BRITANNIA SHOW SPIRIT IN EXTRA TIME VICTORY.
Scarletts Nightscene...3 Britannia F.C...6 (AET 3-3 after 90mins)
Britannia answered Benny's call for "togetherness" on the field, in this 2nd Round tie of the Derbyshire Junior Sunday Cup at Chantrey Fields on Sunday. This is now, the EQUAL FURTHEST, the club has reached in this competition, in what was BENNYS 50th game in charge
Britannia kicked off against a 10 men Scarletts, who stand TWO divisions above the blues in the league, although at the start they didnt make the numerical advantage count in a very even 1st half. And it was the returning midfield general, Dean Brown, who had the first real chance for the visitors when his shot was deflected for a corner. Scarletts didnt troiuble Britannia too much, happily soaking up early pressure, waiting for parity with the teams. They went close however on 23 mns, but Furniss was alert, watching the ball across the box to safety.
Just before the half hour good work by Dean Brown played Walton in, but he pulled his shot just wide. At the other end a free kick by Scarletts was wasted with them bending the shot wide. At this point Cupitt was replaced by the returning Hardy after complaining of a sore back and the teams were levelled up on 32 mins when the ELEVENTH man turned up for the hosts. He was straight into the frey, with a fine turn and shot going just wide.He however was the man to break the deadlock on 38 mins, climbing unmarked to nod in a free kick from 8 yards out.
Britannia pulled thier socks up from this and a great move and shot by Dean Bown went agonizingly over the bar with the keeper well beaten. The last FIVE minutes of the half BURST into life for both sides Scarletts going close TWICE in a minute with back post headers going just wide. A great move by Lawrence, Dean Brown and Wright saw Bonson clear, but he fluffed his chance firing over from close range. Then the defining moment of the half a Britannia corner was nodded towards goal, and appeared to be handled on the line by a Scarletts defender, play was waved on and Scarletts broke clear, the linesmans flag was raised but initialy ignored by the ref, a Scarletts striker was tripped and the Ref pointed to the spot, only to be alered to the STILL RAISED linesmans flag. After consultation he gave the original offside. From the kick the Scarletts keeper claimed the ball before a coming together with Britannia striker Walton saw BOTH players cautioned. In stoppage time for the half a long shot was parried by Furniss, but a Scarletts striker reacted first and clipped the ball over the keeper for a 2-0 half time lead. HALF TIME Scarletts Nightscene...2 Britannia...0.
Benny rallied his troops for the 2nd half and told them to ignore the jibes, niggles, banter and general unsporting behaviour Scarletts seemed to be employing in the game with the numbr 2 & 14 being the main protaganists, and to beat them the way Britannia know how, with spirited play, and with Mitchell coming on as sub for Lawrence in the 47th minute to give a more attacking flair to the visitors. He went close within a couple of minutes, latching onto a Danny Brown pass, but firing just wide. Mitchell unfortunatly picked up a caution for diving on 55 mins. The game as a contest however seemed to be over just after the hour, Furniss made a fine diving save to push away a free kick for a corner, as the ball came in, the defence failed to again deal with it and it was prodded home for 3-0, with this the Scarletts number 2 made a statement that was going to come back and later bite him on the arse, when he said "thats put THIS game to bed" Ooops!!
Britannia at this point dug in, and put together the mother of all fightbacks with the aid of the teams talisman Mitchell along with Walton, Megyesi, both Browns, Wright and Bennett, who by his own standards his touch was letting him down started to carve out a comeback, and within 7 minutes a glimmer of light shined when MEGYESI squeezed a header between the keeper, a defender and a post from a Mitchell corner. They continued to push forward and were rewarded again on 79 mins, Walton picking out DANNY BROWN with a pass across the box and he calmly rolled the ball into the net for 3-2.
Scarletts began to panic and fall out, employing the spoiling tactics and time wasting, but to his credit the Ref added all of this on. The comeback was complete with just 4 mins remaining when Megyesi set MITCHELL clear, he ran on and slotted the ball cooly past the keeper. Britannias hearts were in thier mouth in added time, a corner was lofted in and Bonson, Hardy, Danny Brown, Furniss and Miles with an amazing block somehow kept the ball out as it pinged around the six yard box. FULL TIME Scarletts Nightscene..3 Britannia F.C..3. At the start of extra time Britannia looked the stronger of the sides bouyed on with a 3 goal comeback and the benefit of substitutes. It was NO SUPRISE when Britannia took the lead for the first time on 104 mins, Dean Brown picking up the ball 45 yards out before picking out DANNY BROWN with a peach of a pass, and he did the rest. In the final minute of the half Mitchell picked the ball up before feeding a pass to Walton but the shot went just wide. EXTRA TIME H/T Scarletts.3 Britannia..4
Britannia now had to just see the game out and try to pick off the hosts on the break. The hosts keeper was still keeping them in the game with fine saves, but as time wore on MITCHELL struck twice to kill the game dead, first he was set clear by a fine pass by Megyesi, he left his marker, drew the keeper before rolling the ball past him into the net. He then capped off his hat-trick getting his head to a Bennett cross. Cartwright came on for Dean Brown to see the added time through and Scarletts now were beaten and most of the team blowing out of there arses including the Number 2, who ironically for the rest of the game had been TALKING out of his. The last act of the game was for the Ref to caution the hosts number 10 who inexplicably lauched into the back of Danny Brown causing an unpleasant end to the game. FINAL SCORE Scarletts Nightscene..3 Britannia F.C....6....... Bennys Record as Britannia Manager LEAGUE Plyd 29, Won 21, Drawn 1, Lost 7, For 125, Against 49. Derbys Junior Sunday Cup Plyd 3, Won 2, Drawn 0, Lost 1, For 19, Against 12. Hutson Cup Plyd 3, Won 2, Drawn 0, Lost 1, For 7, Against 7. Pre Season Matches Plyd 15, Won 9, Drawn 0, Lost 6, For 71, Against 49. TOTAL PLAYED 50, WON 34, DRAWN 1, LOST 15, FOR 222, AGAINST 117. Goals Scored Per Game 4.44, Goals Against Per Game 2.34....TOTAL GOALS PER MATCH 6.78
