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Photos: Julia Piotrowicz
Wentworth 1sts replicated Friday’s 6-0 win over Goodricke 3rds, winning by the same scoreline after an excellent second-half performance against Alcuin 3rds.
Once again, the postgrads turned a dull, goalless first-half on its head with a flurry of second-half goals – this time with Tim Martin and Dom Green starring, scoring a hat-trick and a brace respectively. Substitute Vasileios Kourvelos, grabbed the sixth goal to complete the rout.
In a quiet first-half, Wentworth were comfortably on top but failed to create any clear-cut chances. Dan Bawdon, Green and Martin all saw efforts saved by Michael Thurloway in the Alcuin goal, but in reality the Alcuin defence, superbly led by Jon Carney were comfortably keeping their more illustrious opponents at bay – despite failing to really make it into the Wentworth final third at any point in the half.
The second-half looked to be going much the same way with Alcuin’s gutsy third string side looking to cause a shock, finally making some forays into the Wentworth half – it was to be a false dawn though, as the postgrads opened the scoring eight minutes after the break.
Tim Martin’s challenge on a defensive counterpart put him through on goal, only for his strong effort to be denied superbly by Thurloway. After a couple of penalty area scuffles though, the ball found its way back to Martin who was not to be stopped a second time, finding the net with an effort of power and conviction from a tight angle that Thurloway could only palm into his own net. Wentworth finally led, and doubled their lead just three minutes later.
Martin found himself with the ball on the edge of the area, and in some of the best play seen in the Cup so far, flicked the ball past his marker and up against Thurloway, who he sold with a stepover before bringing the ball around the onrushing ‘keeper, and rolling the ball over the line despite the despairing efforts of two Alcuin defenders – Martin was finally displaying the clinical qualities that were so lacking for Wentworth in the first-half, and in all truth, his two goals had put his side out of sight of an Alcuin side still yet to manage a shot at goal.
Wentworth then, similarly again to Friday’s 6-0 victory, extended their lead with a flurry of goals to close out the game, scoring four times in a ten minute period to finish off the plucky Alcuin boys.
Greg Harrison had been anonymous on the wing after his exploits on Friday but with 13 minutes remaining Wentworth again were successful with one of his corners. This time his dead ball effort was cleared by the first man, only to fall back to Harrison who floated over an excellent cross to the back post for College Cup veteran Dom Green to head home from point blank range.
Wentworth were barely breaking sweat despite the high temperatures on the JLD, and Green grabbed his second minutes later, this time with a powerful curling effort from 25 yards out that drew gasps from the Wentworth support. Thurloway threw himself across the goalmouth in a desperate attempt to stop the ball in its tracks, but to no avail as Green picked his spot and made it 4-0.
Tim Martin then made it five, completing his hat-trick by spinning around his marker and finishing well, low into the corner, before Kourvelos rounded off the win, finishing well on the rebound after Thurloway had saved well from Green to deny him his hat-trick.
At 6-0, it wasn’t entirely over though – Alcuin finally pulled together a decent chance with two minutes remaining, but Alcuin’s Dylan Chambers saw his shot saved by Jon Cook onto the upright, only for it to bounce away. It was Alcuin’s only real decent effort on goal and summed up their day – plenty of effort but not quite enough quality against a clinical Wentworth side.
The result doubles Wentworth’s points total to six points, whilst Alcuin 3rds remain on one point in fifth place in Group B – albeit now with a goal difference of -14.