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Photos: Jack Western
Goodricke 2nds came from a goal behind to win 3-1 over Langwith 2nds and be crowned as the first ever College Vase champions. Goals from Jack Fuller, Joe Mann and Kostas Avramidis gave the men in green the triumph after Sam Woodall had scored an early goal for Langwith.
The first half was Goodricke come out of the blocks slowly, Langwith creating the most pressure. There were few clear chances, but Langwith had the best of them.
Ritchie Hemingway was the first to test Goodricke keeper Noel Rogers, heading a Louis Pegg free kick towards the goal, forcing a diving stop from Rogers.
After 11 minutes, Woodall gave Langwith the lead. Sam Morley played an up-and-under ball over the top which Woodall controlled, using his strength to hold off the Goodricke defenders, before turning and blasting a shot which squirmed underneath Rogers. The yellows had taken an early and surprise lead.
The first half was a generally quiet affair, though. Langwith were the better side, until Goodricke finally forced some openings in the final moments of the half. Joe Mann forced a save from Oliver Williamson, and Chris Osborne sent a shot high and wide.
Then shortly before the whistle, Fabian Ashurst played in Ben Butler, but Danny Brooks got back just in time to make a last-ditch tackle to save his side and preserve their one goal lead into the interval.
Goodricke regrouped at half time and came out much stronger in the second period. Ashurst had an early chance, but couldn’t get enough on it to direct it goalbound.
Mann then had another attempt on goal, finding space to run into before skewing a shot wide of the uprights.
At the back, meanwhile, Woodall continued to be a hassle, the Goodricke centre backs trying their hardest to deny the strong and pacey forward any opportunities.
After 11 minutes of play in the second period, Goodricke finally levelled. Fuller connected well with a half-volley after hanging back off the Langwith defence, his shot floating into the net past the desperate dive of Williamson.
From here, Goodricke looked the more likely to win. Within minutes of the equaliser, Ashurst nearly scored but his shot on target from close range blasted straight into Morley and deflected clear. The Mike Olsen had a header from a corner which went over the bar.
But four minutes after the equaliser, Goodricke were finally ahead. The Langwith defence failed to clear the ball and Mann pounced to place into the net from close range.
Langwith did have chances to get back into the game at 2-1. Louis Pegg floated in a free kick from deep, but it evaded everybody in the box and went just wide of the goal.
The Woodall almost got his second. A ball over the top fell in between the attackers and the keeper, and though Woodall got a toe on the ball shortly before Rogers cold grasp it, his kick went wide.
And then shortly before the final whistle, Avramidis put the game beyond any doubt. It was a scrappy effort, with Langwith again unable to clear their lines, and Avramidis swooped in to end the scramble and score.
After losing their first four games of the competition, Goodricke went on a run of four consecutive wins, including one against each of the sides from Langwith, and so are crowned College Vase champions.