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Beacons Bottom - B & B Cup (14/01/2007) 2006 - 2007 Season, Afc Hithercroft  The sun was shining but it was rather chilly for the B & B Junior Cup (Round 4) game between Afc Hithercroft (currently 2nd in Divn 3) and FC Beacons Bottom (current leaders of Divn 2). Both sides had three subs available, the referee was Mr Roger Lipscombe and the linesman’s duties were shared between Pam Ife (first half) and Pat Vaughey. The game kicked off at 10.34am with Hithercroft playing into the sun (i.e. from right to left as viewed from the clubhouse). After 10 minutes the Beacons sent in a ball from the right, keeper Neil Stretton punched the ball clear and Beacons’ Pete Hammond hit a shot over the crossbar. On 20 minutes Hithercroft’s captain, Baz David, sent a free-kick into the 18-yard box, Ashley Anderson hit a shot that rebounded from the keeper and Frank Smith followed up with a shot that was again blocked. One minute later Hithercroft’s Tyrone Francis had to leave the field for a few minutes to receive treatment to his right knee. In the 36th minute Beacons played the ball downfield and, from a rebounded shot, Pete Hammond hit the ball past the keeper to put the visitors 1-0 ahead. The second half got under way at 11.25am with Mike Baldock replacing Dan Birch for Hithercroft. After 2 minutes Baz had to leave the field for treatment to his right side but soon returned to the game. In the 58th minute Baz crossed the ball to Frank who ran in from the left and struck the ball into the back of the Beacons’ net to level the score at 1-1. On 72 minutes Beacons sent on Jody Smith to replace Greg Bartholomew and this proved to be a good move as, just 4 minutes later, Jody put his team back in front with a headed goal. However, he injured his leg on landing and was replaced by Phil Roberts. Four minutes later both teams made substitutions, Ollie Redrup replacing Pete Hammond for Beacons and Richard Vere replacing Kevin Howell in the Hithercroft side. In the 82nd minute Hithercroft were awarded the second of two consecutive free-kicks, Baz having been brought down on both occasions. Frank curved the ball over the defensive wall but keeper, Ross Hathaway, gathered it just below the crossbar. Three minutes later Beacons’ Will Davis rose up to head a shot against the Hithercroft crossbar. Hithercroft made their final substitution on 88 minutes, putting on John Baldock to replace Richard McKie. In the 90th minute Hithercroft sent the ball down the left wing, Baz collected it and raced away towards goal. As the keeper went down on the ball it slipped under his body and Baz tapped home the equaliser. Although 7 minutes of stoppage time was added by the referee there was no change to the 2-2 score-line and so extra time had to be played. Within two minutes Beacons were back in the lead when Will Davis took advantage of Hithercroft’s slowness to clear the ball and put the ball into the net. Two minutes later, whilst Baz was receiving treatment to a leg injury, Phil Roberts extended Beacon’s lead despite calls of ‘Handball’ from some of the Hithercroft players. In the 14th minute of the first period of extra time Ashley sent a superb pass down the middle, Baz raced downfield, sidestepped the keeper and tapped the ball into the net to bring Hithercroft back to just one goal behind. In the second period Hithercroft’s Kris Clark and Baz both needed treatment to knee injuries. In the 7th minute Beacons’ Stuart MacLellan centred the ball and Ollie Redrup sent a shot just over the Hithercroft crossbar. The home team were unable to get a further goal that would have taken the match into penalties and Beacons ran out 4-3 winners. This had been an exciting game with Beacons just shading the first half and Hithercroft, after a stirring half-time team-talk, having the better of the second half. Beacons had played better as a team and deserved their place in the next round of the cup but Hithercroft had put up worthy opposition. Hithercroft scorers: Frank Smith (58 mins), Baz David (90 mins and E.T. 14mins) Hithercroft team: Neil Stretton (GK), Kevin Midgley, Dougie Carswell, Kris Clarke, Dan Birch, Frank Smith, Tyrone Francis, Richard McKie, Baz David, Ashley Anderson and Kevin Howell. Hithercroft subs: Mike Baldock replaced Dan Birch (45 mins), Richard Vere replaced Kevin Howell (80 mins) and John Baldock replaced Richard McKie (88 mins) Hithercroft M.o.M: Neil Stretton FC Beacons Bottom’s scorers: Pete Hammond (36 mins), Jody Smith (86 mins), Will Davis (E.T. 2 mins), Phil Roberts (E.T. 4 mins) FC Beacons Bottom’s team: Ross Hathaway (GK), Will Davis, Stuart MacLellan, Pete Hammond, Chris Mallyon, Adam North, Martin James, Ozzy Dawson, Tom Martin, Greg Bartholomew, Darren Hemmings. Subs: Jody Smith replaced Greg Bartholomew (72 mins), Phil Roberts replaced Jody Smith (76 mins), Ollie Redrup replaced Pete Hammond (80 mins) FC Beacons Bottom M.o.M: Darren Hemmings Bookings: Ashley Anderson (44m), Dougie Carswell (83m), Adam North (E.T. 6m) and Tom Martin (E.T. 22m). |
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