Wentworth’s top two sides served up nine goals in the opening quarter-final of the College Plate as their 1sts side ran out 7-2 winners.
Dom Green and Dan Bawdon both grabbed braces, with Jasper Lipton, Greg Harrison and Iain Parker scoring for Wentworth 1sts. James Lomas and Dan Howdon grabbed the 2nds goals.
Wentworth 2nds, through to the plate after finishing third in Group A, started out the brighter side. Centre-forward Oleg Benesch hustled and bustled with his back to goal for long periods, seeking to bring the likes of Josh Mangham and Lomas forward from the five-man midfield.
It was their seniors that took the lead though, with the first real chance of the match. Harrison sent in an excellent low cross to the feet of Dom Green who volleyed at ‘keeper Dan Horsfall’s feet, before the ball landed perfectly for Jasper Lipton to slot home the rebound.
Eight minutes later though, Wentworth 2nds equalised. Josh Mangham, man-of-the-match in his sides unlucky defeat at the hands of Alcuin 3rds last week, found himself some space wide on the left.
Skipping past two challenges he sent his cross into the box where it was met, decisively, by Benesch, whose flick on found the head of Lomas whose looping effort found the net.
Any hopes of an upset were shortlived though as Wentworth 1sts moved two goals clear, scoring both within three minutes of the half-time whistle.
The first came from Bawdon, who sent a curling shot from the edge of the area over the head of Horsfall and into the net to regain the lead – soon to be followed by a freak goal from Greg Harrison.
Harrison has already developed a reputation for the spectacular in this season’s competition, including scoring direct from a corner, and quite possibly bettered that to put his side 3-1 up.
From a good 35 yards out on the right-wing, his deep cross flew all over the place before finding its eventual destination in Horsfall’s top corner – an outcome that seemed to surprise even Harrison himself.
The second-half then resembled more of a procession, with the 1sts side going through the paces, despite the best attempts of their hard-working 2nds counter-parts.
Three minutes after the break, the 1sts had a penalty. Aakash Nasarpuri, who replaced Horsfall at half-time, brought down Lipton, and the referee pointed to the spot. Green dispatched the penalty powerfully straight down the middle.
That was soon to be followed by a second for Green. This time a superb Rob Sellers ball over the top sent him one-on-one with Nasarpuri, and he delicately dinked the ball over the onrushing ‘keeper.
Green then turned provider, sending over an excellent cross to Parker who provided a deft touch to make it six. Green then repeated the trick, crossing for Bawdon to head, unmarked, against the bar.
The College League champions were looking more and more dangerous as the game went on, and finished their goalscoring with three minutes remaining.
This time it was Bawdon’s turn to grab his second, played through on goal before thrashing an excellent right-footed finish across Nasarpuri and into the bottom left-hand corner.
Substitute and manager Dan Howdon then grabbed a consolation for the seconds before they exited the competition, nodding home a rebound into an open goal to huge cheers from the touchline. Wentworth 1sts march on to the semi-finals.
Excellent write-up. Thanks for the coverage throughout the tournament.