QF Herald Cup Waldon Ath V Upton Ath 10th Jan 2015

[Dave]

Quarter Final Hearld Cup

Waldon Athletic V Upton Athleitc

Saturday 10th January 2015 Kick-Off 2pm

Venue Windmill Hill Torquay

Referee Mr Paul Allen Referee Assistants Barry Haywood & Martin Lewis

Final Score After Extra Time ………Waldon Athletic 4 Upton Athletic 3

It seems very much as if I have become a Waldon Athletic follower lately, but that is not really the case as such. Its more the case they have been involved in some must try and watch fixtures of late, such as the one against Dartmouth and then Watcombe last weekend. Today’s quarter final Herald Cup game against Upton also falls into that category and I kept my fingers crossed this game would go ahead. With all the wind and rain we have had in the last twenty four hours, I was expecting this game to be postponed, but so glad it wasn’t

Both Upton and Waldon have enjoyed a relatively easy passage to this stage of the competition, but now one of the clubs dreams of playing in the final would end today.

Upton’s first game in the cup was home to Salcombe Town, a fixture they won by eight goals to two. They were home again in the next round in a game I covered against Barton Athletic; they won this fixture by ten goals to nil. There next round match was away to Brixham town that they won by three goals to one.

Waldons first match was a home tie with Newton Rovers they won by four goals to one. In the next round they were away to Foxhole United, they won this game by eight goals to one. They then had to play another away fixture against Harbertonford, another game I covered and in this game they were made to work very hard for their victory, running out two, one winners in the end.

Both teams have scored plenty of goals reaching the quarter finals, Waldon have scored fourteen and conceded just three goals. Upton has scored a massive twenty one goals and has also only conceded three goals. Was this going to be a game full of goals? Or would both defences keep the score down to the odd goal or two?

Upton were unhappy with the league a few months ago due to the league wanting to send two unused referees to act as linemen in one of their home games. Upton was expected to have to pay for this privilege. So it was surprising to learn before today’s kick-off that Upton had asked to league to provide two linesmen’s for this game and were happy to pay for them even when they were the away team.

To be honest I think it was a good decision they did ask, it saved any club linesman being accused as a cheat in what was such an important game for both teams. For the neutral this was a great game of football and such a good advert for the South Devon League. It had everything and real drama with only two minutes to go of normal time. Did the best team win on the day? I think Waldon just shaved it and really Upton only have themselves to blame for today’s cup exist. But in saying that the question must be asked should have Waldons winning goal scorer even still been on the pitch, more of that latter.

Waldon made a dream start, a long ball was played down the left hand side and all the Upton defender needed to do was put the ball out for a throw in. But he allowed Ash Harris to win a ball he was not favourite to win and go on into the box and fire a good low shot past Adam Simpson.

Just two minutes later Waldon scored their second goal, Josh Mason was played into the right hand side of the Upton box and fired a good low shot across the keeper into the far left hand corner of the net. How would Upton respond to going behind so early in the match?

Well they worked hard and slowly ground their way back into the match and got a goal back with the best shot of the whole game. The ball came back out of the Waldon box and there looked no real danger, but the ball went to Shane Shobbrook who hit a fantastic first time volley that flew into the back of the net.

Upton managed to get back onto level terms before the break; once again the goal was scored by Shane Shobbrook from the edge of the Waldon box. So that was the first half and nothing really to indicate who would go on and win the match.

The second half got underway and very soon Upton for the first time in the match took the lead. Waldon really should have cleared the ball out of their box but a defensive cock-up allowed Jamie Micklewight to fire home from close range.

Waldon upped their work rate and tried to get back onto level terms, but were unable to really create and clear cut chances. They do have their keeper Kitson Glanvill to thank for keeping them in the game after he pulled off two fine diving saves from two breakaway Upton attacks.

The game was nearing the end and Upton were doing all they could to keep the ball and doing a good job of it. But then they threw the game away by giving away a very needless penalty with just two minutes left on the clock. Waldons Tom Pennicott was in the Upton box and going nowhere, all Scott Davies had to do was to stop Tom from turning as he was goal side of him, but instead he brought him down.

Up stepped Chris Harrity to take the spot kick who placed the ball low into the left hand corner of the goal. The light was already starting to fade and the wind was very cold and biting as we looked forward to extra time. Only minutes before I was dreaming about getting my car heater on for my trip back home to Paignton.

Waldon started the extra time well on top and looked the most likely team to score, but they had to wait until the second half of extra time to do so. Chris Harrity made a great run into the Upton box beating a number of defenders on his way and coolly slotted the ball past Adam Simpson.

Upton did all they could in the remaining minutes to get back onto level terms, they even sent their keeper up for a late corner they had won.. But the Waldon defense stood big and strong and held on to go into the semi final of the Herald Cup.

The big question is should Chris Harrity have still been on the pitch to take the penalty and score the winning goal? He was guilty of a two footed lunge from 2 yards, Ryan Little was lucky there was no contact made. Was it not seem by the ref? did he feel as there was no contact made there was no need to send the player off? Paul had a good game in the middle, but he was a bit too book happy in the first half booking at least three Waldon players. I felt a number of Upton players were lucky to get away with not being book for similar offensives.

At the end of the day Upton will look back at the final two minutes of the game when they had it won, they were beaten in the end by a very determined Waldon side who on the balance of play just about deserved their victory.