Vanbrugh 0 – 2 Derwent 2nds
–Rob Nicholson and Jack Low score from defensive errors in 2-0 victory.
-Derwent then settle in second half and deny valiant Vanbrugh fightback.
Derwent 2nds continued their great start to life in the Revolution Premier League, with a 2-0 win over Vanbrugh 1sts in the dusky late game over at Heslington East. Despite Vanbrugh, who placed 4th in last term’s final league standings, arguably being favourites here, Derwent showed a resilient side to their defining attacking flair to take 4th place in this term’s table.
In the opening minutes, Derwent admittedly looked a little cagey, with Vanbrugh moving the ball around well, trying to impose themselves on the newly promoted side.
However, Derwent eventually got going and started to pass well. The front three of Rob Nicholson, Jack Low and Tom Mulligan terrorised the Vanbrugh back four all day, and backed up by the duo of Frank Simpson and Eloka Ntephe, the Derwent 2nds are turning into a team to be respected in their new division.
Derwent would capitalise on the first of two defensive capitulations by Vanbrugh when a through ball from Jack Low escaped Rob Nicholson, yet Conor Brennan made a meal of clearing the danger, allowing Nicholson to rob him and easily slot it past the keeper into the corner of the net to open the scoring.
Derwent were buoyed by claiming the opener, and continued to ask questions of the Vanbrugh defence, with a great strike by Low just tipped over the bar by ‘keeper Ford who was kept busy all afternoon. Following a looping ball, Nicholson, determined to get his second of the afternoon, piled in on the goalkeeper and whilst the ball ended up in the net the referee decided that the force used was excessive and instead awarded Vanbrugh a free kick.
Rob Nicholson began to chase down an exceedingly poor back pass by the Vanbrugh defence, and as Nicholson was going clear to claim the prize for his persistence, he was pulled down cynically, and the referee unexplainably failed to award a free kick just outside the box.
However, it would turn out to be the second week where goals would be gifted to Derwent sides. Last week the first team enjoyed a number of goals thanks to poor defending and the second team would benefit from the same phenomena for the second time this afternoon. Jack Low pounced upon Andriy Tabas, stealing the ball and placed it into the top corner to double Derwent’s lead at half-time.
Despite defensive errors, Vanbrugh troubled Derwent when they got forward, but Felix Aylett had a great game between the posts for Derwent, dealing with everything that Vanbrugh could throw at him all afternoon.
The highlight of the afternoon, and possible goal of the season if it had successfully been pulled off, came when defender Ryan Conner somehow ended up in between a sleeping Vanbrugh defence and met the chipped ball with a spinning back-heel that only narrowly went over.
The second half was at times a little dull, Derwent were happy with what they had achieved in the first half, and managed to soak up intermittent pressure from Vanbrugh as they desperately tried to find a way back into the game. Eloka Ntephe and Frank Simpson were industrious for the whole ninety minutes, and will be crucial all season. The defence persevered and although Felix Aylett was tested throughout the second half, Derwent were always in control, with Rob Nicholson holding the ball up and bringing Mulligan and Low into play to continue to keep Vanbrugh busy.
With the way that the Derwent 2nds played last term, you wouldn’t be surprised that they are enjoying life in the top division, but questions will always be asked of whether promoted teams can perform at the next level. The number of freshers in the Derwent 2nds team is also promising, as Derwent will have a large squad of players who have experience of playing in the top division over the next few years.
Vanbrugh captain, Joe Lund: “Very disappointing as we came into it thinking we could win the game. We didn’t play badly, it was two sloppy moments at the back and we weren’t clinical enough up front. In the key areas we just weren’t good enough.”
Derwent captain, Matthew Elvin: We started off really well, had good possession. Thrilled to get into the half-time break 2-0, big credit to the boys, ran their socks off, playing with a squad of only 11. Fair play to Vanbrugh, I feel they played very well and were on top for large parts of the game but we defended brilliantly and contained them well.”
Vision MotM: Rob Nicholson
Vanbrugh: Ford, Siddle, Belbin, Brennan, Tabas, Picknell, Vyvyan, Lund, Watkins, Polts, Sides. Subs: Caruthers, Lewis
Derwent: Aylett, Conner, Bell, Elvin, Reynolds, Ntephe, Simpson, Stones, Mulligan, Low, Nicholson