Faringdon Memorial Cup – Semi Final
Letcombe 2 The Globe (Swindon) 1
Letcombe moved into the final of the Faringdon Memorial Cup with a 2-1 victory over previously unbeaten Swindon & District League leaders The Globe, but the win should have been much more comfortable.
After an even first fifteen minutes, Letcombe took the lead when an excellent run and cross from young Aaran Mudie found Greg Nutley, who turned and drove the ball into the net. A well organised Letcombe defence seldom looked like conceding, although The Globe hit the bar in a goalmouth scramble following a corner. They equalised when an attempted header back to keeper Danny Joyce fell just short, allowing an opponent to round the keeper and score from a narrow angle. Letcombe regained the lead just before half when Luke Polding beat three men in a mazy dribble before being heavily brought down, and he scored from the resulting penalty.
Letcombe dominated the second half and had numerous chances to make the game safe, but failed to take them. Josh Fowler beat three players in a brilliant thirty yard run, but then failed to find the net with only the keeper to beat. A similar run from Chad Abrams resulted in another chance which was saved by the keeper, and Jay Johnson failed to convert another chance freom close range. Letcombe were almost made to pay for their misses, and keeper Joyce had to make a brilliant flying finger tip save to turn a goalbound shot around the post and secure Letcombe`s place in the final.
Nathan Haresnape and Sam Mulvey were as dominant as usual at the heart of Letcombe`s defence, well supported by full backs Aaran Mudie and Luke Mulvey, who was playing his first game of the season for the first team. Chad Abrams and Ben Hummell worked tirelessly in midfield, with Luke Polding and Harry Green looking dangerous on the flanks. Josh Fowler and Greg Nutley made good runs in attack, and it was a pleasing team performance, although Letcombe need to be more clinical in the final third.
