Didcot Town 1 Clevedon Town 2 (aet)
Clevedon travelled to Division One South and West leaders Didcot Town and pulled off an excellent 2-1 win after extra time on a cold evening to reach the Errea Cup Final for the first time, with Danny Haines netting the winner in the sixth minute of added time. Mike Trought passed a fitness test and joined Craig Loxton in the starting line-up, with Matt Thorne making his first appearance of the season on the substitute’s bench.
Both sides started at pace on a pitch that was not only very large but had a very good playing surface and Mitchell Page had a chance to give Clevedon a lead in the very first minute but his attempt at chipping Michael Watkins lacked any power, and the striker was again guilty of a weak shot minutes later when put through by Craig Loxton. It was the home side who took the lead though when they exposed Clevedon’s weakness at defending set pieces, allowing Anacelet Odhiambo to pop up at the far post to force home Matt Bicknell’s corner and put the home side ahead. After their bright start, however, Clevedon lost their way and, despite enjoying plenty of possession, were largely restricted to long range shots as they failed to make use of the space afforded by the wide pitch. It was the hosts who enjoyed more of the attacking play and Danny Greaves was required to make a couple of good saves, notably from the tricky Michael Witt just after the half hour. However despite plenty of effort there were few clear chances being created but it was Clevedon who were probably happier to hear the half time whistle after a poor first half display.
The half time cup of tea clearly worked wonders for Clevedon though as they came out and immediately imposed themselves on their hosts, raising the pace of the game and not allowing their hosts as much time and space. The first clear chance of the half however fell to Didcot’s Hopel who forced a good save from Danny Greaves, but it was Clevedon who were now dominating the game and their pace and aggressive running was troubling their hosts. It was no real surprise when they equalised in the 58th minute after Craig Loxton put Kris Leek through and his superb cross from virtually on the goal line was put away by Kyle Bassett on the back post. After that, it was Clevedon who were in control as their hosts began to discover the difference in standard between Premier and Division One football, and Christian Sylvester, Craig Loxton, Kyle Bassett and Mitchell Page all had opportunities to give the visitors the lead. At the back, Scott, Hendy and Trought were superb in limiting Didcot’s free scoring strikers and, with Josh Brigham and Danny Haines pushing forward at will, Clevedon were now showing some great form.
Clevedon’s failure to put away their chances was beginning to be a slight worry again though, although they could have scored twice in the final minute when Christian Sylvester’s shot was superbly turned round the post by Watkins. The resulting corner from Kris Leek found the head of Scott Hendy but his towering header, in the last move of the half, was headed off the line by Matt Bicknell to take the game into extra time. Clevedon continued their domination and it was no surprise when Danny Haines put them ahead in the sixth minute of the first period. Josh Brigham and Christian Sylvester combined to set up Danny and he had time to compose himself before coolly crashing the ball through the keeper’s legs into the back of the net. This turned out to be the winner as Clevedon comfortably held on and indeed could have added further goals on the break, but the final whistle blew with Clevedon fully deserving their place in the final. The referee and his assistants left the field to boos from the home crowd but that seemed to stem more from frustration as they had seen their team lose for the first time for a while, and their inability to compete physically must be worrying for their management if they do achieve promotion…
After a wayward first half display, this turned into an excellent performance by the Seasiders, with Craig Loxton, the tireless Kyle Bassett and Rob Scott outstanding as Clevedon’s pace up front and resolute defence won the day. They now go on to a two legged final against Hillingdon Borough, halfway up the Division One South and West table, who shocked Kings Lynn on their own ground in the other semi-final.
Gallery
Team Sheet
| No: | Name: | Sub: | Goal: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greaves | ||
| 2 | Brigham | ||
| 3 | Haines | 1 | |
| 4 | Scott (Capt) | ||
| 5 | Hendy | ||
| 6 | Trought | ||
| 7 | Leek | ||
| 8 | Loxton | ||
| 9 | Page | ||
| 10 | Bassett | 1 | |
| 11 | Sylvester | ||
| 12 | Bater | ||
| 14 | Thorne | ||
| 15 | Prosser | ||
| 16 | Symons | 10 | |
| 17 | - | ||
| Own Goal | - |
Match Details
| Date: | 04/03/08 |
|---|---|
| Competition: | Errea Cup Semi-final |
| Opponents: | Didcot Town |
| Venue: | Npower Loop Meadow Stadium Bowmont Water Didcot OX11 7GA |
| Half Time: | 0 - 1 |
| Full Time: | 2 - 1 (after extra time) |
| Attendance: | 264 |
| Match Report: | Steve Small |
| Photographs: | Tony Merrett |
Away Kit |
On-Site Recruitment Solutions Ltd |
| Notes: |
Downloads
| Appearances & Goal Scorers | Word Document |
|---|---|
| Team Sheet Matrix | Excel Document |