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Photos: Adam Green
Halifax 4ths were denied one of the biggest upsets in College Cup history by a late flurry of James goals including a stunning Tom Clarke hat-trick.
Despite being in total control for the duration of the match, James struggled to create any real clear-cut chances and were forced to rely on the individual brilliance of Clarke to haul them out of a sticky situation, with the score 1-1 with just 10 minutes to go.
The men in black took a 1-0 lead into the second half courtesy of the first of three superb Clarke strikes, but they were shockingly pegged back when Halifax midfielder Jonny McGuinness snatched an equaliser with 10 minutes remaining, before their blushes were spared by two more exquisite goals from Clarke and a powerful finish from James Davies with the final kick of the game.
It was a fast paced opening and the underdogs came out with intent, fighting for every ball in midfield and not letting James tear them apart as everyone had expected.
The only time James really managed to open up the Halifax defence was in the opening minutes when Clarke and Davies exchanged a one-two, only for Davies to place his shot too close to Tait in the Halifax goal.
The opening goal came out of nowhere, as Clarke collected the ball over 20 yards out on the left-hand side, facing away from goal. With nothing on, the James forward turned his man before looping a perfectly weighted lob over the head of the helpless Tait and into the back of the net.
Clarke almost doubled his tally when a mix-up in the Halifax defence allowed him to latch onto a loose ball, but his shot from the angle was saved onto the bar by Tait and it went harmlessly behind.
James were limited to long range efforts for the rest of the half. Clarke again came close on a few occasions and Davies forced a decent save out of Tait, but Halifax were not without a hint of threat themselves.
The side in white were able to get themselves into a few decent positions but lacked the quality to create chances against the strong James back four.
However, having limited James’ opportunities, they started the second period still in with a chance. The half followed the same pattern, with James again dominating but not forging opportunities from open play.
A Davies free-kick was kept out and St. George headed wide from a corner before Halifax stunned the black swans with an equaliser.
With Nick St. George being forced off injured, Josh Spurling was forced to stand in at centre-back for James, and Halifax took advantage, as Doherty turned him to get into a shooting position. His shot was tame but Bradley could only push it away, and McGuinnes latched onto the rebound and poked home to send the Halifax support wild.
With the fairytale result in sight, ‘Fax hopes were dashed however, when Tom Clarke fired in a goal that will take some beating for goal of the tournament.
The James forward took the ball on his chest, outside the area and facing away from goal, before striking a superb overhead kick high into the top corner. It silenced the Halifax players, but even their supporters could not help but cheers such a strike.
Halifax almost hit back immediately when Bradley was forced to save at a stretch from Doherty, and then made an even better save from the same player moments later. Doherty was put through on goal and tried to round the James ‘keeper, only for him to grasp the ball from the striker’s feet at the last minute to keep his side ahead.
The match spiralled into a frantic finish. Offord immediately struck the post at the other end before Clarke completed his hat-trick, taking the ball down on the right-hand side and smashing his strike in at the near post to round off a trio of top class goals and make it 3-1.
The goal was made all the more special and quite bizarre as onlooking Halifax 1sts player Matt Mawdesley ran onto the pitch to feed him a sip of lager moments before he struck the effort.
James added their fourth and final goal with the last kick of the game, James Davies firing in with power at the near post following a short corner.
“We fell apart at the end,” said Halifax captain Elliott Taylor-Wheeler, “but it was pretty close. They were two great goals. I’m still happy with the performance.”
James captain Richard Baxter commented: “We’re not going to smash a team 8-0 every week and I’m glad we got the 4-1 win. Hopefully we’ll come back on Monday and push on from that.”