Derbyshire Junior Sunday Cup 2nd Round.
AFC Walton.....5 The Grapes (Glossop)...2.
AFC Walton kicked off thier double cup campaign against a very well organised, Hyde and District 2nd Division outfit, The Grapes from Glossop, this morning @ Eastwood Park. Benny stuck with his winning starting 11 that, moved to the top of Division 5, just 7 days ago. They carved themselves a chance in the first few seconds with Lee Walton picking out the run of Brown, but the keeper raced out of his goal and cleared, with the winger picking up a knock in the process. The hosts then found themselves under a bit of pressure, with the visitors pushing forward with 3 attackers kicking up the slope, and indeed went close a couple of times inside the first few minutes as Bettney tried to rally his co- defenders. Bettney in fact was robbed of the ball just outside his own box but recovered to make the saving tackle.
Slowly the hosts began to claw back into the game and a great team move saw Mitchell cross, but the keeper caught the ball at full stretch. After a spell of pressure the hosts grabbed the lead when Bettneys long kick was headed on by Mitchell for WRIGHT to pick up, he wriggled past a defender into the box and his first time shot caught a defender sending the ball past the keepers despairing dive. Five mins later a cross zipped in by Brown was missed by inches as Mitchell raced in. Mitchell then took a corner that was met by a towering Goodwin header, but it looped over the bar. On 27 mins a great team move involving Megyesi and Paul Walton saw Mitchell fire inches wide. All the pressure paid dividends just after the half hour, when a superb ball by Paul Walton saw Browns first time cross slid in by MITCHELL as the keeper tried to block Within 3 minutes WRIGHT scored the goal of the game, Brown played him in and his cool lob over the advancing keeper seemed to take an age to cross the line with Mitchell and a defender following it in. A very fruitful 8 minutes for AFC was capped on 40 minutes when WRIGHT completed yet another hat-trick, the ball came into the box and the in form striker prodded the ball home in a crowded penalty area. HALF TIME AFC Walton...4 The Grapes (Glossop)...0. Benny started the second half staying with the same 11, hoping that AFC would eventually get the first goal of the half. The Grapes however were still not overawed despite the half time scoreline and for good chunks of the half pushed the hosts back into defending. Furniss made a great sliding tackle on 52 mins as Grapes threatened. And he had to be quick again to save after Bettney was robbed just outside the box on the hour. Browns run up the wing picked out Silcock whose first time cross caused a scramble and Mitchell poked the ball inches wide.
Mitchell then ran at the Grapes defenders, weaving into the box before being tripped, and BETTNEY stepped up to smash the spot kick home giving the keeper no chance on 64 mins. They shot themselves in the foot again at the back on 67 mins, a number of defenders passed the ball about with none of them preared to clear the ball upfield, and eventually Megyesi, who had otherwise had a faultless display, was the unlucky one to make the mistake and the visitors striker THOMAS fired home. Bonson came on after 70 mins replacing the industrious Danny Brown on the wing, and soon after the Walton brothers linked up with Lee firing just wide. Bennett came off after 75 mins after a much better game than of late, with Whitehead going in at the back to create a 4-4-2 formation. Moments later Mitchell again went close putting the ball wide after hurdling the keeper. A fine shot by the hosts looked like creeping in at the far post until Silcocks header deflected it onto the post. There was a moment of madness on 80 mins when a mazy run by Mitchell was halted with a crude tackle, the players went together, but sense was restored when the Referee just ticked off both players. Higginbottom came on to replace Silcock in a straight swap on 81 mins, and the game began to fizzle out until the final minute, when Furniss tried to punch clear, the ball dropped to a player on the edge of the box, his first time shot was well saved by the keeper, but whilst he was on the floor, he hauled down a player in the box and FIELD fired the spot kick home. FULL TIME AFC Walton...5 The Grapes (Glossop)....2
A great game putting AFC into the 3rd Round draw on tuesday into the last 16. The lads from Glossop were a thoroughly nice bunch of lads, it was a real pleasure to to have them visit today. Benny was pleased over all by the whole teams performance today. MOTM Lee Wright, a fine hat-trick taking him to 104 goals for the club.
