Barrel
22-01-2007, 18:28
WHITTLESEY UNITED RESERVES 1
CHATTERIS FEN TIGERS 2
McCains Sports & Social Club
Att: 38
WHITTLESEY crashed out of the Cup on Saturday to Vauxhall Division 2 side Chatteris Fen Tigers in disappointing fashion.
The home side were made clear favourites heading into this clash, with the prize at stake a passage into the North Cambs Semi Finals.
Due to the state of Whittlesey’s spiritual home, The Manor, this fixture was switched to McCains Club. The game started slowly for the home side, a long ball over the Whittlesey backline looked to be comfortable for the Whittlesey defence, but a lack of communication between Dart and Fletcer in the home goal resulted in the Fen Tigers right winger stealing in and lobbing over Fletcher in the Whittlesey goal. This goal failed to kick the home side into action and just moments later the visitors went close again from a corner but were denied by the woodwork.
The home side then started to kick into action and created several good chances, firstly top scorer Ryan Smith failed to capitalise on a great through ball and dragged his shot wide of the Tigers goal. Moments later Smith’s strike partner Micky Burch found himself bearing down on the visiting goal but dragged his shot agonisingly wide .
By now pressure was mounting, defender Ray Gale found himself in space following a clever Tim Gale free-kick, but he was unaware of the time he had and pushed his header into the keepers chest. Gale again found himself with a free header this time missing the target. Whittlesey continued to bombard the visiting goal and were rewarded just minutes from half time when 17 year old Lee Baker’s fantastic run and shot found the Chatteris bottom corner to the relief of the Whittlesey lads.
The half time whistle blew with the home side in full ascendancy and looking likely winners of this important cup encounter. The half time team talk was very positive with the message to continue playing a high tempo of football and get at the visiting side. With the wind behind us, we felt comfortable that we would be able to convert some of our missed opportunities and secure a semi final slot.
The second half started with the home side looking lacklustre, failing to keep hold of the ball but still looking comfortable. The Whittlesey side continued to find found themselves in space in the box but failed to convert the chances on hand. Vetearan midfielder Tim Gale had a free kick that looked top corner bound deflected over the bar and substitute Luke Quince produced a rasping courling shot that missed the back of the next by centimetres.
The away side were being chipped away at with the scorelines poised at 1-1 and with time running out, the tie looked set for extra time. However in the 89th minute Fen Tigers were awarded a free kick that was charged down by the Whittlesey wall, the snap shot from a visiting player cruelly looped into the air and over the keeper and defender on the line. 2-1!!!
The referee dully blew his whistle moments later to the despair and frustration of the home side. The players and management team were despondent as they trudged off the turf and headed for the changing rooms.
In a game that we should have won and looked so comfortable in we had been bitten at the end in agonising fashion. Whilst the Whittlesey side’s frustration grew the away side seemed to believe that this might be their day, a notion that was confirmed when they hit the winner late on.
The home side had 15+ goalscoring opportunities converting just one, whilst the visiting side had two shots on goal throughout the 90 minutes and scored twice. Fair play to Chatteris Fen Tigers they continued to compete throughout and best of luck to them for the rest of the competition.
Disappointed? Absolutely, I was Saturday and still am now!
How we failed to win this game I will never know, the lads were told that they will probably not have a better opportunity to progress in a game of this magnitude for some time.
Hopefully this match and the disappointment that it caused will be developmental in the future careers of some of our players.
On a good day we could have won comfortably, we’ll put it down to just “one of those days” but it was disappointing that it was one of those days on a very important day in our season.
Despite our disappoinment the lads are certainly good enough to bounce back and everyone at the club is looking to put things right, starting with a good performance and maximum points against visiting Moulton Harrox next weekend.
Regards, Barrel
CHATTERIS FEN TIGERS 2
McCains Sports & Social Club
Att: 38
WHITTLESEY crashed out of the Cup on Saturday to Vauxhall Division 2 side Chatteris Fen Tigers in disappointing fashion.
The home side were made clear favourites heading into this clash, with the prize at stake a passage into the North Cambs Semi Finals.
Due to the state of Whittlesey’s spiritual home, The Manor, this fixture was switched to McCains Club. The game started slowly for the home side, a long ball over the Whittlesey backline looked to be comfortable for the Whittlesey defence, but a lack of communication between Dart and Fletcer in the home goal resulted in the Fen Tigers right winger stealing in and lobbing over Fletcher in the Whittlesey goal. This goal failed to kick the home side into action and just moments later the visitors went close again from a corner but were denied by the woodwork.
The home side then started to kick into action and created several good chances, firstly top scorer Ryan Smith failed to capitalise on a great through ball and dragged his shot wide of the Tigers goal. Moments later Smith’s strike partner Micky Burch found himself bearing down on the visiting goal but dragged his shot agonisingly wide .
By now pressure was mounting, defender Ray Gale found himself in space following a clever Tim Gale free-kick, but he was unaware of the time he had and pushed his header into the keepers chest. Gale again found himself with a free header this time missing the target. Whittlesey continued to bombard the visiting goal and were rewarded just minutes from half time when 17 year old Lee Baker’s fantastic run and shot found the Chatteris bottom corner to the relief of the Whittlesey lads.
The half time whistle blew with the home side in full ascendancy and looking likely winners of this important cup encounter. The half time team talk was very positive with the message to continue playing a high tempo of football and get at the visiting side. With the wind behind us, we felt comfortable that we would be able to convert some of our missed opportunities and secure a semi final slot.
The second half started with the home side looking lacklustre, failing to keep hold of the ball but still looking comfortable. The Whittlesey side continued to find found themselves in space in the box but failed to convert the chances on hand. Vetearan midfielder Tim Gale had a free kick that looked top corner bound deflected over the bar and substitute Luke Quince produced a rasping courling shot that missed the back of the next by centimetres.
The away side were being chipped away at with the scorelines poised at 1-1 and with time running out, the tie looked set for extra time. However in the 89th minute Fen Tigers were awarded a free kick that was charged down by the Whittlesey wall, the snap shot from a visiting player cruelly looped into the air and over the keeper and defender on the line. 2-1!!!
The referee dully blew his whistle moments later to the despair and frustration of the home side. The players and management team were despondent as they trudged off the turf and headed for the changing rooms.
In a game that we should have won and looked so comfortable in we had been bitten at the end in agonising fashion. Whilst the Whittlesey side’s frustration grew the away side seemed to believe that this might be their day, a notion that was confirmed when they hit the winner late on.
The home side had 15+ goalscoring opportunities converting just one, whilst the visiting side had two shots on goal throughout the 90 minutes and scored twice. Fair play to Chatteris Fen Tigers they continued to compete throughout and best of luck to them for the rest of the competition.
Disappointed? Absolutely, I was Saturday and still am now!
How we failed to win this game I will never know, the lads were told that they will probably not have a better opportunity to progress in a game of this magnitude for some time.
Hopefully this match and the disappointment that it caused will be developmental in the future careers of some of our players.
On a good day we could have won comfortably, we’ll put it down to just “one of those days” but it was disappointing that it was one of those days on a very important day in our season.
Despite our disappoinment the lads are certainly good enough to bounce back and everyone at the club is looking to put things right, starting with a good performance and maximum points against visiting Moulton Harrox next weekend.
Regards, Barrel