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Ludlow Hospital Cup Final
AFC Reporter5 Aug 2012 - 19:30
AFC defeated in cup final by local rivals Church Stretton ....
AFC LUDLOW FAILED IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO WIN THEIR 1ST BIT OF SILVERWARE WHEN THEY WERE DEFEATED 1 NIL BY CHURCH STRETTON IN THE FINAL OF THE LUDLOW HOSPITAL CUP AT THE SBS STADIUM.
THE GAME FOR THE NEUTRAL WAS CLEARLY A GAME OF 2 HALVES AS CHURCH STRETTON DOMINATED THE 1ST & AFC THE 2ND.
THE GAME STARTED BRIGHTLY ENOUGH FOR THE HOME SIDE WITH CHRIS BREAKWELL FORCING A GOOD SAVE FROM THE STRETTON KEEPER WHO TIPPED HIS GOALBOUND HEADER OVER THE BAR BUT THAT IN FAIRNESS WAS AS GOOD AS IT GOT FOR AFC AS STRETTON DOMINATED.
STRETTON FORCED KEEPER COOPER INTO EARLY ACTION AS TWICE IN 2 MINUTES THEY RACED CLEAR BUT FAILED TO SCORE IN 1 ON 1 SITUATIONS.
WITH AFC LOOKED TOTALLY OUT OF IDEAS STRETTON SCORED WHAT PROVED TO BE THE ONLY GOAL OF THE GAME ON 25 MINUTES WHEN FROM SOME SLOPPY DEFENDING FROM A THROWING ALLOWED THE WINGER INSIDE AND HIS CROSS COME SHOT SAILED INTO THE FAR TOP CORNER TO GIVE THEM THE LEAD THEIR PERFORMANCE HAD MERITED.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE WITH JUST MINUTES OF THE HALF LEFT AS AGAIN A LONG BALL OVER THE TOP CAUGHT THE HOME SIDE OUT BUT AGAIN SOME POOR FINISHING CAME TO AFC’S RESCUE.
THE 2ND HALF WAS A DIFFERENT AFFAIR AS IT WAS ROLLS REVERESED AS AFC DOMINATED STRAIGHT FROM THE KICK OFF WITH DANNY GOWER FORCING A SMART SAVE FROM THE KEEPERS LEGS WHEN REALLY HE SHOULD HAVE EQUALISED.
IT WAS GOWER AGAIN WHO HAD THE NEXT EFFORT WHICH WENT NARROWLY WIDE.
NEW SIGNING DICKIE EVERALL STUNG THE KEEPERS HANDS WITH A 20 YARD DRIVE & RICKY PRICE SENT A SHOT JUST OVER THE CROSSBAR.
WITH THE PRESSURE MOUNTING IT SEEMED ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE EQUALISER WOULD COME BUT WITH THE WAY IT WAS GOING BAD LUCK WAS ABOUT TO STRIKE AGAIN AS SKIPPER JAMIE MARSH CURLED A 25YARD FREEKICK AROUND THE WALL WITH THE KEEPER BEATEN ALL HANDS UP BUT THE BALL STRUCK THE INSIDE OF THE POST WENT ACROSS THE LINE AND HIT THE KEEPER RESULTING IN A MELLAY IN THE BOX BUT SOME STOUT DEFENDING PREVENTED THE BALL GOING IN.
DANNY GOWER THEN HAD THE BALL IN THE NET WITH 8 MINUTES REMAINING WHEN HE CHASED DOWN A BACKPASS AND GOT WITHIN 2YARDS OF THE KEEPER WHOS CLEARANCE HIT GOWER AND LOOPED INTO THE NET WITH EVERY ONE ACCEPTING IT WAS A GOAL THE REFEREE DEEMED IT HANDBALL AND CHALKED OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DESERVED EQUALISER.
WITH AFC PRESSING FOR THE EQUALISER STRETTON SHOULD HAVE ADDED A 2ND WITH MINUTES TO GO BUT AGAIN SOME LAST DITCH DEFENDING BY SIMON BULL PREVENTED IT.
THE GAME FOR THE NEUTRAL WAS CLEARLY A GAME OF 2 HALVES AS CHURCH STRETTON DOMINATED THE 1ST & AFC THE 2ND.
THE GAME STARTED BRIGHTLY ENOUGH FOR THE HOME SIDE WITH CHRIS BREAKWELL FORCING A GOOD SAVE FROM THE STRETTON KEEPER WHO TIPPED HIS GOALBOUND HEADER OVER THE BAR BUT THAT IN FAIRNESS WAS AS GOOD AS IT GOT FOR AFC AS STRETTON DOMINATED.
STRETTON FORCED KEEPER COOPER INTO EARLY ACTION AS TWICE IN 2 MINUTES THEY RACED CLEAR BUT FAILED TO SCORE IN 1 ON 1 SITUATIONS.
WITH AFC LOOKED TOTALLY OUT OF IDEAS STRETTON SCORED WHAT PROVED TO BE THE ONLY GOAL OF THE GAME ON 25 MINUTES WHEN FROM SOME SLOPPY DEFENDING FROM A THROWING ALLOWED THE WINGER INSIDE AND HIS CROSS COME SHOT SAILED INTO THE FAR TOP CORNER TO GIVE THEM THE LEAD THEIR PERFORMANCE HAD MERITED.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE WITH JUST MINUTES OF THE HALF LEFT AS AGAIN A LONG BALL OVER THE TOP CAUGHT THE HOME SIDE OUT BUT AGAIN SOME POOR FINISHING CAME TO AFC’S RESCUE.
THE 2ND HALF WAS A DIFFERENT AFFAIR AS IT WAS ROLLS REVERESED AS AFC DOMINATED STRAIGHT FROM THE KICK OFF WITH DANNY GOWER FORCING A SMART SAVE FROM THE KEEPERS LEGS WHEN REALLY HE SHOULD HAVE EQUALISED.
IT WAS GOWER AGAIN WHO HAD THE NEXT EFFORT WHICH WENT NARROWLY WIDE.
NEW SIGNING DICKIE EVERALL STUNG THE KEEPERS HANDS WITH A 20 YARD DRIVE & RICKY PRICE SENT A SHOT JUST OVER THE CROSSBAR.
WITH THE PRESSURE MOUNTING IT SEEMED ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE EQUALISER WOULD COME BUT WITH THE WAY IT WAS GOING BAD LUCK WAS ABOUT TO STRIKE AGAIN AS SKIPPER JAMIE MARSH CURLED A 25YARD FREEKICK AROUND THE WALL WITH THE KEEPER BEATEN ALL HANDS UP BUT THE BALL STRUCK THE INSIDE OF THE POST WENT ACROSS THE LINE AND HIT THE KEEPER RESULTING IN A MELLAY IN THE BOX BUT SOME STOUT DEFENDING PREVENTED THE BALL GOING IN.
DANNY GOWER THEN HAD THE BALL IN THE NET WITH 8 MINUTES REMAINING WHEN HE CHASED DOWN A BACKPASS AND GOT WITHIN 2YARDS OF THE KEEPER WHOS CLEARANCE HIT GOWER AND LOOPED INTO THE NET WITH EVERY ONE ACCEPTING IT WAS A GOAL THE REFEREE DEEMED IT HANDBALL AND CHALKED OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DESERVED EQUALISER.
WITH AFC PRESSING FOR THE EQUALISER STRETTON SHOULD HAVE ADDED A 2ND WITH MINUTES TO GO BUT AGAIN SOME LAST DITCH DEFENDING BY SIMON BULL PREVENTED IT.
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