30/10/11: New Derby FC (3) v (3) Silksworth Fleece (After Extra Time – Silksworth Fleece won 4-2 on penalties)
Scorers: Thompson, Taylor (pen), Boiston
Starting Team: Stothard (GK), Ashman (Fisher), Horn (c), Scott, Bunyan, Robson, Gourlay, Hutchinson (Young), Taylor (Boiston), Thompson, Calvert
Subs (Unused): None
Yellows: None
Reds: None
The New Derby were eliminated from this season’s Total Sport Challenge Trophy following a cruel 4-2 loss on penalty kicks to Silksworth Fleece. The actual game itself finished 2-2 after normal time and then 3-3 after extra time with little to choose between the two sides.
Scott Linton was without injured duo Graham Binks (shin) and James Dodsworth (hamstring). They were replaced by Paul Bunyan and Luke Taylor, who both made their first starts following ankle problems. New signing, Matthew Fisher was named alongside Adam Young and Dec Boiston on the bench.
The Derby took an early lead on seven minutes. A long clearance forward by Sam Scott was flicked on by Luke Taylor and this saw Rob Calvert scamper clear. Calvert advanced into the penalty area before unselfishly squaring the ball to Martin Thompson who was left with an easy tap in.
Both sides were playing some neat football and enjoying prolonged spells of possession.
With around twenty five minutes on the clock Silksworth Fleece levelled proceedings with a goal that had more than a hint of offside about it. A cross was delivered from the right and a Fleece forward stole in behind the Derby centre halves to plant a header past Stothard at his near post. Replays clearly showed though that the scorer was at least a couple of yards offside when the ball was played into the box.
Silksworth Fleece now had their tails up and they quickly turned the game on its head by taking the lead. A long ball forward was chested down by one of the Silksworth Fleece attackers and, after holding off a challenge from a Derby defender, he drilled a shot across Stothard and into the far corner of the net.
At the break, the Derby found themselves behind but with the added advantage of the wind at their backs for the second period they were certainly not out of the game.
The Derby started the second half positively and quickly put Silksworth Fleece on the back foot.
Just after the hour mark and the Derby were handed a route back into the game when they were awarded a penalty. Referee, Graeme Fyvie, adjudged that Rob Calvert had been shoved in the back as he rose to meet Luke Taylor’s left wing cross. Somewhat surprisingly it was Taylor himself who grabbed the ball and took the spot kick but he made no mistake placing his left foot penalty into the top left hand corner of the net. That was to be Taylor’s last contribution on what had been an eventful return from injury as he was replaced by Dec Boiston.
Tackles started to fly in thick and fast with Silksworth Fleece midfielder, Baxter, sporting a Joey Bartonesque combover, coming in for some pretty harsh treatment.
Both teams were pushing for the winner no doubt wanting to avoid the extra thirty minutes that extra time would bring.
With around five minutes remaining, the Derby had a great chance to nick it but the usually reliable Calvert saw his left foot shot effort saved by the legs of the keeper.
At the sound of the referee’s whistle to signal the end of ninety minutes there was absolutely nothing to separate the two sides. Scott Linton gathered his team in and gave them a rallying cry. Iain Ashman was replaced for the additional half an hour by debutant Matthew Fisher in a straight swap at right back.
Extra time started disastrously for the Derby as inside the first minute they fell behind. Following a good passing move by the Fleece, pantomine villain, Baxter, dispatched a right foot shot past Stothard to, temporarily at least, silence the New Derby following.
Fleece went close again shortly afterwards but Stothard made an excellent save low down to his left to tip the ball round the post for a corner. From the resulting corner he made another great reaction save to tip a header over the bar.
Towards the end of the first period of extra time, Silksworth Fleece started to tire and the Derby sensing this started to go through the gears. Thompson went just wide with a shot and only a sublime last ditch tackle denied Stephen Robson as he shaped to shoot.
With ten minutes of extra time remaining, Adam Young was brought on in place of Martin Hutchinson to provide fresh legs in the attacking third and he was to play a big part in the Derby equaliser.
Some excellent closing down by Young forced a Fleece defender to put the ball out for a Derby throw-in level with the edge of the penalty area. It was at this point that debutant, Matthew Fisher, decided to illustrate his long throw prowess. He hurled the ball into the box where it was flicked on at the front post by Ben Horn, and then met crisply on the volley by Boiston whose shot flew past the keeper leaving him with absolutely no chance.
Both sides missed chances in the final couple of minutes as the game became stretched whilst Horn made an excellent recovery tackle to deny a shot on goal in what was virtually the last attack of the game.
So, the match went to penalties. Gourlay, Calvert, Robson, Scott and Thompson were the Derby chosen five. Following the coin toss, Silksworth Fleece had the honour of taking the first penalty.
The first Fleece penalty was weak and comfortably saved by Stothard diving to his left but the Derby momentum was short lived as Dave Gourlay then missed the Derby’s first penalty. He was extremely unlucky to see his penalty hit the inside of the post and rebound away to safety. Fleece converted their next two penalties whilst both Calvert and Robson followed suit. Fleece then went 3-2 clear which saw the pressure fall on Sam Scott. Sadly it proved to be too much for the Derby centre back as he skied his spot kick well over the bar. That meant that if Silksworth Fleece scored their next penalty then they were through. Unfortunately for the Derby they did meaning the Fleece ran out 4-2 winners on penalties and in the process clinched a place in the next round of the Total Sport Challenge Trophy.
All in all, the Derby can be pleased with their performance and on another day it would have been they rather than their opponents who made it through. The Derby return to league action next Sunday with a short trip to the Rolls Royce to play Halfway House.
