Gunners marched through to the finals of the Jack Taylor Cup with a convincing win over Ruscombe Res. The game was played in very windy conditions which meant both sides having an advantage in each half. Gunners elected to take the slope and the wind in the first half and they soon took advantage when Ian Thornhill raced onto a ball and lobbed the keeper from twenty yards out. Ruscombe Res then elected to change their formation to a 4-4-2 and push another man up front.
Tony Poacher then scored his first goal of the season when he blasted a free kick in from twenty five yards out. Gunners then made it 3-0 when Paul Clark headed the ball forward from a goal kick and Ian Thornhill chased this and managed to nudge this past the keeper.
The second half was always going to be more difficult when playing against the wind and the slope and the Gunners defence was put under a lot of pressure for the majority of the half. Julian Willis was called into action early on when the speedy Ruscombe winger turned and shot from inside the box, but his near post shot was well saved.
Ruscombe did pinch a goal when a long throw was held up by the Ruscombe forward who lobbed the ball over his head with his back to goal and this looped over the keeper. Gunners did manage to kill the game when Kevin Rapley added a goal. He then scored another when he received a cross, made a yard for himself and then hit the ball into the back of the net which took a slight deflection from the opposing defender. At the other end of the field, the Gunners defence did enough to keep the opposition away.
The final score was a good 5-1 win and Gunners will meet Warwick Arms in the Cup Final.
Match Facts
Goals : K Rapley (2), I Thornhill (2), T Poacher (1)
Team : (GK) J Willis, (RB) F McNaughton, (CB) Pa Ali, (CB) S Kearns, (LB) T Poacher, (RM) N Burrows, (CM) P Clark, (CM) D Owen, (LM) D Fry, (F) K Rapley, (F) I Thornhill, (Subs) J Weller, P Byrne
Pictures
