Widmer End - League Cup (25/01/2004)
2003 - 2004 Season, Hithercroft Under 16s



The weather was dry and sunny with a bit of a chill but no wind. Although there had been an overnight frost the ground was in good condition and not hard. At the start of the game Sam Vaughey was the sub for Hithercroft.

The game kicked off at 12.03 with the home team playing towards the sun. After 8 minutes Hithercroft had a succession of three corners from over on their right but the final kick ended up in the side netting. Widmer were awarded a free kick just inside their opponents half and they played the ball down the centre but the final shot was thwarted by a good diving save by Dan Reading who pushed the ball out of play. At 12.16 the visitors won a corner on the right and at this point Mark Sadler left the field with an ankle injury and was replaced by Sam. Two minutes later Hithercroft took the lead when they played the ball down the right where Luke Tadgell took the ball on, centred it to Tyrone Francis who put the ball into the Widmer End goal to open the scoring. At 12.20 Widmer were unlucky when they took the ball down the left and hit a shot that went past the Hithercroft keeper but hit the post. The game was flowing from end to end but neither side were able to provide the finishing touch until the 39th minute. Dan Biggs had crossed the ball inside from the right wing and Tyrone rose to head the ball down into the left side of the goal to give Hithercroft a 2-0 lead. Three minutes later Frank curved the ball from a corner on the right, Tyrone jumped to head the ball toward the goal, a defender headed the ball back out for Tyrone to rise again and head the ball home for his hattrick. On e minute later the whistle went to signify the end of the first half.

The second half began 12.52 with Hithercroft now playing into the sun. Within sixty seconds Hithercroft sent the ball into the centre from the left and, as the goalkeeper advanced, Tyrone sent a shot over the crossbar. Four minutes later Hithercroft took the ball down the right where Tyrone collected it and sent it across to Dan Biggs who pushed it into the net for a 4-0 lead. Hithercroft were beginning to dominate the game but at 1.02 Widmer’s No. 16 sent the ball forward to their No. 9 who went between two defenders and hit the ball past the advancing Hithercroft keeper to open the account for Widmer End. Mark Sadler then returned to the field of play and Sam resumed his position on the touchline. After another near miss by Hithercroft they were rewarded when Dan Biggs sent the ball down the left and Dan Davy ran through to put the ball into the net to extend their lead to 5-1 at 1.05. Tyrone had received a knock in his back and left the field to be replaced by Sam. Widmer End took a couple of corners in quick succession but the first was pushed out of play and the second saw a shot go high over the crossbar. The resulting goal-kick was sent long down the middle to Dan Davy who then ran on and hit the ball into the left of the Widmer goal at 1.07 giving Hithercroft a 6-1 lead. In the 17th minute of the half the Widmer End goalkeeper and their No. 7 swapped roles for the remainder of the game and four minutes later Tyrone returned for Hithercroft and Sam, once again, resumed his position on the sidelines. At 1.22 the home team took the ball down the middle and lobbed the Hithercroft keeper, the ball bouncing into the net for Widmer’s second goal. This scoreline lasted for just 4 minutes when Tyrone went round two or three defenders and hammered the ball past the Widmer keeper and clocking up the 7th Hithercroft goal. Sam again returned to the field of play at 1.32, this time replacing Frank Smith who was suffering from cramp. One minute later Tyrone took a corner from the left for Hithercroft and the ball drifted across for Mark Sadler to jump and head the 8th goal for the visitors. At 1.35 Hithercroft extended their lead when Paul Morgan sent the ball infield to Dan Davy, who initially turned away from the goal when pressed by a defender, turned again and sent the ball across the goal and into the right-hand side of the net. At 1.37 the ball went down the middle to Luke Tadgell who went to the left of a defender and then went to the right, as the Widmer keeper came out, and hit the ball into the open net for the final goal of the match, giving Hithercroft a 10-2 victory.

Widmer End had kept trying from beginning to end and did not become dispirited throughout. They had a number of scoring opportunities and many attacks on the Hithercroft goal but, overall, were outplayed on the day.

Hithercroft scorers: Tyrone Francis (4), Dan Davy (3), Mark Sadler, Dan Biggs and Luke Tadgell.