DERBYSHIRE SUNDAY JUNIOR CUP 1ST ROUND
WHITE SWAN RES...2 BRITANNIA F.C...8
Simon Bonson scored his first Britannia hat-trick in his 106th Appearance for the club. At the same ground where Britannia had hit EIGHT in the league a week previous, confidence was high in the camp despite appalling weather with heavy rain right from the early hours of the morning. Despite this, the pitch was in very good condition in a game that favoured the visitors due to a fine record in matches between the clubs.
Britannia pushed forward from the kick off, with a stiff breeze at their backs, and against a team that had to kick off with just NINE men, due to some late arrivals. WALTON who had smacked 3 goals in BOTH his last TWO visits to this particular ground, looked dangerous being pushed forward to striker with the absence of Jez Mitchell. It was no suprise when he got on the end of a pass to slot the ball home after just 4 minutes. He was on target AGAIN in the EIGHTH minute, when it threatened to turn into a one man show, again picking up a pass, holding onto the ball, before firing across the keeper and into the far corner for 2-0.
Swan were showing little in the way of getting back into the game, even though numbers were level by this time, and WHEN they did get through Cupitt, Miles and Whithead mopped up the pressure with ease, leaving Furniss as a spectator for long periods. Brown and Megyesi bussied themselves down the wings with Goodwin and Bennett bossing the midfield. After 25 mins Bonson whipped a superb long ball from just inside the Swan half right into the heart of the box, MEGYESI pulled the ball down in one move and scored with ease to put Britannia in complete control.
Probably the best goal of the game arrived on the half hour, a short corner was whipped in by Bonson and WRIGHT scored with a neat flick of the head at the near post leaving the Swan defence standing. BONSON decided he WASNT just going to be a provider of goals converting a fine cross by Wright to make it 5-0. MEGYESI rounded off the half linking with Bonson to put the game well out of the Division 8 outfits reach. HALF TIME White Swan Res..0 Britannia..6
Cupitt complained of a tight chest at half time after suffering with a cold all week and was replaced by Higginbottom for the 2nd half, with the Blues told not to give the hosts a glimmer of a chance, and to go in search of more goals in the 2nd period. White Swan got back into the game in bizzare circumstances just 7 minutes in, the home keeper LAUNCHED a long kick out of his hands, aided by the wind it bounced just 25 yards from the blues goal, and sailed over the stranded Furniss, who was just too far out from his goal. A double booking took place soon after when a slight altercation near the half way line ensued Moments later however the Swan CAPTAIN was lucky not to get his marching orders when he was in trouble again, after mixing it with Paul Walton.
BONSON grabbed his SECOND of the game after being found with a pass by Walton on the hour, and 2 minutes later Hardy replaced Furniss in goal with the game safe at this point. BONSON however completed his hat-trick on 63 mins with the easiest goal he'll EVER score after Wrights shot came back off the post he stabbed the ball in from a yard out. Moments later the lively Shane Bennett was replaced after pulling his back, giving Taylor the chance of another run out.
It was Hardys turn to pick the ball out of the net with just a quater of an hour to go, a speculative shot wide out on the right left the stand in keeper rooted to the spot and crashed in off the underside of the crossbar and up into the roof of the net. Hardy was to redeem himself however just 3 mins later, a corner caused havoc in the blues defence, they failed to clear the danger, and the ball fell to a striker 20 yards out, he fired in a low shot into the bottom left hand corner through a crowded area, but the keeper launched himself to tip the ball round the post.
As time wore on both sides just wanted to hear the final whistle, with everybody at the ground drenched with constant rain throughout the game and of course the result was in no doubt at this point. There was another skirmish with minutes to go with Higginbottom recieving a yellow after tusstling with an opponent inside the 6 yard box. FINAL SCORE White Swan Reserves...2 Britannia F.C...8
