West Cheshire League 2 Yorkshire Old Boys League 3

In a feisty contest the Yorkshire Old Boys League progressed to the semi-finals of the FA sponsored National League Systems Cup by winning a high tempo game at Vauxhall Motors ground but having to survive a nervy final 10 minutes. Bright February sun greeted the teams with YOBL in their now customary white shirts and blue shorts with their opponents in all yellow. We used 3-5-2. They use a more traditional 4-4-2. A young referee Ben Toner was in charge in front of a crowed of 150 and the game started with YOBL kicking towards the Birkenhead end of the ground. The opening phases of the game, on playing back the tape, were very much cut and thrust with the main threat to the Old Boys League goal coming down the flanks. Ther first real attack came after some 10 minutes when Alan Bull headed over from a well flighted cross but despite that threat down the wings the YOBL defence dealt superbly with all that was thrown at them. The game was played at a rattling tempo but slowly YOBL became more confident led by Dave Ashmore carrying the ball out of defence like Beckenbauer, feeding Matty Jackson, who, for the first time of the afternoon but certainly not the last, pressurised the West Cheshire defence into making a hasty clearance. Over the first quarter of the game the Cheshire attack had shown more versatility than that of the WRCA in the previous game but by the 25th minute the balance of the game changed very much in YOBL favour but we all awaited that all important first goal. Firstly a three pronged attack involving Matty Lloyd, Sam Clark and John Mallinson tested the Cheshire defence and this was followed by an attack instigated by Steve Tierney that put Matt Jackson through only for the attack to be pulled back for what may have been a foul on the keeper. Then a five man move led to panic stations in the Cheshire defence. Bridge, to Tierney, to Mallinson, to Lloyd and to Sam Clark who only just failed to open the scoring.  The more incisive YOBL went ahead in the 28th minute when a Tom Marston corner, surely engineered on the training ground, was bullet headed home by skipper Tom Priestley. A sweeping move started with Steve Tierney putting Matty Jackson through on the left. His crossfield ball to John Mallinson was imaginative and well targeted but just short of putting John through from a promising position. With the home side in disarray Matty Lloyd, who won the corner for the opening goal, ran into the box after being put through by a classic moment from Tom Marston and he was brought down with John Mallinson coolly slotting home from the ensuing penalty. We may have had fewer attacks but they were more potent and much more threatening. This menace led to a dreadful defensive error by Cheshire in the 36th minute but after taking the ball within a few feet of the goal Matty Jackson decided to make sure and in so doing delayed his shot as a fine tackle robbed him of the chance his hard work created. Cheshire created a couple of half chances with one, from the edge of the right hand angle of the 6 yd box, hit tamely wide although a wall of defenders protected the goal. Even in this ten minute sortie the most penetrative move came when Sam Clark fed the hungry Matt Jackson who put in a super cross to the edge of the six yard box that Matty lloyd just failed to reach and conceded a free kick in the process.  The fierce assault on the Old Boys League goal continued and just when it seemed this had been repelled Alan Bull stroked the ball home to make the score 2-1 with just about the last kick of the first half.

The second half onslaught from Cheshire was expected but the visitors defence held firm with Collegians keeper Sam Burns catching anything that moved. Our cause was helped by West Cheshire having a player sent off seven minutes into the second half. The next attack by Cheshire proved to be the turning point of the game. A half clearance was met on the edge of the area by a fierce volley going into the top right hand corner of the YOBL net. Fortunately this was deflected upwards by an Old Boys defender and the shot clipped the top of the cross bar. Remember that. The 58th minute. Phew!. The threat from the West Cheshire left produced a good catch from Sam but,on playing the tape back it seems we were by far the more creative side. A move involving Tierney, Marston and Lloyd produced a hurried Cheshire back pass followed by Clark, Tierney and and Jackson winning a corner. One moment of real danger for YOBL required a superb challenge in the six yard box ny Dave Ashmore to rob Cheshire of a good scoring opportunity with the rebound falling kindly for Burns. A couple of shots from distance and firstly  when the ball rached Tom Marston following a Matty lloyd free-kick and his long range effort was deflected for a corner. The corner was cleared some 30 yards and this induced anothe long shot, this time from Steve Tierney, that was itself deflected for another corner. This led to respite for YOBL with Matty Lloyd making use of a gift pass from a Cheshire defender to take the ball into the penalty area and as he confidently slotted the ball home in the 66th minute. This rebuff acted as a rallying cry for the 10 man Cheshire outfit although Old Boys League passing lacked accuracy at times. Nevertheless Matt Jackson fed Matty LLoyd and his cross eluded everyone but only half cleared and YOBL had two shots blocked. James Parkinson comes on for Steve Tierney with the latter covering nearly evdey blade from box to box and James almost scores without touching the ball. This was the end piece of our best delivery into the box of the game when Matt Jackson's right wing cross left the Cheshire stranded but in spite of a leap into the deep end by James he was just a couple of inches away from glory.  A clumsy challenge on John Mallinson, he had to be replaced shortly afterwards,  meant Cheshire were down to 9 men but it says much for their character that Alan Bull succeeded in hitting home from the edge of the area when he should have been closed down. Littel doubt this lapse was due to fatigue as everyone gave the proverbial 110%. Only late danger was a mysterious free kick two feet outside the area that was easily blocked.  Five minutes injury time did not help but by then Cheshire were a spent force. A fantastic team display with everyone sticking to the task they were set. Effort does bring its own reward but at this level fitness, skill and footballing nous are the essential ingredients and this the team has in abundance. Roll on Liverpool or Cambridge.


Team: Sam Burns (Collegians): Dave Ashmore Medics), Tom Priestley skipper (Trinity OB); Paul Smith (Medics: John Mallinson (Stanningley OB), Sam Clark (Hudd Amat), Tim Bridge (St Nicholas); Steve Tierney (Stanningley OB); Tom Marston (Trinity OB): Matty Jackson (Gildersome Spurs);Matty Lloyd (Medics). Subs:- James Parkinson (Ealandians for Steve Tierney - 70 mins); Michael Joyce for John Mallinson - 80 minutes); Chris Fosker (Medics for Tim Bridge - 87 minutes): Not used - Paul Gales (Medics) and Daniel Thackray (Gildersome Spurs).

Much pre-match planning and attention to detail on the day by Manager Mark Reid of Ealandians and his assistant from  Leeds Medics Dr. Stephen Ledger played no small part  in the Yorkshire Old Boys League success  Will add more later but this was a contest played at a fast tempo on a super, wide pitch and against a more than competent yet at times flawed side this was our best win so far.