Hamworthy United 3 Dorchester Town 2
Dorset County Youth Cup Semi-Final, Sunday, 2nd March 2008
A repeat of last year’s semi-final saw another late and dramatic victory for the Hamworthy youngsters, as they showed a tremendous will to win after finding themselves 2-1 behind with 10 minutes left, following two wonder strikes from Dorchester Town.
The Magpies stifled the Hammers in the first half, playing three centre backs and flooding the midfield, with the only decent spell of flowing football that Hamworthy were able to produce, resulting in Matt Grimason putting the home side one nil up. A lead they took into the break, but which they could have added to on a couple of occasions leading up to halftime.
With several of the Hamworthy youngsters performing below par, a strong and committed Dorchester made the second half a much more even contest, and it was not a complete surprise when the visitors equalised. After Matt MacDonald fouled the awkward Dorchester centre forward on the edge of the box, a superbly struck free kick from Dan Jones was sent straight into the top corner of the net, with keeper Sean Lillington not even moving in the Hamworthy goal.
Then with 10 minutes to go another long range effort, a speculative, looping, shot from 30 yards out, sailed over the keeper’s head to put the Hammers’ hopes of retaining the cup in doubt.
However, a combination of man of the moment Josh Reavenall-Nuete, and the introduction of centre forward Mike Haskell for right-back, Pete Chappell, changed the game back in the Hammers’ favour.
First Mike Haskell held the ball up on the edge of the box for the on rushing Josh Reavenall-Nuete to fire home a fantastic equaliser, before the same player sprinted clear, from a suspiciously offside position, to score a dramatic late winner and book a repeat of last year’s final with Chickerell.
Team: Lillington, Chappell (Haskell), Cooper-Blayney, Byrne, MacDonald, Pimm, Grimason, Norris, Reavenall-Nuete, Macklin (Watson), Gajic (Capt.) (Barnett)