GOALS GALORE IN THE VETERANS CUP
The Quarter Finals of the Middlesex FA Veterans’ Cup were contested on Sunday last, 16th January. The holders, Middlesex Wanderers AFC hosted Jamrock Vets FC Veterans and our roving team of Chris Benn (photographer) and Jim Taylor (reporter) were there. The match was played on the artificial surface at Brunel University.
Middlesex Wanderers had reached this stage of the competition with a 5-3 away win in Round 2 against FC Shepherd’s Bush Oldsters (Sunday) FC. They had been awarded a bye in Round 1. Jamrock had defeated Winchmore Hill Veterans A (4-2 away) in Round 1 and Tansley Sunday Veterans in a penalty shoot-out, after a 1-1 away draw in Round 2.
The match got off to an incredible start. Wanderers went 3-0 up in the first 4 minutes. Jamrock appeared to be disorientated, perhaps by the artificial surface, and the Wanderers’ forwards just walked through them to score from close range. Mark Bentley netted inside 2 minutes. Rob Laney converted Spencer Knight’s cross and then Spencer tapped in a pass from Steve Wales.
Jamrock composed themselves and play moved quickly up and down the pitch. Their captain, Adam Newton went on a good run and fed Julian Edwards whose shot was gathered by the keeper. Then Wanderers’ Rob Laney made a run and shot across goal, just missing the far post. Another Wanderers’ move ended with the keeper saving Alan Tait’s close-range shot.
Chris Henry’s header was saved by Wanderers’ keeper, Steve Dickinson and then, at the other end, a good curling low drive by Tony Fontnelle was pushed for a corner by Jamrock’s custodian, Wesley Jackman.
Rob Laney received the ball from a corner and added a fourth goal for Middlesex Wanderers in the 19th minute.
Five minutes later, after good scoring efforts had been foiled by the respective keepers at both ends, Wanderers went 5-0 up through Alan Tait, who flicked home a low cross from Rob Laney.
Jamrock’s Chris Henry pulled a goal back for his side in the 36th minute, by working through the home defence and firing across the keeper into the far corner of the net.
Chris Dickson almost added a second goal for Jamrock 5 minutes later. He showed splendid control by taking the ball through the middle and then lobbing the keeper. Unfortunately, the lob was just too strong and the ball narrowly cleared the cross-bar.
Chris Dickson was released by Julian Edwards in the final minute of the first half but the keeper stopped his shot.
Half time score: Middlesex Wanderers 5 Jamrock Veterans 1
Jamrock got their second goal 3 minutes into the second half through Chris Dickson, who converted a penalty awarded for holding, via the post.
Less than a minute later, Alan Tait took the ball up the middle, through the defence and round the keeper for Wanderers’ 6th goal.
Both sides continued to make openings and Jamrock were next to score, through Julian Edwards, who smashed the ball home in the 56th minute, after being set up by Adam Newton.
Two minutes later, Alan Tait hit the post with a low drive and then Brett Donnelly released Adam Parker, who placed the ball into the corner of the net to make the score 7-3.
A shot from Brett then crashed against the Jamrock bar and bounced down onto the goal-line.
Jamrock mounted a sustained attack and failed to convert a couple more chances before being awarded a penalty, when Chris Henry was felled in the box. This was converted by Julian Edwards, to make the score 7-4 in the 69th minute.
At this point the Wanderers players were anxiously asking me, seated by the half way line, furiously scribbling notes, “how long is there left?” and “what is the score now?”.
However, Rob Laney lobbed the ball over the keeper before chasing it and heading it home, in the 74th minute to make it 8-4 and 2 minutes later Brett Donnelly made it 9-4 from close range.
Mario Noto hit the visitors’ cross-bar, before Chris Dickson scored with the help of a deflection, with the last kick of the match.
Referee Vishaal Patel controlled the proceedings admirably.
Final Score: Middlesex Wanderers 9 Jamrock Veterans 5
MIDDLESEX WANDERERS: Steve Dickinson, Tony Fontnelle, Dave Bastian, Dave Corran, Jon Stephenson, Mark Bentley, Steve Wales, Mario Noto, Rob Laney, Alan Tait and Spencer Knight.
Substitutes (rolling substitutions are employed in this competition): Adam Parker, Brett Donnelly, Francis Duku, Steven Ward and Colm Hickey.
JAMROCK: Wesley Jackman, Adam Newton, Dwight Cunningham, Stewart Simo, Marcus Bean, Craig White, Julian Edwards, Antony Thomas, Chris Henry, Steven Robert and Justin Baily.
Substitutes: Adetayo Soyoye, Chris Dickson, John Britcher and Spencer Tafferelli
REFEREE: Vishaal Patel
OTHER QUARTER FINAL RESULTS:
The results of the other matches played in the competition that day were:
Shene Old Grammarians Vets 2 Hadley Sunday Veterans 0
Rayners Lane Veterans 2 London Lions Veterans A 1
Shire United Vets received a walk-over in their match against Brentford United Vets.
SEMI FINALS DRAW (scheduled for Sunday, 13th February).
Shene Old Grammarians Vets v Middlesex Wanderers AFC
Shire United Veterans v Rayners Lane Veterans
We thank Chris & Jim for giving up their valuable time to take in this Quarter-Final match-up, as always they have selected their favourite images from the match as displayed throughout the report, Chris has also shared a full album of imagery which can be found below.