The UNITS made it through to the Quarter-Finals of the Worcs Junior Cup, after beating Bromsgrove League Division One side Belbroughton Athletic 4-1 on Sunday. With Manager Cuzer and Assistant Manager Darbs both away the reigns were passed onto Mala, who had 19 players to pick his side from. Unfortunately his first job was to tell 3 unlucky players that they weren’t even going to get a shirt today. The UNITS lined up: Tom, Barney, Gilo, Millette, Taylor, Baker, DJ, Newts, Coco, Pountney and Seeks. Subs were Ben, Jim, Ashton, Kie Watters, and Trigger.
Coming into the game we knew Belbroughton would be a decent outfit as they have had some good results against Bromsgrove Prem sides so far this season despite being in Division One. We also knew that their side would be captained by ex-England Schoolboy and Villa trainee Connor Gater and they also have some very good players throughout their side, so we knew we had to be our best to progress into the next round. The opening 10 minutes saw both sides feel each other out with the UNITS slightly on top. The UNITS first effort on goal came on 11 minutes when Pountney fired well wide after he linked up well with Coco. Tayls came close on 15 minutes when he got too much on a header from a Coco corner and his header went just over. Belbroughton looked dangerous when Gater had the ball at his feet and on 20 minutes they got their selves a penalty, when after some clever play by Gater his ball found a Belbroughton striker just inside the area. There was a coming together between the Belbroughton striker and Millette and the Referee pointed to spot. For the second week running Tom picked right and saved the Belbroughton penalty.
Midway through the half Mala made a change in tactics swapping Pountney and Coco over and Coco playing just behind Seeks and moving Pountney out on the left. Chances for either side were at premium with Belbroughton very rarely troubling the UNITS goal and the UNITS been caught offside a number of times as the half went on. DJ fired over from 12 yards on 36 minutes as the UNITS kept pushing for that important first goal. As half-time approached the UNITS did get that important first goal. Millette had time and space to a deliver a great 30 yard pass to Seeks who ran away from the Belbroughton defence and despite his marker shouting and screaming at him trying to put him off, Seeks coolly slotted passed the Belbroughton keeper to give the UNITS the lead at half-time.
HT TS UNITS 1 v 0 Belbroughton Athletic
The UNITS started the second half brightly buoyed by the goal just before half-time. And it wasn’t long before the UNITS doubled their lead on 54 minutes. Baker did really well in closing down a Belbroughton defender, and after Baker had robbed the Belbroughton defender of the ball he pulled out a cheeky back heel to put Seeks through on goal. Like with his first goal Seeks made no mistake by firing into the bottom corner from 12 yards giving the Belbroughton keeper no chance. Belbroughton’s frustration was clear as from restart as Gater tried to score straight from kick off but dragged his effort horribly wide, then the Belbroughton defender who Baker had robbed of possession for the second UNITS goal got book for a dangerous tackle on Newts. Just after the hour mark Mala made his first change bringing on Ben in a straight swap for Gilo. Now two goals in front the UNITS started playing some really good football and DJ, Seeks and Pountney all tested the Belbroughton keeper.
Seeks came close to his hat-trick on 67 minute when Pountney put in a great cross from the left, only for Seeks to head over form 6 yards after losing his marker. But Seeks didn’t have to wait long for his fourth UNITS hat-trick of the season and it was Baker again with the assist. Baker won possession back in the middle of the park and played a delightful ball through to Seeks who fired into the bottom corner once again. Mala bought the returning Ashton on for Coco shortly after. On 72 minutes DJ nearly scored a Van Basten esq volley but his effort just went over. 4 minutes later the UNITS thought they had their fourth goal when Tayls headed in a Seeks corner, but the Referee disallowed it as he had deemed Tayls to have pushed a Belbroughton defender. With just over 10 minutes to go Seeks was replaced by Kie Watters in Mala’s final change.
Belbroughton had offered nothing going forward in the second half but got a goal back on 82 minutes. A long range effort was deflected straight to a Belbroughton player who made no mistake from 6 yards. Within a minute of that goal the UNITS restored their three goal lead. Millette once again produced a great pass to put Kie Watters through on goal, just as he was about to shoot he was bought down in the area by a Belbroughton defender. The Referee had no option other than to point to the spot and Pountney stepped up and coolly made it 4-1. In the final minutes of the game Kie Watters and Pountney had chances to make the score line more emphatic.
A good result against a very committed side as there wasn’t much between the sides in the first half, but from a tactical chance by Mala and our quality going forward and hard work made the difference in end.
Man of the match went to Andy Baker who covered every blade of grass during the game and got two assists with one being that cheeky back heel!!
Next week we return to league action with a short trip across Kiddy to face Chainwire.
