Rarely can the Old Malvernians have experienced this much drama in one game.
The day began with the OMs first team travelling a long way East on the central line with a bare 11 but spirits high for their LOB Cup game at Leyton Old Boys. Just as visiting teams at Galatasaray are greeted with 'Welcome to Hell' banners, the perma-tanned referee began his pre match lecture with a more cheery 'Welcome to Essex'. OMG what happened next.
Malvern began the game brightly enough, and took the lead when Alex Richardson slid the ball into the right hand channel for Peter Ford, who beat his man before squaring from the byline. With the Leyton Old Boys keeper unable to gather, Charlie Gifford turned and fired the ball home from close range.
Strangely Malvern struggled to build on their lead, and found themselves level at half time and then behind shortly afterwards. As captain Dan Madden looked on enviously as Leyton used the rolling subs rule to rotate some of their more horizontally gifted players, the OMs were in need of inspiration. As has been the case so often this season, it arrived in the form of Gifford Jnr. Tom Chappell did well to win a header deep in opposition territory, before Gifford took one touch to get the ball out of his feet and then curl a masterful finish into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Only 5 minutes of normal time were remaining but Malvern might have won it as a surging run down the left from the improving Christian Elsden saw him cross the ball along the goal line. Somehow neither Leon Kirchkoff nor the defender provided a decisive touch and Ford couldn't stretch enough sliding in at the far post. Shades of Gazza at Euro '96.
Extra time it was to be. As Madden set about rallying his troops there were some tired legs but determined minds on display. Nobody could have predicted the drama of the first 15 mins of extra time. The OMs struck first as Ford found space between the midfield and defence and threaded a ball in behind which Gifford ran onto and calmly slotted home to complete his hatrick. Leyton answered almost immediately to level at 3-3 before Chappell and Ford linked up down the right and the latter's driven cross caused more confusion and Richardson found the ball at his feet. Showing uncharacteristic calm 8 yards out he dummied the keeper and struck the ball home with his left foot. Incredibly Leyton again equalised after Madden, who had made some superb saves in normal time despite suffering cramp, lost control of a routine cross.
Four goals in a breathless first half of extra time left the score at 4-4. Some heroic defending saw the likes of Hughes, Sheppard, Robbins and impressive debutant Paxton throwing their bodies in front of Leyton shots on goal. Just as penalty kicks loomed, that man struck again. Chappell's ball down the right was pinched by the home side's left back, but Gifford, like a dog with a bone, wouldn't let go. He won the ball, cut in from the right and arrowed a shot from a tight angle to grab his fourth on the day, incredibly his 11th in his past two games for the club.
The OMs held on with relative ease for the remaining three minutes to secure a 5-4 win and their passage to the next round. Few who witnessed the match will forget the manner in which they did it.
