Supervets march on the semi final in dramatic fashion
08 March 2020, 13:00, Banbury Road North (Near)
Supervets 3 - 3 Isca Men's O50s
For once in this fixture the Supervets started on the front foot against Cup Holders Isca playing possession hockey and should have taken the lead in the first few minutes as Simon Dawson unselfishly squared the ball for Richard Venables who could not control the ball and the chance was missed.
Isca grew into the game and their dangerous forward Andy Batchelor took advantage of a rebound off Jim Felix to take the lead. The Supervets equalised just before half time after Dawson’s first short corner was half stopped allowing his powerful shot to find the net.
The 2nd half was eventful but just the taster for the drama to come. Isca took the lead after a break away from Isca allowed Batchelor to lift the ball over Felix. The Supervets levelled with a well worked goal involving the influential David Cooke to feed Dawson who passed cleverly allowing Chris Hutton to steer the ball past Robbie Brown in the Isca goal.
Last years winners and tier 1 finalists the year previously, still would not lie down and took the lead with an unstoppable shot by Batchelor to complete his hat trick. The Supervets continued to push forward and won a short corner in the final minute and the talisman Dawson stepped up to smash his shot past Brown. 3 all and now for penalties!
The confident 5 stepped up and chances were missed as Cooke hit the post and Colin Buzz Burrell put his stroke wide to win the tie. But in the 2nd 5 of sudden death the Isca taker flicked the ball high over the bar and the Supervets has won 8 - 7 in dramatic fashion - props to Paul Dunleavy, Hutton, Burrell, Dawson and Cooke for staying calm for all us others watching. Well done to Felix for some great saves when needed.
Thanks to Mark Cumming and Gary Brock for umpiring
Many thanks to Clive for the photos