Page 22 - Patchway Town v Bromley Heath United 040323

League Review

Les James Cup Sponsored by Boca Teamwear - Sharpness and Broadwell
Amateurs reach the Final
It's Les James League Cup semi-final time, and a crowd of 128
saw Sharpness defeat Little Stoke who had in fact won the last two
competitions. Sharpness started brightly and thought they were in front when Tom
Frankham’s corner was headed back across goal by Rouse to Thurston who thought
he had scored but there was the matter of a defender in the way to clear. Alex
Higgs then had a shot comfortably dealt with by Jarrett. After the initial 15 minutes
Little Stoke grew into the game and had the better of the first half. Mike Hardiman
had a chance to score but pulled his effort wide. Jordan Yeo had a chance to test
Truan Taylor, but his free kick effort was straight into the Sharks wall. Taylor had to
be at his best on the half hour tipping Luke Meacham’s effort over the bar. Little
Stoke kept pushing but Sharpness dug in the keep the scores level at the break.
The second half was much the same with Little Stoke dominating and they got their
reward in the 54 minute when a ball in behind James Priday found Jordan Yeo who
th
beat his man and superbly crossed for Meacham to head home. The visitors piled
on the pressure but couldn’t find that elusive second. In the end they were made
to pay when a Will Tainton corner was headed home by Priday with seconds
remaining, for what was The Sharks only real effort in the second half. So near to
a third consecutive final for Little Stoke was now to be down to penalties.
Sharpness won the shoot-out 4-3 with Taylor saving the visitors fifth penalty.
The second semi-final at Pomphrey Hill saw Broadwell Amateurs through to the
final dispensing with hosts Bromley Heath United. Another decent crowd of 75
saw a very tight even first quarter with no clear-cut chances. The first one fell to
Bromley captain Jack Withey who from a corner had his acrobatic volley well saved
by Jack Watkins. The hosts started to look threatening from a series of corners but
failed to find the net. It wasn’t until the end of the half that the deadlock was
broken, Dan Brain cleverly beating his man and delivered an excellent cross for
Ethan Wilkins to score with a well-placed looping header. The second half was
equally as tight and again chances were very limited. Broadwell went further in
front on the hour, Ethan wilkins finding himself free just inside the box, after an
uncharacteristic Bromley defensive mix-up, his shot hard and low finding the net
despite Will Ferguson’s effort to stop it. There was no way back for Bromley and
although they tried hard to get a consolation Broadwell held on to deservedly reach
the final 2-0.