Thursday 6th April 2010
Vodkat League Challenge Cup Quarter Final
Delta Taxis Stadium, Bootle, Merseyside
Attendance: 115
Cup football on a bright early summers evening, the good times are surely ahead as winter disappears. It’s still an extremely surreal feeling to be at an evening kick-off match in bright sunlight, as it always is at this time of year. But we’re up for the cup tonight as the League Challenge Cup reaches the quarter final stage, but extremely tough opposition block the progression route. Newcastle Town, runaway Premier Division leaders and almighty conquerors of most before them, come to the Delta Taxis Stadium looking for a semi-final place of their own, that is, when they eventually found the ground itself.+Pic2.jpg)
7:10pm and the phone rings, informing that Newcastle Town had somehow managed to get themselves lost somewhere in Birkenhead, Birkenhead of all places! Lord knows there were traffic problems outside the ground pre-kickoff due to the Grand National Meeting starting up, but whoever gave them those directions surely couldn’t have been a local. Somewhat understandably, kickoff was delayed 15 minutes to allow warm-ups to be completed, which just grew the sense of anticipation before the start of the game. Two very good teams going one on one in a cup scenario, this could be a night of cracking football entertainment.
So when everybody was finally ready and the two sides had made their way onto the field, referee Cropp called the two captains together to start the formalities. Bootle were in their home colours of all blur and Newcastle Town were in their third strip (I believe) of all yellow. On a perfect night weather wise, it would be “The Bucks” to get the match underway. The opening stages of the game were fairly even with both sides quickly settling into their rhythms, Bootle got forward a little more frequently than their visitors but the Newcastle Town defence stood up comfortably to what was thrown at them. The first real point of note in the match would be a significant one and it came in the 12th minute, Newcastle Town were reduced to ten men. Daniel O’Connor got the header on his defender Kelvin Mellor and the latter tugged O’Connor back and brought him to the floor when he was the last man. Referee Cropp awarded Bootle a free kick, but took the ultimate decision to show Mellor the red card, only after looking over at his linesman and mouthing the word “red” in his direction before giving a facial expression of acceptance. I’m not convinced he was entirely sure of his decision. O’Connor wasn’t in a position to have a clear goal scoring opportunity when he was fouled but the action had been taken and Newcastle Town now had the undesirable task of playing the rest of the match a man short. The resultant free kick was taken by Carl Dale but struck straight at the wall before being put wide of the goal.+Pic3.jpg)
Bootle looked to be spurred on by the sending off and began to apply pressure to the Newcastle Town goal, winning themselves a corner in the 14th minute after a shot from range was deflected behind goal by a Newcastle Town defender. The corner was taken into the danger area and Jamie Hay got his head to it, but the referee deemed he had climbed on a Newcastle defender in order to do so and he was penalised for this infringement, thus killing off the threat. Newcastle had a good effort on goal saved in the 19th minute when a cross from the wing was too strong for everybody waiting in the box but recovered by Matthew Platt. Platt was closed down by Mark Kilroy but managed to sidestep him and fire off a low shot at the near post, but keeper Mark Mawdsley got down well to make the required save. Another opportunity for the hosts came a minute later when some patient build-up play eventually saw a long range shot take a deflection on its route to goal, but Newcastle keeper Greg Smith managed to read it and get down low to make the save. Bootle had competed well to this point and looked the more likely to score, but it would be the visitors that would take the lead in the 26th minute after being awarded a free kick on the wing. Paul Donnelly delivered the set piece into the penalty area and Neville Thompson rose the highest to glance the ball towards goal with his head and beat the keeper to put Newcastle Town into the lead. Bootle didn’t let their heads drop though and were back on the attack in the 32nd minute when they won themselves a corner, the delivery of which was taken to the back of the penalty area where Jamie Hay met it with a header, but the Newcastle Town defence watched it all the way as it went wide of the left hand post. Another half chance for the hosts came in the 35th minute when a aerial ball into the penalty area was picked up by Daniel O’Connor but he was quickly closed down by Karl Espley and the ball deflected into the air. Jamie Hay came steaming in to try and get his head to it but took out Newcastle Town keeper Greg Smith in the process, which earned him a talking to from Referee Cropp. Newcastle Town had a chance to extend their lead in the 38th minute when a careless foul from Michael Carberry on Jonathan Sheldon saw the latter hit the floor. The free kick was in an attacking position and was taken by Paul Donnelly but was just too high and wide of the upright and the scores remained the same. +Pic4.jpg)
The half was to end in highly controversial circumstances though as in time added on, Daniel O’Connor made a rather reckless challenge on Newcastle’s Jonathan Sheldon. Referee Cropp then appeared to point to the penalty spot, before jogging over to where Sheldon lay stricken and then changing his mind to awarding a free kick right on the edge of the box. This did not please the Newcastle Town fans and somewhat understandably so, but after taking O’Connor’s name and producing the yellow card, Cropp then caused more controversy by blowing the half time whistle as Newcastle were lining up their set piece. Time on the half had run out before they were allowed to take it and the match officials left the pitch for the break receiving quite some stick from the supporters. Moments of controversy aside though, this has been an excellent game of football with some very good play, at least from my point of view. Bootle will possibly be the more frustrated of the two sides as they haven’t managed to take advantage of their extra man. But this cup tie is still very much in the balance and hopefully the entertainment value will continue in the 2nd half.
Half Time:
Bootle 0 – 1 Newcastle Town
Bootle’s start to the second half was emphatic as in the 47th minute the scores were brought level. Daniel O’Connor latched onto an aerial through ball on the edge of the penalty area and executed a perfect lob shot that left the keeper stranded and entered the corner of the net, the celebrations began amongst the home supporters and Bootle were back on level terms. The game approached the hour mark with the scores still level but Bootle were looking the more composed team, they were getting forward frequently but found their efforts frustratingly ruled out for offside on four consecutive occasions. But their pressure and good play was eventually rewarded in the 65th minute when Bootle took the lead.+Pic5.jpg)
Liam Loughlin held the ball on the edge of the penalty area before finding himself half a yard of space in which to shoot, and his effort had a slight curl that beat keeper Smith and entered the top corner of the net in a fine finish to give the hosts the lead for the first time, nothing really shot of what they deserved. Jamie Hay then had his name taken by referee Cropp in the 72nd minute for persistent fouling, before Newcastle Town began to turn on the pressure looking for the equaliser. The visitors won themselves a corner in the 76th minute and the delivery of this was headed behind goal by Jamie Hay for another corner. The delivery of the second one was much the same as the first but this time it was Newcastle’s Chirrs Boast that got his head to it, but he couldn’t keep it on target and the ball sailed away from danger for a goal kick to Bootle. But the pressure would tell in the 81st minute when the game took another twist in the 81st minute, Newcastle Town equalised. A corner delivery was sent into the penalty area and Andrew Bourne lost his marker to have a free header into the net as Bootle were undone from another set piece. Just under ten minutes to go then and it was all square again with extra time looming on the horizon. Referee Cropp then found another opportunity to brandish the yellow card as, after being penalised for a challenge, Newcastle’s Jordan Johnson said a little too much to the match official and his name was taken into the book. But as all cup ties have, the memorable moment from this one came in the 87th minute, when Bootle scored what turned out to be the winning goal. The ball was worked down the wing before coming to Jamie Hay on the edge of the penalty box, Hay struck a shot that took a slight deflection before hitting the back of the net to spark more celebrations amongst the home supporters, the realisation hitting home that Bootle might just very well have won the match. But even with all this action going on, there was still time for one last moment of controversy and one that could have seen the visitors draw level. +Pic+7.jpg)
A flicked on header from an aerial ball struck a Bootle defender on the arm in the penalty area before being cleared by another defender and the Newcastle Town appeals amongst players and supporters went up to a man. My gut feeling was penalty, but referee Cropp waved away the appeals and Bootle survived the scare, much to the displeasure of everybody associated with Newcastle Town. But the full time whistle followed not long after and Bootle had done it, Newcastle Town had been defeated and The Bucks will advance into the semi-finals of the competition.
What an exceptional cup tie that was, if ever there was an advert for NWCFL football then this was it. Sending offs, penalty appeals, cards left right and centre, 5 goals and an absolutely cracking match that swung one way and then the other and back again. Referee Cropp failed to shadow himself in much glory and Newcastle Town are not a happy side because of this, but Bootle more than matched their shorthanded opponents for much of the game and are worthy winners of the contest, certainly not the result I was expecting before kickoff.+Pic8.jpg)
Not that it needed it, but my faith in cup football has been well and truly bolstered tonight after witnessing a fantastic contest between two very good sides indeed. A trip to Manchester and Abbey Hey awaits in the semi-final, but its beck to league action before thoughts can be turned to that. A great game that I was glad I was there to see.
Full Time:
Bootle 3 – 2 Newcastle Town
Vodkat League Challenge Cup Quarter Final
Delta Taxis Stadium, Bootle, Merseyside
Attendance: 115
Cup football on a bright early summers evening, the good times are surely ahead as winter disappears. It’s still an extremely surreal feeling to be at an evening kick-off match in bright sunlight, as it always is at this time of year. But we’re up for the cup tonight as the League Challenge Cup reaches the quarter final stage, but extremely tough opposition block the progression route. Newcastle Town, runaway Premier Division leaders and almighty conquerors of most before them, come to the Delta Taxis Stadium looking for a semi-final place of their own, that is, when they eventually found the ground itself.
+Pic2.jpg)
7:10pm and the phone rings, informing that Newcastle Town had somehow managed to get themselves lost somewhere in Birkenhead, Birkenhead of all places! Lord knows there were traffic problems outside the ground pre-kickoff due to the Grand National Meeting starting up, but whoever gave them those directions surely couldn’t have been a local. Somewhat understandably, kickoff was delayed 15 minutes to allow warm-ups to be completed, which just grew the sense of anticipation before the start of the game. Two very good teams going one on one in a cup scenario, this could be a night of cracking football entertainment.So when everybody was finally ready and the two sides had made their way onto the field, referee Cropp called the two captains together to start the formalities. Bootle were in their home colours of all blur and Newcastle Town were in their third strip (I believe) of all yellow. On a perfect night weather wise, it would be “The Bucks” to get the match underway. The opening stages of the game were fairly even with both sides quickly settling into their rhythms, Bootle got forward a little more frequently than their visitors but the Newcastle Town defence stood up comfortably to what was thrown at them. The first real point of note in the match would be a significant one and it came in the 12th minute, Newcastle Town were reduced to ten men. Daniel O’Connor got the header on his defender Kelvin Mellor and the latter tugged O’Connor back and brought him to the floor when he was the last man. Referee Cropp awarded Bootle a free kick, but took the ultimate decision to show Mellor the red card, only after looking over at his linesman and mouthing the word “red” in his direction before giving a facial expression of acceptance. I’m not convinced he was entirely sure of his decision. O’Connor wasn’t in a position to have a clear goal scoring opportunity when he was fouled but the action had been taken and Newcastle Town now had the undesirable task of playing the rest of the match a man short. The resultant free kick was taken by Carl Dale but struck straight at the wall before being put wide of the goal.
+Pic3.jpg)
Bootle looked to be spurred on by the sending off and began to apply pressure to the Newcastle Town goal, winning themselves a corner in the 14th minute after a shot from range was deflected behind goal by a Newcastle Town defender. The corner was taken into the danger area and Jamie Hay got his head to it, but the referee deemed he had climbed on a Newcastle defender in order to do so and he was penalised for this infringement, thus killing off the threat. Newcastle had a good effort on goal saved in the 19th minute when a cross from the wing was too strong for everybody waiting in the box but recovered by Matthew Platt. Platt was closed down by Mark Kilroy but managed to sidestep him and fire off a low shot at the near post, but keeper Mark Mawdsley got down well to make the required save. Another opportunity for the hosts came a minute later when some patient build-up play eventually saw a long range shot take a deflection on its route to goal, but Newcastle keeper Greg Smith managed to read it and get down low to make the save. Bootle had competed well to this point and looked the more likely to score, but it would be the visitors that would take the lead in the 26th minute after being awarded a free kick on the wing. Paul Donnelly delivered the set piece into the penalty area and Neville Thompson rose the highest to glance the ball towards goal with his head and beat the keeper to put Newcastle Town into the lead. Bootle didn’t let their heads drop though and were back on the attack in the 32nd minute when they won themselves a corner, the delivery of which was taken to the back of the penalty area where Jamie Hay met it with a header, but the Newcastle Town defence watched it all the way as it went wide of the left hand post. Another half chance for the hosts came in the 35th minute when a aerial ball into the penalty area was picked up by Daniel O’Connor but he was quickly closed down by Karl Espley and the ball deflected into the air. Jamie Hay came steaming in to try and get his head to it but took out Newcastle Town keeper Greg Smith in the process, which earned him a talking to from Referee Cropp. Newcastle Town had a chance to extend their lead in the 38th minute when a careless foul from Michael Carberry on Jonathan Sheldon saw the latter hit the floor. The free kick was in an attacking position and was taken by Paul Donnelly but was just too high and wide of the upright and the scores remained the same. +Pic4.jpg)
The half was to end in highly controversial circumstances though as in time added on, Daniel O’Connor made a rather reckless challenge on Newcastle’s Jonathan Sheldon. Referee Cropp then appeared to point to the penalty spot, before jogging over to where Sheldon lay stricken and then changing his mind to awarding a free kick right on the edge of the box. This did not please the Newcastle Town fans and somewhat understandably so, but after taking O’Connor’s name and producing the yellow card, Cropp then caused more controversy by blowing the half time whistle as Newcastle were lining up their set piece. Time on the half had run out before they were allowed to take it and the match officials left the pitch for the break receiving quite some stick from the supporters. Moments of controversy aside though, this has been an excellent game of football with some very good play, at least from my point of view. Bootle will possibly be the more frustrated of the two sides as they haven’t managed to take advantage of their extra man. But this cup tie is still very much in the balance and hopefully the entertainment value will continue in the 2nd half.Half Time:
Bootle 0 – 1 Newcastle Town
Bootle’s start to the second half was emphatic as in the 47th minute the scores were brought level. Daniel O’Connor latched onto an aerial through ball on the edge of the penalty area and executed a perfect lob shot that left the keeper stranded and entered the corner of the net, the celebrations began amongst the home supporters and Bootle were back on level terms. The game approached the hour mark with the scores still level but Bootle were looking the more composed team, they were getting forward frequently but found their efforts frustratingly ruled out for offside on four consecutive occasions. But their pressure and good play was eventually rewarded in the 65th minute when Bootle took the lead.
+Pic5.jpg)
Liam Loughlin held the ball on the edge of the penalty area before finding himself half a yard of space in which to shoot, and his effort had a slight curl that beat keeper Smith and entered the top corner of the net in a fine finish to give the hosts the lead for the first time, nothing really shot of what they deserved. Jamie Hay then had his name taken by referee Cropp in the 72nd minute for persistent fouling, before Newcastle Town began to turn on the pressure looking for the equaliser. The visitors won themselves a corner in the 76th minute and the delivery of this was headed behind goal by Jamie Hay for another corner. The delivery of the second one was much the same as the first but this time it was Newcastle’s Chirrs Boast that got his head to it, but he couldn’t keep it on target and the ball sailed away from danger for a goal kick to Bootle. But the pressure would tell in the 81st minute when the game took another twist in the 81st minute, Newcastle Town equalised. A corner delivery was sent into the penalty area and Andrew Bourne lost his marker to have a free header into the net as Bootle were undone from another set piece. Just under ten minutes to go then and it was all square again with extra time looming on the horizon. Referee Cropp then found another opportunity to brandish the yellow card as, after being penalised for a challenge, Newcastle’s Jordan Johnson said a little too much to the match official and his name was taken into the book. But as all cup ties have, the memorable moment from this one came in the 87th minute, when Bootle scored what turned out to be the winning goal. The ball was worked down the wing before coming to Jamie Hay on the edge of the penalty box, Hay struck a shot that took a slight deflection before hitting the back of the net to spark more celebrations amongst the home supporters, the realisation hitting home that Bootle might just very well have won the match. But even with all this action going on, there was still time for one last moment of controversy and one that could have seen the visitors draw level. +Pic+7.jpg)
A flicked on header from an aerial ball struck a Bootle defender on the arm in the penalty area before being cleared by another defender and the Newcastle Town appeals amongst players and supporters went up to a man. My gut feeling was penalty, but referee Cropp waved away the appeals and Bootle survived the scare, much to the displeasure of everybody associated with Newcastle Town. But the full time whistle followed not long after and Bootle had done it, Newcastle Town had been defeated and The Bucks will advance into the semi-finals of the competition.What an exceptional cup tie that was, if ever there was an advert for NWCFL football then this was it. Sending offs, penalty appeals, cards left right and centre, 5 goals and an absolutely cracking match that swung one way and then the other and back again. Referee Cropp failed to shadow himself in much glory and Newcastle Town are not a happy side because of this, but Bootle more than matched their shorthanded opponents for much of the game and are worthy winners of the contest, certainly not the result I was expecting before kickoff.
+Pic8.jpg)
Not that it needed it, but my faith in cup football has been well and truly bolstered tonight after witnessing a fantastic contest between two very good sides indeed. A trip to Manchester and Abbey Hey awaits in the semi-final, but its beck to league action before thoughts can be turned to that. A great game that I was glad I was there to see.Full Time:
Bootle 3 – 2 Newcastle Town
