In the 1st round of the Derbyshire cup Darley Dale Lions were gifted a nice tie as they welcomed Clowne Wanderers over 35s. This was one of them games you would expect the younger side to win but get ten bails of s%$t kicked out of them in the process.The game did more a less go to script but the lions did make hard work of it in spells. The home side started the game kicking towards the lakeside end in a formation of 4-5-1, a formation that has suited Dean Concannons men for a few week now and did they start the brighter team. The Lions started the game pressing down the left hand side getting in behind the back line of the visitors. Good link up between Mark Ashton and Jordan Watts was causing problems.When they did get in behind the back line the hightower Jon Cooper was waiting to pounce on the loose ball to give the lions the lead. It was a typical Shearers goal.
The pace of the game did some what change as The Lions dropped their pace to the vets level rather than make the vets do the chasing. In all fairness the visitors didnt look like scoring. They had a Phil Mitchell wannabe up front and a centre mid that nearly made me sub myself on. With the game in a rut it needed something special to change it a it was Jon cooper again to find a littl bit of magic finding the top corner to make it 2-0
Half way through the game Richard Askew had to be withdrawn due to a poorly timed challenge from the Jan Molby lookalike in the middle of the park.This made way for Gaz Whitworth to come into a game that suited his age group I dont feel he will forget his first touch as Molby was late again.
HT2-0.
For the first 10 to 15 minutes of the second half the Action stayed pretty stale mate. Sam Wragg made way for Liam Ashton early in the second half who put in a solid display at the back when introduced.
The third of the game came from who else but Jon Cooper to wrap up his hat trick pouncing on a goalkeeping error to side foot the ball into the middle of the goal ,3 nil.
The forth came from Martin Chivers Travis who was put through by a flick on from cooper and he slotted the ball ini the bottom corner. 4-0
The funniest moment of the match came as Jay Roose caught Jan Molby in the middle of the park. Both players rised from the surface for Jan to flip his lid chasing Roose round the field. It was like watching a relay when the batton changes hands.
The vets did grab one back when a ball came over the top and Phil Mitchell got onto it. In that moment Phil Mitchell became Alan Cork with a goal that you can only describe as individual magic. He twisted and turned his way round the defenders to sit them on their arses. It goes to show that football might go in the legs but remains in the brain.
Darleys 5th was also Coopers 4th as Watts flicked one on for Cooper to put into the roof of the net.
Matt Allsop had a chance to make it 5 with a couple of chances putting one over the bar and for the second he failed to beat the keeper.
Ryan Parsley did make it 5 when he made his way up the pitch smashing the ball into the back of the net.
full time 6-1
