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Mens 1st XI - Team News
Lancashire Cup Returns to Formby
At the end of a campaign that started in mid-November, Formby won the Lancashire Cup on the last day of March, producing a good performance to overcome an 11:00 a.m. starting time and Lancaster University at Blackburn Northern.
The Cup is contested between the top 16 teams in the County, based on finishing positions in the 2010-2011 League season. Formby were thus seeded 2, with Preston top seeds, but the draw meant we could expect to play them in the semi-final.
The first round saw us drawn away at Springfields, where we gave games to a number of our younger players, and won comfortably, 5-2, though the margin should have been much greater, as we were almost constantly on the attack and managed to amass only 3 goals from 13 short corners plus one penalty stroke (which we missed!). The goals were scored by Giles, Clavaud, and Hampson from penalty corners and Giles and Parry in open play.
The second round was played in early December, at home to Blackpool, who play in the league below our Seconds. Again, we were at something below full-strength, with Will Miles nursing a groin strain, Roelant Groen an ageing body, and Rimmer, Clavaud and Capper (P) all absent for various reasons. Our strength in depth was apparent as we dominated the game throughout, scoring 6 goals, through Hampson, Parry and Slater (all from short corners) in the first half and Giles (open play), Davis-Guzman and Slater (short corners) in the second. Several defensive lapses at 4-0 allowed Blackpool the pleasure of scoring against us, but the result was never in doubt.
Our semi-final, away to Preston, was originally scheduled for 7th January, but Preston requested a postponement so they could play their 1st XI, who were booked on a training weekend then (they’d played their 2s up to this point, to avoid the difficulties posed by National League games being mainly on Sundays whereas everyone else plays on Saturdays). Unfortunately this fell victim to the frost, and little was heard from Preston until the organising committee became concerned that time was running out (there being multiple postponements of League matches absorbing available dates). Eventually the match was ordered to be played on 24th March, just a week before the scheduled final.
Preston had their 1st XI available (albeit with a League match the following day, but they were safe from relegation). They chose to play their 2s again – why, after all the fuss? The match started at 17:30, and would be completed under lights. We were more or less at full strength, and should have been at least four goals up after 20 minutes, having created multiple clear chances. It remained 0-0, however, and we had to thank Sam Birtles in goal for saving a penalty stroke to preserve the position at half-time. The second half was similar, until our younger contingent decided enough was enough. Sean Friday set up Connell Capper for his first 1st team goal after 54 minutes, and two minutes later, Nick Giles fired home a pass from Hasan Ali. It looked plain sailing, but with 8 minutes to go, we allowed a Preston forward to beat 4 men to break free in the circle – still, his finish needed to be, and was, spectacular, and the final minutes were played out somewhat nervously, particularly for the visiting spectators.
Despite the early start to the final (our opponents were booked on a ferry in Dover at 7:00 p.m. for their Easter tour), a small contingent of supporters braved the chilly conditions at Blackburn. Our opponents, who finished a couple of places below Blackpool in the League) had beaten the holders, Didsbury Northern, in the other semi-final. Despite our captain feeling unwell for most of the first half, the team performed solidly, establishing a 3-goal lead inside 25 minutes, through Nick Giles (2, both penalty corners) and Sean Friday. We then gave away a soft one, though the Umpire helped a little.
As the second half started, Lancaster pressed, and it looked as though it would be important that we scored the next goal, and after several good saves from Sam Birtles, we duly did, after 10 minutes, through Lee Parry. 10 minutes later, the match was over as Will Miles fired in a goalbound shot, which Connell Capper deflected into the net. Then Giles completed his first ever hat-trick for Formby, after a neat move involving Sam Mackarell and Hasan Ali. Sean Friday added his second with 3 minutes to go, then we all went to sleep and allowed Lancaster a consolation goal. There was still just time for the move of the match, started with a deft aerial from Richard Slater to Ricky Davis-Guzman, who brought it under control expertly and exchanged a couple of short passes with Lee Parry before the latter put it on a plate for Connell Capper to make it 8-2. As the final whistle sounded, we were awarded a short corner and Giles fizzed the ball home for a final scoreline of 9-2.
The first round saw us drawn away at Springfields, where we gave games to a number of our younger players, and won comfortably, 5-2, though the margin should have been much greater, as we were almost constantly on the attack and managed to amass only 3 goals from 13 short corners plus one penalty stroke (which we missed!). The goals were scored by Giles, Clavaud, and Hampson from penalty corners and Giles and Parry in open play.
The second round was played in early December, at home to Blackpool, who play in the league below our Seconds. Again, we were at something below full-strength, with Will Miles nursing a groin strain, Roelant Groen an ageing body, and Rimmer, Clavaud and Capper (P) all absent for various reasons. Our strength in depth was apparent as we dominated the game throughout, scoring 6 goals, through Hampson, Parry and Slater (all from short corners) in the first half and Giles (open play), Davis-Guzman and Slater (short corners) in the second. Several defensive lapses at 4-0 allowed Blackpool the pleasure of scoring against us, but the result was never in doubt.
Our semi-final, away to Preston, was originally scheduled for 7th January, but Preston requested a postponement so they could play their 1st XI, who were booked on a training weekend then (they’d played their 2s up to this point, to avoid the difficulties posed by National League games being mainly on Sundays whereas everyone else plays on Saturdays). Unfortunately this fell victim to the frost, and little was heard from Preston until the organising committee became concerned that time was running out (there being multiple postponements of League matches absorbing available dates). Eventually the match was ordered to be played on 24th March, just a week before the scheduled final.
Preston had their 1st XI available (albeit with a League match the following day, but they were safe from relegation). They chose to play their 2s again – why, after all the fuss? The match started at 17:30, and would be completed under lights. We were more or less at full strength, and should have been at least four goals up after 20 minutes, having created multiple clear chances. It remained 0-0, however, and we had to thank Sam Birtles in goal for saving a penalty stroke to preserve the position at half-time. The second half was similar, until our younger contingent decided enough was enough. Sean Friday set up Connell Capper for his first 1st team goal after 54 minutes, and two minutes later, Nick Giles fired home a pass from Hasan Ali. It looked plain sailing, but with 8 minutes to go, we allowed a Preston forward to beat 4 men to break free in the circle – still, his finish needed to be, and was, spectacular, and the final minutes were played out somewhat nervously, particularly for the visiting spectators.
Despite the early start to the final (our opponents were booked on a ferry in Dover at 7:00 p.m. for their Easter tour), a small contingent of supporters braved the chilly conditions at Blackburn. Our opponents, who finished a couple of places below Blackpool in the League) had beaten the holders, Didsbury Northern, in the other semi-final. Despite our captain feeling unwell for most of the first half, the team performed solidly, establishing a 3-goal lead inside 25 minutes, through Nick Giles (2, both penalty corners) and Sean Friday. We then gave away a soft one, though the Umpire helped a little.
As the second half started, Lancaster pressed, and it looked as though it would be important that we scored the next goal, and after several good saves from Sam Birtles, we duly did, after 10 minutes, through Lee Parry. 10 minutes later, the match was over as Will Miles fired in a goalbound shot, which Connell Capper deflected into the net. Then Giles completed his first ever hat-trick for Formby, after a neat move involving Sam Mackarell and Hasan Ali. Sean Friday added his second with 3 minutes to go, then we all went to sleep and allowed Lancaster a consolation goal. There was still just time for the move of the match, started with a deft aerial from Richard Slater to Ricky Davis-Guzman, who brought it under control expertly and exchanged a couple of short passes with Lee Parry before the latter put it on a plate for Connell Capper to make it 8-2. As the final whistle sounded, we were awarded a short corner and Giles fizzed the ball home for a final scoreline of 9-2.
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