WOKINGYOUTH2 SUTTON YOUTH 1 (aet).
SURREY FA MIDWEEK CUP SEMI-FINAL
23 February2009
Woking Youths had to work hard on Monday evening at Kingfield, against a resilient Sutton side, to earn their passage to thefinal of the County FA MidweekYouth Cup.
The game was fast and furious. Sutton had turned up determined to make amends for their only defeat in some 18 months, when Woking had knocked them out of the FA Youth Cup 3-1 earlier in the season. Goal-scoring opportunities were few and far between and, whilst both sides enjoyed good phases of possession,it was theformidable defences that generally had the upper hand throughout the match. Woking?s task was made the more difficult, though, as, with just 17 minutes gone, Ben Choularton found himself stretching to get his head to a hopeful Sutton ball into the Woking boxbut somehowmanaged to loop his header backwards over a perhaps less than alert Pat Kinsella in the Woking goal.
Half-time: Woking 0 Sutton 1
It wasn?t until midway through the second half when the impressiveGavin Millerpulled the scores level. Latching onto a delightfully-flighted Matt Ellis free kick, Gavin powered his header into the Sutton goal for a well-deserved equaliser. Whilst bothteams had half chances to win the game in normal time neither could capitalise on them and extra time beckoned.
Full-time: Woking 1 Sutton 1
Given the lack of fixtures in recent weeks,the fitness levels of both sides was commendable, with the 30 minutes of extra timebeing ascompetitive as the first 30 minutes of the game. It was clearly going to take something special to prevent the sides going to penalties.
That moment came half way through the second period of extra time as the Sutton keeper parried away an Anson Cousins shot only for Danilo Cadete to latch onto the ballsome 14 yards out,drop a shoulder to his right,switch to his left andsmash the ball high into the roof of the Sutton goal.
Thereafter Woking locked up shop andwith the final whistle came thecelebrations.
Final Score: Woking 2 Sutton 1
Congratulations to all the boys ona fineteam performance which, on the balance of play, warranted the win.
It?s always nice to reach a cup final - our opponents will be either Chertsey Town, AFC Wimbledon or Horley Town - date to be advised.
Squad: Kinsella, Lloyd, Miller, Snishko, Choularton, Coke, Ellis, Turnball, Cousins, Aldridge, Carr.
Subs used: Eagle, Cadete, Smith.
Subs not used: Turpie, Palmer.
