Brave Bankers keep the trumpet playing

Sheffield Bankers made the trip out of Yorkshire, and into the heart of where ever on Earth Worksop is. The team were treated to a pristine playing surface (compared to your average weekend), actual dugouts and a boisterous crowd of old and new faces from the Bankers various teams and era’s.

Bankers team was as followed:
GK: Scott Dinnigan
Def: Richard Bartimote, Joe Lodge (C), Joe Jerrison, Jo Robinson
Mid: Kieran Moore, Dave Gardner, Mikey Russell
For: Robert Jerrison, Elliott Simpson, James Fletcher

Subs: Matt Taylor, Greg Ashmore, Ryan Griffiths. Glyn Davies and Jack Winslow (unused subs).

Having warmed up, the Bankers assembled side by side in the tunnel with Penistone Church FC, feeling that they could match their highflying, County Senior Premier counterparts.

Captain Joe Lodge led out a brigade of men with strong looking chins as the Bankers took to the field to a rapturous applause and giddy excitement from the grown men in the crowd. The fan couldn’t believe they were getting to cheer for the Bankers at an actual stadium. The stand looked like a low budget fashion suite for “club wear” from the last 5 seasons, yet the fans were ready to play their part (except Bells). Luckily, on the field the actual Bankers looked the part as they preformed the pre-game handshakes, in the pristine Claret and Burgundy that is now associated with the club. Champions league music was playing from a nearby phone, but luckily without Andy Townsend in earshot.

The early play was scrappy, PCFC's left back and captain established himself as a “modern day fullback” early into the affair, as time and time again he pushed forward down the Bankers right hand side; marshaled well by Rob Jerrison, who time and time again showed he was more than prepared to charge 30 yards to defend (foul him).

PCFC won the first corner of the match, and quickly followed this up with a second. Bankers were looking nervy of the occasion, although the team would have been settled by the sight of Scott Dinnigan executing a textbook stop as he stepped calmly across to register his first save of the match. The stat man keenly recorded it, knowing what a stickler the keeper is for being correctly accredited.

The first 20 minutes saw PCFC displaying their Premiership title credentials as they probed at the Bankers, Richard Bartimote cleared well from another PCFC corner, as they pushed out from defending it, a fairly aimless ball into the Bankers half saw one third of the Jo/e's slip which allowed a PCFC attacker to charge down on goal, with Scott “Dingy” Dinnigan off his line quickly to close down the angle, the striker failed to even hit the target. PCFC though were soon back in on goal; crisp one-two touch passing saw the full back and wide midfielder combine to set up a chance on goal from wide right inside the Bankers box, but with Dingy once again off his line and good discipline from Bartimote, the PCFC attacker had zero chance of scoring from the angle created for him.

Dinnigan then showed that being the keeper doesn’t limit his involvement in attacking play, springing up to pluck a ball out of the air from a cross, he then delivered it forward to Elliot Simpson. Simpson switched play to Rob Jerrison who turned outside the left back to thread a ball through between the two centre backs; Mikey Russell had peeled away from his marker and was through on goal, however, he couldn’t convert the chance and the ball was mopped up by the keeper. Bankers soon after though registered their first attempt on target and Elliot Simpson followed this up by winning the Banker’s first corner from a fiercely delivered cross, having skinned his marker, although the whipped in set piece didn’t trouble PCFC despite Lodge, Joe Jerrison and Dave G lumbering forward with intent.

Bankers were now beginning to play with more confidence, yet were finding they had isolated James Fletcher up front as they dealt with bouts of sustained controlled possession from the opposition. PCFC, despite their good passing play, took the lead when a ball over the top was well controlled and expertly tucked away to give PCFC the first goal.

PCFC spurred on then nearly doubled the score, the striker controlling and turning his marker to squeeze off a shot in the area, although Dinnigan was down superbly to save and the whistle went for offside as the second striker raced in to claim a tap in. Dinnigan was again in action soon afterwards, a dangerous ball in hit a Banker’s defender and nearly wrong footed the keeper however he managed to re-adjust his body weight to get down to smother the ball.

Next it was the turn of the Bankers to make the keeper work, Rob Jerrison again playing Mike Russell through on goal; Russell beat the advancing keeper to the ball but saw his shot cannon back off the PCFC net man. Rob Jerrison controlled the rebound and hit a shot come cross that managed to pick out Mike Russell, whose header beat the keeper but was scrambled away by a recovering defender. The Bankers players and fans were still discussing the chance Bankers just had whilst the resulting clearance went straight to the PCFC forward. Finding space down Bankers' right hand side, he raced onto the clearance and lofted it over the on rushing Dinnigan for a 2-0 lead. Manager Davies unchanged from his 90’s boyband stance on the sideline.

Despite the score the Bankers continued to defy the gap in league standing, when less than two minutes after going behind Elliot Simpson struck a long range effort having spotted the keeper off his line, the effort in the end drifted harmlessly wide. However, the next time he received the ball he picked out James Fletcher who, with the ball at his feet and on the cusp of the penalty area, controlled and worked himself onto his right before sweetly reducing the difference with a precise sweep into the keeper's bottom left hand corner. As the ball rolled in along the side netting the Bankers' hardcore rejoiced in the stands. Bankers' fans were still cheering when Fletcher again was superbly played through, beat the Keeper to the ball, only to see his shot also beat the post.

Half time – Bankers 1 – 2 PCFC

Bankers were out for the second half unchanged, however with the words of Glyn Davies still in their ears PCFC extended their lead. Given too much time and space on the outskirts of the box, the Bankers were punished with a well struck shot that found its way into the net despite a strong hand from the keeper. Bankers again showed they weren’t there to make up the numbers and, undeterred from an early set back, continued to fight and impress with their play. Kieran Moore was impressing in midfield, and he took the ball off his opposition counterpart, and played Simpson away down the left. With the outside of the foot his cross seemed to be heading to a Bankers player before being cleared for a corner. Soon after, Moore controlled well and drilled a 30 yarder that dipped just in front of the keeper who did well to take the pace off it and gather it cleanly.

Moore and Simpson had started the second half lively and were time and time again finding themselves on the ball in the PCFC half. Simpson again firing off a shot, only to see a block take the power off it, while at the back the wall of Jo/e’s were proving resolute aerially and this was allowing the Bankers greater time in the opposition half.
Matt Taylor took to the field to replace Bartimote and the Bankers continued to press and win the ball high up the pitch. Benefiting from this, Robert Jerrsion received the ball in the area, turned, but was crowded out before he could get firm contact on his shot. Bankers' fans appealed for a penalty, but quickly dropped their appeals when club legend/make shift physio trotted onto the pitch to treat the felled Jerrison. This gave the crowd the chance to showcase the “the physio’s a wakka” chant that had been assembled with haste at the discovery of Wakka in a bib, masquerading as club doctor. Robert Jerrison was soon back on his feet, no thanks to Wakka who didn’t take any sort of medical kit or even some water on with him to attend to his patient.

With the game back underway PCFC once again proved their decisiveness in the Bankers area. Good one touch football saw a midfielder give and go with the forward before knocking the ball into the goal for a 4-1 lead to PCFC. Soon after Robert Jerrison made way and Greg Ashmore took the role up top. Bankers, with a succession of corners seemed close to scrambling a goal back, with the ball dipping and bouncing and pinballing around in the 6 yard back, appearing to strike a hand before being cleared downfield.

Having been involved all evening with good defensive work from set plays, Mike Russell was once again pivotal at a defensive set piece, heading away from a well delivered ball into the box, which resulted in the Bankers earning a throw down the left. Simpson again played into Fletcher, and Fletcher again played into the net! Once again, he skipped inside, avoiding would be challenges, before hitting a Bergkamp-esqe shot that seemed to effortlessly maneuver over the keeper. Spinning like a ball in a high definition Nike commercial, it glistened in the floodlights and winked to the crowd as it went in. The players ran to embrace Fletcher and fish the ball from the net, and once again the trumpet perked up the fans huddled in the touchline stand, and presumably Bells (where ever he was).

With the fans now in a battle with Penistone's own ultras, one or two who deserve credit for a commendable attempt at making their own trumpet sound (which was much better than the noise Illyr Pride had made on his attempt) the Bankers continued to find themselves having to defend with extreme concentration. Matt Taylor doing a superb job of clearing up and over his own bar after a devilishly delivered low corner seemed to work it’s way across the entirely of the length of the goal line before being rescued by Taylor.

With time expiring, Kieran Moore controlled in a similar area to where he had previously tested the keeper from, but this time couldn’t repeat the quality of effort, as he blazed over the bar. Jo Robinson came off towards the end with "cramp" and was replaced by Ryan Griffiths.

The final whistle went and the Bankers' players found themselves receiving a jubilant applause from the fans, who clearly appreciated the quality, passion and fight that the players had shown against such good opposition. The players made their way off the pitch to the applause, Matt Taylor showed his reciprocation by throwing his match worn shirt into the crowd to Rich Baxter, who was promptly told to return it.

Reporter's notes:
Gents – massive credit to you all, it was an honour to get to watch you on such a stage, and you certainly did justice to the talent and spirit you have as a team. Despite the result it was a truly proud night for the club and everyone involved or who has contributed.

Note from the County Senior League committee:
This message, from the League Secretary, was sent to Bankers' manager Glyn Davies following the game:

Dear Glyn,
May I on behalf of the League Management Committee offer our thanks on the great performance that your team brought to the Semi Final, the game was a pleasure to watch, and all the players were a credit to their respective clubs, and also to the League.
Kind regards
Keith