Berkhamsted Raiders - League Cup (16/01/2005)
2004 - 2005 Season, Hithercroft Youth



For this round of the League Cup Hithercroft came up against Berkhamsted Raiders of the First Division on a slightly sticky pitch following recent damp weather. It was chilly and overcast but remained dry throughout the match. David Blackman was unavailable for this match and so Tyrone Francis captained the Hithercroft side that had two subs available in Ralph Kheir and Jamaine Warner. Berkhamsted has three subs on the touchline, the referee was Mr J. Galatin and Pat Vaughey ran the line for Hithercroft.

The game kicked off at 10.45am and play was fairly evenly distributed between the two sides, both alternating between attack and defence but neither keeper really being put under pressure. However, in the 32nd minute, Hithercroft were awarded a free-kick in their opponents half and Baz David sent the ball high towards the Raiders’ goal. The defence cleared the ball only as far as Rhydian Grange, who then struck the ball from about 25 yards and watched it sail into the top right-hand corner of the net. This gave the visitors a 1-0 lead that they held until the end of the half at 11.32am, the referee having added a couple of minutes of stoppage time.

The second half began at 11.39am, Berkhamsted Raiders having brought on Jeffery Duncombe but Hithercroft making no changes to their side. Dan Birch came close when he sent a shot in from the left wing that ended up just on top of the Raiders’ net. Paul Morgan threw himself at a header from Rhydian but failed to connect and the ball passed just outside the left-hand post. At 12.05pm the referee awarded a free-kick to Berkhamsted just outside the 18-yard box, having decided that Simon Mines, the Hithercroft goalkeeper, had held onto the ball for too long. Martin Jackson took the kick, sending it back to Jack Yarwood who hammered it through a crowd of players but Simon quickly got down to gather it. Hithercroft then attacked with Paul Morgan taking the ball around the advancing keeper but his final shot went just outside of the left-hand post. Ralph came on to replace Dewayne Dublin at 12.07pm and within a minute had put the ball into the Raiders’ net. Unfortunately he had controlled the ball with a hand as Baz crossed it to him and so the ‘goal’ was disallowed. Berkhamsted replaced Graham Mander with Joe Hepburn and at 12.15pm Hithercroft called off Dan Birch, replacing him with Jamaine Warner. Five minutes from the end Berkhamsted’s Jack Yarwood suffered a leg injury and had to leave the field, taking no further part in the game. At 12.32pm Michael Bowgen struck a hard shot over the Hithercroft crossbar as the referee signalled the end of the game.

Hithercroft had just shaded the first half and were justifiably 1-0 up but they tired in the second half and were put under a lot of pressure from the First Division side, who had more possession and territorial advantage towards the end. However, Berkhamsted Raiders were unable to capitalise on their pressure and so Hithercroft progress to the Quarter Finals stage.


Hithercroft team:-
Simon Mines, Richard Vere, Ben Steele, Mark Sadler, Rhydian Grange, Paul & Peter Morgan, Tyrone Francis (captain), Baz David, Dewayne Dublin and Dan Birch.
The subs were Jamaine Warner and Ralph Kheir

Hithercroft scorer:-
Rhydian Grange (32m)

Hithercroft Man-of-the-match:-
Tyrone Francis.


Berkhamsted Raiders team:-
Henry Hadaway, Christian Mordant, Michael Bowgen, Peter Goldsmith, Graham Manger, Matt Euwary, Luke Fanshaw, Anthony Edes, James Bennett, Jack Yarwood and Joss Lowery.
The subs were Jeffery Duncombe, Martin Jackson and Joe Hepburn


The following brief report was sent to the Bucks Free Press:-

In spite of coming up against 1st Division opposition, Hithercroft Youth from the second participated in a closely fought match where the outcome could have gone either way. In the 32nd minute of the first half Baz David sent a Hithercroft free-kick into the centre, the home team clearing it as far as Rhydian Grange who struck the ball back from 25 yards, the ball sailing past the keeper to put Hithercroft 1-0 ahead. Despite both sides having futher goal-scoring opportunities this proved to be the only goal of the match and saw Hithercroft through to the next round.


Based on the above short report submitted to the Bucks Free Press the following appeared in the ‘Midweek’:-

Grange goal gives Hithercroft unlikely victory over Raiders
Rhydian Grange fired Hithercroft to a League Cup upset as they overcame Berkhamsted Raiders 1-0. Raiders are fourth in Division One but it was second division Hithercroft who had the better of the game. After half-an-hour, Baz Davis’s free-kick was cleared as far as Grange, who hit the back of the net from 25 yards.