Monday 15 May 2017

Sporting Hackney Reserves 1 Three Colts 4

Essex Alliance Football League Division One Cup Final, Monday 15th May 2017

Cup final number four in the Essex Alliance Football League took place on Monday evening as Sporting Hackney Reserves took on Three Colts in the Division One Cup Final at Victoria Road.
Three Colts would of gone into the contest as favourites after they finished third, ten points and three places above their opponents in the league table, but Cup Finals can be unpredictable as we all know.
However just two minutes into the contest Colts took the lead with a terrific free kick that was bent into the top corner for what was a great start for the Chingford/Buckhurst Hill side.
But Sporting should of levelled two minutes later as the ball fell to them inside the box but the effort was hit wide from a great position and Colts breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The next chance fell to Colts in the 18th minute when a free kick whipped in saw a close range header put wide of the near post but then in the 20th minute Sporting found an equaliser from a free kick of their own which was whipped over the wall and zipped off the wet surface and into the corner of the net.
Midway through the half a cracking long range effort from Colts flew inches over and the just before the half hour mark Colts burst in down the right but a defender managed to get back and help see the effort go wide of the near post.
However just past the half hour mark Colts restored their lead as a corner was flicked home as yet another set piece did for Sporting and in the 34th minute a Colts free kick skipped off the wet surface and the keeper had to parry away to prevent another goal.
Seven minutes before half time another free kick into the Sporting box saw a defensive header go inches over, with the resultant corner hit inches wide, before another set play did for Sporting as Colts increased their lead two minutes before half time when after a corner was not dealt with, the loose ball was converted from close range.
Right on half time Sporting saw an opening fired over after a free kick had broken to them, but it was Three Colts who had the two goal lead at the break and control of this tie.
Half Time Sporting Hackney Reserves 1 Three Colts 3
The next goal was crucial to determine where this tie was heading and five minutes into the half Sporting launched an attack down the right but a good cross was well cut out before it reached the Dangerzone. Moments later however Colts made it four when a defence splitting pass saw Colts through on goal and an effort slotted home beyond the keeper, and you thought it was game over at that point.
Colts fired another effort over soon after before Sporting got in on goal but a great tackle thwarted them, before Colts then fired over again down the other end in a hectic passage of play.
Things settled down a bit after that and in the 71st minute a mistake at the back allowed Colts a sight of goal but the effort was blasted over. Colts though were cruising in this contest now.
And so into the final ten minutes and despite the fact Sporting were now seeing more of ball, Colts looked more than comfortable, although it had to be said fair play to Sporting to continue and make go or it as they could of easily crumbled after the fourth goal but kept going.
Sporting had one last chance to add a late second deep in stoppage time, but they could only slice an effort wide of the far post, but it was too little too late as Three Colts ran out deserved winners and take the Division One Cup.
Full Time Sporting Hackney Reserves 1 Three Colts 4














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