Post by Dave on May 13, 2018 11:27:21 GMT
Match Officials: Daniel Muirden, John Griffett, Liam Chick
Final Score after extra time Ashburton 0 Barton 3
I was not aware about today’s Ronald Cup Final until I read a post on facebook this morning from one of today’s match officials Daniel Muirden. It read
Huge thanks to everyone who came along to celebrate my birthday last night, and for all the gifts and messages. Sorry I couldn’t party out late with you; football duties today.
It told me everything I already knew about Daniel Muirden and his commitment to the game of football, cutting short his own birthday celebrations to ensure he was fit and able to perform his duties in the match.
For anyone who does not know the Ronald Cup is the 3rd Division cup of the South Devon League and Halford is the home ground of Liverton United of Division One East Of The Carlsberg Peninsular League.
The journey of both teams to today’s final
Ashburton Association 2nd had a bye in the first round of this cup, in the second round they were away to Harbertonford 2nds, the game ended up with a score of three all, but Ashburton won five four on penalties. In the semi final Ashburton were away to Dartmouth 2nds and lost by four goals to two, but the result is shown as an away walkover and at the time of writing I do not know the reasons for that.
Barton Athletic 1st first round match was away to Abbotskerswell and they came away with a handsome five goals to one victory. In the second round they played away again this time beating Upton Athletic 2nd by four goals to nil. In the semis final Barton won at home also by four goals to nil against Chudleigh Athletic 2nds.
The two teams were due to play their first league fixture of this season against each other yesterday, but that game was postponed due to today’s cup final. So with no results so far this season to compare we can only take a look at the league table to see how both clubs have faired so far this season.
Ashburton are currently in third place in the table on thirty seven points. They have played seventeen league matches winning twelve, drawing one and losing four. In total they have scored fifty nine goals, conceded twenty nine giving them a plus thirty goal difference.
Barton 1st are currently in seventh place in the table on twenty eight points. They have played sixteen games winning nine, drawing one and losing six. IN total they have scored thirty three goals, conceded thirty five giving them a minus two goal difference.
On paper Ashburton might appear to look the favourites today, they have plenty of goals in them and have won more of their games this season. But this is a cup match and I am sure Barton will come into this match fully believing the cup will be theirs if they can keep things tight at the back and put away any chances that come their way.
Match report
We have all sat waiting for hours for a bus to come along and then three turn up at once. Today’s match was very much like that as far as goals were concerned. Sadly Barton Athletic did not fill the team sheet in with both names and numbers and so I will have to use shirt numbers for them in my report all except the goal scorers.
When the sun came out it was a pleasant afternoon and it was good to see a good number of people turned up to watch this cup final. Before the match I did learn that Dartmouth was thrown out of the cup for playing an ineligible player and the reason Ashburton made it through to the final.
The game got underway at a frantic pace and it was Ashburton that got their passing game going first and for a short while looked the slightly better side. But Barton started to get more into the game and won three corners on the trot. Sadly for them they were not able to make anything from them.
Goal mouth action during the first have was as rare as hen’s teeth and this game looked more likely to be won in the end by a single goal. Ashburtons Dale Stocker hit a ball from outside of the box that looked more like a cross than a shot, but it forced the Barton keeper Michael Stockman to tip the ball over his crossbar.
Barton won a free kick and the ball was fired into the Ashburton box, the ball was only half cleared to the edge of the box and Barton’s number 10 hit a low shot that just went wide of the right hand post.
Ashburton’s Ben Drinkwater took a shot from the edge of the Barton box that went well wide, but he was soon to be given an even better chance to put his side in front. An Ashburton player got into the left hand side of the Barton box and only had the keeper to beat. Barton’s number six grabbed him around the middle from behind and brought him crashing down.
Daniel Muirden pointed straight to the penalty spot and showed the Barton player a red card. The spot kick was taken by Ben Drinkwater and some will say it was a poor penalty kick, while others will say Michael Stockman made a great save. With only minutes of the first half remaining it was a wasted opportunity for Ashburton to go into the brake winning the match.
The second half got underway and Ashburton came close to grabbing the lead when close in and with a free header Roland Blowers headed the ball over the crossbar when he looked like scoring.
Ashburton then won a corner and their following fans let out a big cheer when they thought the ball had gone into the net straight from the corner kick, but the ball had only landed of the roof of the net.
Barton were working so hard and you would never have thought they were down to ten men, but once again close in on goal Roland Blowers let Barton off the hook when he headed over the bar for a second time.
Ashburton were getting a bit sloppy in defence and as a result of failing to get the ball away to safety, presented the Barton number 14 with the opportunity to take a low shot from the edge of the box that the Ashes goalkeeper did well to push around his left hand post.
Barton were getting on top and looking the most likely to get the first goal of the match and nearly did when from a corner a good header was just cleared off the goal line by the left hand post by an Ashburton defender.
In the space of just three minutes near the end of the second half, three Ashburton players found their names going into the match referees book. They also so nearly won the match at the death when Roland Blowers won another header inside the Barton box that had goal written all over it. But the Barton keeper pulled off a wonder save forcing the game into extra time.
So into extra time we went and just where did those Barton boys find their energy and will to ensure they were going to win the match. We did not have to wait to long for the first goal when Tye Hawken hit a powerful shot that was deflected into the goal.
No sooner had the game got back underway when Barton scored again, this time a good low shot into the right hand side of the goal by Anthony Jones. Ashburton never looked like getting back into the game and in the second half of extra time Barton rubbed salt into the Ashburton wounds.
It was that man Anthony Jones again who worked his way into the left hand side of the Ashburton box and fired a low left footed shot across the keeper into the right hand side of the goal.
Barton fully deserved their victory today and are worthy champions. Many thanks for all the help I received today especially from the young men close to me who provided the Barton goal scorers names.
