Report

Cargo Fleet were the latest visitors to Earl’s Orchard with a place in the Final of the Lou Moore Trophy at stake.

Following last weekend’s poor performance at Mavericks, the gaffer decided to play the same team that had beaten Cargo Fleet 2-1 last time the side met.  Rory returned to the right wing and Basher reverted to his more familiar central midfield role at the expense of Lee White.

Town started on fire and found the net after only 5 minutes when Stu Murray bundled the ball in from close range after Adam Taylor had headed a deep McInerney corner back across goal.  It was a perfect start and we went from strength to strength creating a series of good chances.  The first fell to Liam Darville who latched onto Atkinson’s dangerous right wing cross, but the usually reliable finisher smashed the ball against the bar.  Shortly after, Murray found himself on the end of Liam Darville's quick freekick but after tangling with the onrushing Atkinson he headed wide.

Fleet struggled to get into the game with Newall, Raddish and Timmy marshalling the visitors attacks comfortably.  The reunited trio of Bash, Beaver and Skinny Darv were also bossing the midfield and had Darville and Murray been having better days in front of goal this could have been an onslaught!

Half time came and went with Richmond beginning the second half steadily but eventually regaining momentum.  Some good work from Ben Darville released Stuart Murray one on one with the keeper but his tame effort was easily saved by the Fleet keeper.  The rebound came back out to Darville who should have walked past the keeper and slotted into an empty net, but instead fired hopelessly wide!

Further chances came and went with Tom Keegan bursting through the centre of the field before firing a fizzing drive narrowly past the far post. 

Atkinson was next to go close when he headed another Keegan cross onto the crossbar with the Fleet keeper stranded.

Stuart Murray and Ben Darville were replaced by Lee White and Scott Ryan respectively and the latter found himself in the thick of things within moments of his arrival.   Firstly a raking through pass from L. Darville put the front man one-one with the keeper but instead of rounding the Fleet stopper, he side footed a tame effort straight at him.  

This marked a turning point in the game and Fleet rallied with only superb last ditch tackles from Newall and then Radford denying the visitors.  We were now under increasing pressure as a result of being wasteful in attack throughout the game and had to rely on counter attacks for the final fifteen minutes.  After breaking forward down the right, Basher released Skinny Darv, and his teasing cross found the unmarked Ryan 8 yards out.  We seemed destined to finally put the game to bed, but unfortunately Scotty got it all wrong and volleyed harmlessly wide.

A few Newally elbows later and we had seen the game through booking a well deserved spot in the Lou Moore Trophy Final.  We will play the winners of Thornaby Dubliners and Great Ayton on the 2^nd May 2012.

Well done lads, this goes some way to making up for last weekend’s disappointment, and hopefully we can book a few more finals in the coming weeks!

MoM: Jason Newall - A true Captains display and dominated the Fleet forwards!
PMoM: Bashy Mac - Super Bashy Mac smashed those Fleet players even harder than the pint glasses that smashed over his head on Friday night!
DoD: Scotty Ryan - Could have had a twenty minute hat-trick...but instead had a twenty minute stinker!