Sunday 16 November 2014

 

Village Manchester were knocked out of the Manchester Accountants League Handi-Cup in the first round on 16 November as they lost 8-3 to Manchester Villa.

 

Village started the game with a two goal deficit due to the rules of the competition. They soon wiped this out but some slack defending allowed the opposition to run away with the game and the victory.

 

There was a new look to the squad as Connell rang the changes. Crosby went between the sticks and he was shielded by a defence from left to right of West, Sal, Ure and Kidd – the first and last of this quartet were making their first team debut. The four ahead of them were Clayton on the right, Archer on the left and Reece and Mullender in the middle. Golds joined Bolgar upfront. McGivern and McPherson were on the bench.

 

Village started really well and Bolgar nearly scored as early as the first minute as he pounced on a loose Villa pass but his shot was blocked by the keeper. Minutes later Sal headed over a Golds corner but Village had a scare or two themselves as Villa had a couple of chances. Crosby had to block a shot as the opposition had a shot from Kidd’s half clearance and their number 17 shot just over just before the 10 minute mark.

 

It was Village who would get the first goal and it was from the boot of Reece as he tucked away a free kick following a foul on Bolgar. 2-1

 

Ure almost let Villa back into the game immediately as he lost a ball in his own half but Crosby came to his rescue as he smothered the shot. And Village equalled the tie on the quarter hour mark as Reece again found the back of the net from an acute angle after the nippy Golds had been brought down. 2-2

 

Bolgar nearly put Village ahead for the first time in the tie but his shot was palmed away. And Villa got their first actual goal of the game with 25 minutes gone as they curled home a shot from Mullender’s scuffed clearance from a long throw in. 3-2

 

The opposition immediately got another as they took a quick free kick to their number 8. He crossed the ball to their number 11 who was free in the box to knock the ball home. 4-2

 

Reece nearly got his hat-trick but he curled just wide following good work from Bolgar and Golds.

 

Villa got their third of the game (or fifth in competition rules terms!) before half time as they powered down their left and crossed the ball to the edge of the box where their number 4 was waiting to drill home. 5-2

 

Half time: Manchester Villa 5-2 Village Manchester

 

At half time Connell brought McGivern on for Mullender and amended the formation so that it was 3-5-2 with the sub joining Kidd and Sal in defence. Ure was pushed into midfield and West and Archer reverted to wing backs.

 

Villa soon got another goal as they moved the ball from the middle out to the left to their number 17 who made his way to goal and fired past Crosby. 6-2

 

A succession of Villa corners soon followed but Village got the next goal as Bolgar expertly drilled home a shot from 25 yards out. 6-3

 

The joy was short lived as Villa scored a carbon copy of their sixth goal for their seventh. 7-3

 

And the despair was complete as they got the final goal of the game with 20 minutes left. A free kick from the right was missed by a Village head and a Villa player had the easiest of chances to drill the ball into the back of the net. 8-3

 

Village gave McPherson some game time as he came on for Clayton and the game reached an uneventful conclusion with neither keeper tested in the final 15 minutes.

 

The final whistle went and Village found themselves knocked out of the cup. Manchester Villa are top of their division and look like a team that will cause a number of teams problems throughout their cup run. Village can now concentrate on league action as they look to get back to winning ways.

 

Full time: Manchester Villa 8-3 Village Manchester

 

 

 

 

Next matches:

 

Miam Miam Celtic v VMFC1

11am, Sunday 23 November

Uni pitches, Wythenshawe

Manchester Accountants League

 

The Nelson FC v VMFC2

4.15pm, Sunday 23 November

Wright Robinson College, Gorton

Manchester City Central League