18/03/12: New Derby FC (7) v (1) The Willow Pond FC
Scorers: Thompson, Waites, Calvert 2, Scott, Robson, Taylor (pen)
Starting Team: Udale (GK), Josh McGill, Bunyan, Scott, Robson, Waites (Wright), Binks (c) (Hutchinson), Gourlay, Dodsworth (Taylor), Thompson, Calvert
Subs (Unused): Boiston, Fisher, Young
Yellows: Calvert
Reds: None
A ruthless New Derby recorded back to back 7-1 wins as they easily swept aside promotion rivals, Willow Pond at the Downhill Dome.
Scott Linton made one change to the side which started last week’s contest. Club captain, Ben Horn, was unavailable due to personal reasons and his place was taken by Paul Bunyan. Graham Binks took over the captain’s armband.
The New Derby started brightly and almost took a very early lead. Martin Thompson was presented with a golden opportunity but after seeing his first effort cannon back off the post, he inexplicably fired the rebound over the crossbar with the goal gaping.
Dave Gourlay went close himself shortly afterwards but he saw a sweetly struck left footed shot sting the palms of the Willow Pond goalkeeper.
It wasn’t until just after the quarter of an hour mark that the Derby opened the scoring. A jinking run down the left from James Dodsworth ended with him crossing the ball to Thompson. He totally missed his first go at having a shot but made no mistake with the second attempt crashing a shot past the helpless keeper at his near post.
The Derby almost immediately saw their lead cancelled out but they were indebted to a superb reaction save by Steve Udale. After a cross into the box went over Josh McGill’s head, the Willow Pond forward hammered a shot goal wards but Udale stood big and deflected the ball away.
As the first half reached its midway point, the Derby suffered an injury scare when Rob Calvert sustained a nasty gash to his left knee. The Derby striker ended up being off the field for around five minutes as the supposed medical experts on the touchline attempted to stem the bleeding. From the free kick awarded for the foul on Calvert, Stephen Robson whistled a shot narrowly over the crossbar.
With Calvert now patched up he went close but his left footed shot was saved by the keeper.
The Derby were not giving the Willow Pond backline any peace. One good piece of good pressure had a strange end to it though. After Willow Pond defender ‘Blue’ was tackled by Calvert as he tried to play his way out of trouble he decided to aim a punch in the Derby player’s direction. Replays proved inconclusive as to whether any contact was made but referee Paul Younger, quite rightly sent the Willow Pond man off for senselessly raising his hands. Surprisingly though, Calvert was also cautioned although what exactly he did wrong is anyone’s guess.
Being a man light didn’t seem to hinder Willow Pond initially and a few minutes after the sending off they drew level. The referee correctly penalised James Waites for high feet as he attempted to clear the ball in the box. The Willow Pond player stroked the spot kick into the bottom right hand corner and although Udale went the right way he just couldn’t keep it out.
However, just over five minutes before half time and the Derby regained the lead. Robson and Gourlay played a neat one two before the former provided a pinpoint cross to Waites at the back post. He brought the ball down, lifted it over a defender and then crashed a half volley in via the underside of the bar. A desperate attempt by a Willow Pond defender to keep the ball out proved in vain as the match official deemed the ball to have easily crossed the line.
The score remained 2-1 to the Derby at the interval.
The Derby dominated possession at the beginning of the second period without really creating any chances of note as Willow Pond fought hard to stay in the game.
Ten minutes into the second half and Linton threw on a half fit, Martin Hutchinson for Graham Binks, who had found the going tough. Luke Taylor was also introduced for the knackered James Dodsworth. This change saw Taylor slot in at left back with Robson moving to the left wing.
It took until the sixty seventh minute for the Derby to finally break through Willow Pond’s stubborn rearguard and double their advantage. Following a nice flick over the defence by Gourlay, Calvert sprinted clear and slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
A fourth goal followed four minutes later from an unlikely source. After a new Derby corner was cleared the ball fell to Calvert on the edge of the box. As he thought about shooting he was fouled from behind by a defender. Sam Scott strode forward, grabbed the ball and said that he should take it because he had scored a goal from exactly the same position on Fifa the day before. He didn’t disappoint and much to the total shock of the Derby players, staff and supporters, he curled an absolute beauty over the wall and right into the top left hand corner.
A couple of minutes later and the Derby notched a fifth as man of the match, Stephen Robson grabbed his second goal of the season. He was played through by a pass from Martin Thompson and while all the Willow Pond defence stopped to appeal for offside, Robson simply strode forward and slipped the ball past the keeper.
With thirteen minutes remaining the Derby scored for a sixth time when they were awarded a penalty of their own. Referee Younger adjudged, somewhat harshly, that a Willow Pond defender had handled Dave Gourlay’s shot. Following the award a heated debate as to who should take the penalty ensued. Regular spot kick taker, Gourlay, went and picked the ball up only to be told by Derby manager, Linton to let Luke Taylor take the penalty. Gourlay was furious and reacted by swearing at the touchline for not being allowed to take it. Anyway, Taylor kept his concentration and made no mistake firing the penalty home.
The Derby made a final sub with just over ten minutes remaining when Mark Wright replaced James Waites.
As the game entered the final ten minutes, the Derby made it seven for the second game running. A great ball by Hutchinson put Calvert clear and he sprinted away from the defence before tucking the ball into the net.
In the dying stages, Calvert wasted the chance to complete back to back hat-tricks. He beat the offside trap following Bunyan’s through ball but launched his shot miles over the bar and into the allotments situated behind the goal.
At the final whistle the Derby could reflect on a job well done as they kept their winning run going whilst at the same time gaining revenge for their defeat by the same opposition earlier in the season. Next week The Derby face Chesters X1 at the Dome where they will be hoping to keep their good run going.
