Wednesday 7 Mayl 2008

South Midlands Floodlight Cup Semi Final

Holders Saffron Walden meet Cockfosters in the final of the South Midlands Floodlight Cup after beating higher League opposition Stansted FC at Catons lane in front of a crowd of 209 supporters on a warm Wednesday night.

Waldens Richard Chadwick tested the visiting goalie with a looping header in the opening minutes but Stansted stunned the Bloods supporters after a Greg Taylor through ball found Danny Dow with the easiest of chances to tap in past Badcock in the Walden goal. (0-1 after 7 minutes.). From the restart Walden were quick to respond when Babcock’s long kick upfield into the Stansted penalty area found Richard Chadwick, who out jumped the advancing Mat Cope to head in for the equaliser.1-1 (8 minutes). 

Kevin Vallis saw his volley saved by Cope while a Richard Chadwick lob skimmed the cross bar before Zac Collins chip was cleared off the line by Tommy Spillane.  A curling free kick by Stansted captain Paul Seymour then beat the Walden Wall to slip into the corner of the goal to regain the lead. 1-2 (25 minutes). 

Luke Giddings’ lob found Badcock back pedalling to tip the ball over the cross bar and from the corner kick Bradley Walsh headed wide of the exposed goal.  In the closing minutes of the first half Ben Riches broke through the Stansted defence but had his goal disallowed for offside.

Stansted striker Walsh saw his goal bound header parried by the diving Badcock.  Later a  Matt Danbury header was handled by a Stansted defender in the penalty area but his appeal was waved away by the distant referee. 

Manager Marc Das made a tactical decision by bringing on his son Mitchell whose blistering pace had the visitors defence racing back to cover his cross. Zac Collins set Kevin Vallis up to cross to an unmarked Mitchell Das  whose powerful header hit the back of the net to beat the stunned visitors defence for the equaliser. 2-2 (54minutes). Stansted continued to look for a winner with Rob Whitfield and Greg Taylor both guilty of firing over the bar from close range. 2-2 (90 minutes). 

The game continued into extra time with Chadwick hauled down in the area. Kevin Vallis calmly planted the penalty into the net to regain the lead for Walden. 3-2 (97minutes). From the restart Matt Danbury out jumped the visitors defence to head home only for Cope to save at full stretch. 

Stansted should have equalised in the last quarter when Walsh broke free of his marker and fired over the bar while substitute Adam Syrett volleyed into the arms of a grateful Badcock. 3-2 (120minutes). 

Saffron Walden Team. 

K.Badcock. M.Strong. G.Strong. A.Riches (capt). M.Danbury. Z.Collins. J.Murphy (M.Das.52) S.Anderson.(S.Kingham 64) B.Riches(M.Clarke 86) R.Chadwick.

Subs not used E.Lewis. T.Richardson. 

Stansted M.Cope. P.Seymour.(capt) T.Spillane.S.Merrick. S.Brown. B.White (E.Brown59).D.Dow. R.Whitfield. G.Taylor. B.Walsh. L.Giddings (A.Syrett)

Subs not used  R.Emerson. D.Driscoll.