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Photos: Philip Mourdjis
James 1sts stormed to victory in the college football league as they took apart a depleted Derwent side on the 3G.
The scene was set for a tense encounter. Both sides knew that victory would hand them the College league title, but for a severely understaffed Derwent 1sts, the afternoon was to end in bitter disappointment. Goals from Mandeep Sangha, captain Ralph Gill, Freddie Ferrao and a four-goal salvo from Matt Singleton made the victory comprehensive, even if Josh Bew tried his best to keep his side in it with a first-half double in reply. Ultimately James had too much quality and pace for Derwent, and their extra man paid dividends in the second half as they ran riot.
There were early signs of promise for Derwent in the first half as Joe Easter and Josh Bew showed a great understanding in their link up play. A frantic opening ten minutes ensued, and this was understandable given how vital the game was for both sides. Derwent were working hard but James began to show superiority with Matt Singleton screwing a warning shot wide before good blocks from Jacob Tapper and Ryan Gwinnett were needed on efforts from Andy Jopson and Josh Spurling respectively. With Ralph Gill in the engine room and cute passing moves engineered by Dan Haresnape, James looked the more incisive and began to take control. Their pressure told in the twentieth minute, as Felix Aylett rushed out to claim a Freddie Ferrao cross, but was just beaten to the ball by Mandeep Sangha, who headed home from 12 yards. A flurry of goals followed, with Ralph Gill profiting from a sumptuous Ferrao corner to climb highest and thump home a header at the far post to double James’ advantage, before Josh Bew pulled a goal back for Derwent moments later, finishing well from a Ryan Gwinnett delivery of similar quality to the Ferrao cross which preceded it.
Almost immediately Derwent had to be on their guard after conceding, with Jules Delay tracking across from full-back brilliantly to prevent Matt Singleton from stabbing home from point blank range. It didn’t take long for James to restore their two goal advantage however, when Josh Spurling’s determined running freed Freddie Ferrao to sidefoot across Aylett and into the net from just inside the area. Derwent were in no mood to lose the game in the first half however, with the lethal Josh Bew collecting the ball and curling a masterful effort across goal and into the net with consummate ease in the fortieth minute. The telling blow arrived five minutes later in first-half stoppage time, as Ryan Gwinnett miskicked a harmless looking Josh Spurling set piece from deep, sending the ball spinning high into his own box. Pinball ensued, and when the ball dropped for the opportunist Matt Singleton twelve yards out he made no mistake, thumping home to again restore a two goal advantage for James.
James’ fourth goal seemed to finally break the brave resistance of Derwent. In the second half Josh Bew continued to work extremely hard in defending from the front, and though he earned a few free-kicks for his endeavour, Derwent’s set piece delivery was poor. Concentration in their ranks began to lapse heavily, and when Jules Delay lost Matt Singleton on a run into the box his error proved fatal; Singleton nipped in ahead of Aylett to nick the ball away, round him with ease and stroke home for 5-2. Though it seemed at this point as though the contest was over, Andy Balzan produced a fantastic save from a goalbound Ryan Gwinnett effort after great work from Andrew Naylor in the middle of the park. In the final quarter of the game James would get in behind a tired looking Derwent twice more to devastating effect, and it was Matt Singleton who first completed his hat-trick with a low strike which Felix Aylett could not keep from going in off the post, then added his fourth, and his side’s seventh of the afternoon to add insult to injury with a thumping header.
VISION MOTM: Matt Singleton
James: Balzan, Sangha, Elliott, Axford, Edwards, Gill, Spurling, Haresnape, Jopson, Ferrao, Singleton
Subs: Fox, Baker
Derwent: Aylett, Askham, Shelborn, Tapper, Weighall, Naylor, Easter, Gwinnett, Eyles, Bew
Subs: Delay, Trant, Tooth
Derwent started the game with 10 men (Uni 1’s ruling)
James captain Ralph Gill: “I’m elated with the performance. The game was excellent and competitive- but in the second half we took advantage of having the extra man and were composed in exploiting the space that left. I’m absolutely over the moon.”
Derwent captain Dave Belshaw: “We were so short on personnel that we had to play with 10 men today, which was very disappointing. James were excellent and punished us for our lack of commitment. They deserved to win. I’m pleased with the season though, we’re coming on well with good freshers coming in. We need a settled side to compete in the College Cup.”