NCEL newcomers Leeds UFCA became the 88th different opponents to meet The Ambers as they visited in the Second Round of the JCP Construction League Cup in memory of James Hitchcock, following their First Round victory on penalties at Worsborough Bridge.
The management took the opportunity to rest a couple of players after the weekend’s exertions, with Johno Williams, Fernando Tavares and Liam Owen all coming into the side looking to extend the winning run to four games.
The Ambers started the game on the front foot, and an early opportunity went begging when Owen Haigh just failed to direct his header from Charlie Booker’s long throw, on target. Williams then hit a fine driven cross to the far side of the area, but it was just too far ahead of the inrushing Tavares, whilst the pair then combined well again, with Owen just failing to reach the ball in the box.
Despite the visitors looking decent going forward when they got the chance, they were unable to test Handsworth’s back line, and the hosts continued to pour forward at every opportunity seeking the elusive breakthrough.
Jordan Hines then saw a speculative effort from out on the right touchline drift wide after he had spotted keeper Jackson off his line, before Mitch Dunne just failed to pick out Owen in the box. Williams then combined with namesake Tyler down the left, but his dangerous cross evaded a host of bodies before it reached Booker whose shot was blocked.
Brandon Bagley who was yet again having a storming game at right back then played a great ball forward to release Hinds, but again his radar was just off kilter as he lobbed Jackson but also narrowly cleared the bar.
Dunne then tried his luck from the halfway line after intercepting a loose ball and spotting the keeper off his line again, but his effort missed the target, as did Hines after an Owen flick had set him goalwards.
Up to this point, the majority of action had been in or around the Leeds area, but they did create a couple of chances of their own as half time approached, but Bradley spooned his effort well over, before a better attempt by Sandhu flashed wide after he’d cut inside from the left. In between these efforts, Dunne saw his shot saved by Jackson and Owen poked a half chance wide at the far post.
Given the number of opportunities that The Ambers had created in the opening 45 minutes, it was slightly disappointing that the half had ended goal less, but there had been plenty of positives in the performance, whilst the visitors had defended well and looked lively on the occasions they were able to escape upfield.
Somewhat out of the blue, the visitors had the ball in the net within two minutes of the re-start, but Sanyang was correctly flagged for offside, and Dunne missed out on firing The Ambers in front minutes later when he raced onto Booker’s quickly taken throw, but pulled his shot wide of the front stick, before Horkin drew a first save of the night from Jim Pollard.
Ten minutes in, the management made a double change with Harry Jessop and Josh Nodder coming on in place of Hines and Owen, and within five minutes the deadlock was finally broken. There looked little danger when Tavares picked up a short pass from Haigh in the centre circle, but the midfielder drove to the heart of the Leeds back line before curling an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 25 yards to claim his first goal of the season.
Just ten minutes later, Tavares was at it again as he swapped passes on the right with substitute Ollie Currie before rifling in another unstoppable effort to double the lead, and Nodder almost added another with a thunderous strike that left the crossbar shaking after a defensive header fell kindly to him.
Ben Harriott was having great fun regularly striding forward and joining in with the attacks, whilst Jessop showed his dazzling feet when he danced his way into the box at the death, to present Currie with a gilt-edged chance that unfortunately wasn’t taken, Jackson making the save.
All in all, it was a satisfactory evening for The Ambers who produced a really professional display to ensure that there was no banana skin awaiting them. Next up is a trip to face Frickley Athletic on Saturday.