After last weeks memorable County Trophy triumph, it was back to business in the Invitation League Cup quarter final against the league's dominant force for the last four seasons, Wickford Town. The visiters were strong favourites considering Boreham were missing key players including last weeks cup final hero Rush who was busy questioning his sexuality on Brighton beech for the weekend! Ansell and Daz Ince were still missing through injury, and Parks and Gothard were serving their suspensions. Veteren Parkhurst was pencilled in but fell victim of an old mans Czech neck.
The So Solid crew at the back were gaffa Dale in goal with Chittock, Tom Wright, Stammers, and Coleman. The management were forced into abandoning the 4-3-3 formation that had brought so much success this term thus far, and reverted to a solid looking 4-4-2, with Skipper Ince and Jon Wright in the middle with Tomsett on the left and Joughin forced to start a game for the first time this year on the right hand side. That left Hawthorne as the target up top with Jay Dale taking the final spot alongside him.
The game started on a rock hard bumpy surface which Boreham struggled to play any football on in the early stages, and the visiters looked strong, dominating the opening fifteen minutes. The Clems were very much on the back foot with Joughin playing almost as a full back as Chittock gave extra defensive cover inside. This was inviting Wickford on and they got the opening goal with their first clear cut chance as their lively foward nipped in between Stammers and Wright to stab the ball past Dale for 0-1.
It was looking very much like a backs to the wall job as Boreham struggled to get the ball down and play with the direct approach having liitle effect against a sizable and solid Wickford back line. However as the half went on, the Clems climed out of their shell somewhat, and were breaking with far more regularity with Hawthorne looking strong and Jay Dale looking hungry. Most of Boreham's good play was coming down the left handside and Dicky got in behind the fullback to find Dale in the box. Dale turned inside and played a cross come shot which bounced in front of Joughin 6 yards out but the ring rusty wide man connected too well smashing the ball against the top of the bar and Wickfords lead remained in tact.
Five minutes later it was Hawthorne's turn to narrowly clear the bar from 10 yards out after Dale had turned the left back inside out and crossed towards the penalty spot begging his stike partner to finish after his nimble footwork. Boreham were looking stronger and stronger but it was a root one beast of a clearance from the Gaffa in goal that created the equaliser on the half hour mark. His hefty boot up field bounced high on the concrete like surface and Hawthorne just managed to get a toe end on the ball before the second bounce from the edge of the area as the keeper came to claim, and the ball rolled past him into the net for one each!
It was now looking like an even game but just over five minutes after the Clems had been gifted and equaliser, a mix up between Stammers and Ad Dale gifted it straight back, as a high hopeful cross from Wickford's left looked fairly inoccuous before Stammers sent a cushined header back towards Dale who had already come to claim it without the mandatory shout from the usually loud mouthed no nonsence keeper! The ball looped up and into the empty net and Boreham were behind once more at 1-2.
Half time came with the game in the balance, although over all Wickford Town probably just about deserved a one goal lead on the balance of play. Boreham however, remained confident that if they could get their eleven men through 90 minutes they were in with a shout of a big scalp and another semi final. The second half display was exactly what Dale asked for at the break, with the armbanded Ince leading by example in the midfield with an energetic and cultured display alongsige the Linchpin, J Wright, who protected the back four like his life depended on it! The Clementine back four never really looked like being breeched, and Dicky was looking as dangerous as ever down the left, with Joughin playing a more defensive (cant run up and down anymore) role down the right in front of Chittock.
Just before the hour mark Ince picked the ball up deep inside his half before unleashing an 80 yard worldy ping into the path of Dicky. There was still much work to do, and my was it done! Dicky cut inwards, took a touch to steady himself and finished with aplomb, smashing the ball unerringly into the far corner and the Clems were very much in the accendancy at 2-2!
Boreham continued to press and ten minutes later they got the winner their dogged determined approach warranted. Joughin nearly broke into full voice as Mick Hucknell, 'Rolling back the years' with a cheeky step over, cutting inside and spotting Coleman in space down the left, who himself cut back inside before completing the one two. The ball was then laid off to the supporting chittock who play a deft little ball into Incey inside the box. Ince's first touch got him in behind the badly positioned defender who in a desperate attempt to recover took Ince out from behind for a clear penalty.
With usual spot kick expert Ansell absent, it was a case of who had the confidence to step foward and notch from an unopposed kick from twelve yards. Even Joughin who in days gone by has always voluntered for such a situation, was reluctant to take the pressure kick! Up stepped the keen as mustard Coleman to try and give the Clems the lead for the first time in the game with 20 minutes left. The onlooking crowd could barely watch as he stepped up, but the energetic fullback made no mistake at all, as he gave the keeper the eyes and dispatched his kick confidently to the goalies left, 3-2 Get in!
Boreham saw the last twenty minutes out without much drama, keeping it tight and looking to kill the game on the break. Dale was hardly threatened in goal and Wickford Town who had started so strongly knew they were going to be the Clems' latest victims and went out with a wimper in the closing stages. So another great win for the Orange Juggernaught that goes marching on into their third semi final from the three cup competitions they've entered this season. What a season it has been, and it's far form over yet as Dale's boys prepare for their first double header against Ravens in a rare league fixture next week. We now await the draw for the semi final with great anticipation as the chance of another cup final beckons.
...Oh when the Clems, Oh when the Clems, Oh when the Clems go marching on!!!
