Football is a game that often throws up surprises. What should have been no surprise to Oval Athletic, however, is what they are capable of achieving when they play to their potential.
Weeks after suffering a heavy defeat to their cup opponents in the league, Oval took the fight to Forum Athletic from the first minute. Played in by Jake Smith, John Skipsey sent the away side to an instant lead with a superbly finished strike into the bottom corner.
The early goal rattled Forum, whose players grew in frustration throughout the opening stages of the game. They soon found an equaliser against the run of play, but an even bigger incident would occur shortly after they drew level.
Taking offence at the strength of Jay Bagley as the Oval defender challenged for the ball, a Forum player swung a punch in his direction. As the two exchanged blows, the referee came to the decision to show both players red cards, with the sending offs resulting in both sides having to play a minimum of 50 minutes with 10 men.
Oval thought they had won it late on, as Ben Percival stuck the ball in the net after being played in by an outstanding through ball by Josh Lound. Despite being the biggest celebration of any Oval goal to that point, it did not end up deciding the game as Forum snatched an equaliser shortly before full time.
The reduced numbers of both sides eventually caught up with them, as players began to show the effects of the additional shift they had been required to put in. Oval, though, headed into extra time for the first time in their short history defiant, not giving Forum an inch and continuing the solid performance they had put in all game.
As Ben Percival struck again in the first half of extra time, a sense of belief could be felt from the Oval bench, who knew that keeping Forum out for another 20 minutes would see them progress to the quarter-finals. Michael Barnes’ side continued to battle and put their bodies on the line as Forum sent men forward in search of their third equaliser of the afternoon.
Oval hearts were in mouths as a late attempt at goal from Forum seemed destined for the top corner. Those gasps soon turned to cheers, however, as left-back Matty Holden produced a match-winning goal-line clearance with his head to keep his team in front.
As the clock ran down, Oval defenders Jay Moore and Tony Davies were prepared to do whatever it took to slow the pace of the game. Centre-back Moore conceded a free kick after locking an opponent in a full nelson, whilst Forum’s left-back was the recipient of what some believed to be an RKO from right-back Davies.
When full time arrived it may as well have been Wrestlemania, as exhausted Oval players soaked up a well-deserved victory that many neutrals would not have expected. The challenge now is to continue the fight throughout their future matches, and to show that this win is only the beginning of the Whites overcoming the odds.
