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Photos: Oliver Todd
In an open and entertaining game, it was Vanbrugh who grabbed all three points against a Goodricke side who refused to give up and remained a threat all game.
It was Vanbrugh who began the brightest, with winger Rory Sharkey causing early problems down the left flank. Yet, slightly against the run of play, it was Goodricke who broke the deadlock. A sumptuous cross-field ball from the lively Sam Lewis found striker James Gutteridge who found the back of the net with a neat finish.
Vanbrugh responded well, with Ben Stanier having a goal disallowed for an obvious offside after a Sharkey cross. It was not long, though, until Vanbrugh did get the equaliser. After good work by Max Poynter-Hall, Elliott Rous Ross was able to send in a cross for Kieran O’Dwyer who took advantage of some hesitant defending by Joel Fagan to make it 1-1.
With their tails up, Vanbrugh piled on the misery as they completed an impressive turnaround. A Stanier free kick was met by centre-back Ben Lowe as he poked the ball past Tom Neill. The cut and thrust nature of the game continued as Gutteridge was unlucky to see his lob go narrowly over moments later.
However, Vanbrugh were not finished. A throw in found Ross who gave it to Poynter-Hall and from his cross O’Dwyer was able to complete his brace with a placed finish. The half time whistle arrived with Vanbrugh probably wishing it had not as they pushed for more goals.
The game sustained its high tempo after the break, with O’Dwyer having another chance and Goodricke’s Gutteridge and John Sharpe also forcing good saves from Vanbrugh keeper James Wilson.
Vanbrugh had lost their momentum somewhat and Goodricke got what their commitment deserved when Sharpe was upended by Ben Lowe in the penalty box, with Gutteridge applying the necessary finish to set up a very interesting finish.
The men in red and blue refused to be shaken, however, and Ross had a chance to seal the victory but just poked wide past the onrushing Tom Neill. Moments later the match was engulfed by controversy. A beautifully weighted Stanier lob looked like it had put the match beyond doubt but the referee chalked the goal off, indicating that the whole ball had not crossed the line.
It was a let-off for Goodricke as they pushed for the equaliser but aside from a Sharpe shot that just went past Wilson’s right-hand upright, they failed to create the chance which could have given them a share of the spoils and Vanbrugh’s defence stayed firm to ensure their team held out for a deserved victory.
Vision MOTM: Kieran O’Dwyer.