evaded the challenge of the last defender before slotting past the keeper from ten yards. To their credit, Penn struck back within sixty seconds. A low cross from the left skidded into the six-yard box, where Nicholas turned it home past the stranded Harvey. Normal service was resumed as Binfield closed-out the game without further incident. Leishman and Withers made brief appearances, replacing Osborne and Kris Day for the last five minutes.
Binfield Reserves went out of the Berks and Bucks Junior Cup at AFC Maidenhead, losing 9-8 on penalties. Lee Kitching was on target for the ?Moles? in regulation time as the tie finished 1-1 after extra-time.
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