Our Finest Hour!

2nd November 2008

Open Knockout Cup Second Round

Danson Albion Vs Sidwell

“Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its
Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, "This was their finest hour.” If Winston Churchill was
alive to see it, he would have been proud to see Sidwell produce true English spirit and fight to the death and
winning against all odds.
Playing Danson Albion, 2 divisions above, Sidwell once again got off to an amazing start, completely dominating
play for the first 30 minutes, creating several clear cut chances that failed to cross the line, stirring thoughts of
another one of those games Sidwell couldn’t put the ball over the line.
It took 30 minutes for Danson to wake up and nearly took an undeserved 2-0 lead in at half time when first they
hit the bar, and narrowly volleying over from 3 yards. Half time arrived with the score at 0-0 which masked what
drama was about to come. Half time also saw a bit of bad sportsmanship from both the Danson players and
supporters, trying to wind up the lower level team, which fired the Sidwell team up more for the second half.
Five minutes into the second half and Danson were looking sharper when the impressive Michael Wills picked up
an injury behind his knee and was replaced by Nic Watson, which proved to be a turning point in the game. Nic’s
first touch was a volley from just outside his own box, a whole 75 yards. The ball, high in orbit, dipped
ferrousiously into the top corner of the Danson net sparking a mass team bundle (including Owen) which sparked
mass confidence in the Sidwell team. 1-0 up and there was no stopping Sidwell. Harry Montgomery picked the
ball up on the halfway line, attacked down the left leaving 3 Danson players on the ground before cutting in and
striking the ball into the same top corner of the net. Sidwell could not believe it, 2-0 up in the space of five
minutes.
Then once again the game turned. This time with nothing to lose, the 1st Division team came at Sidwell with
pace and aggression. With the Sidwell team taking their foot off the gas, leaving space and time for Danson to
exploit. This left Owen Connelly to take the whole Danson team on, on his own. With several finger tip saves
and a few one on ones, he single handedly kept Sidwell in the game. With five minutes left Sidwell seemed
home and dry and the continued banter and arguing with Danson supporters and players lead to Sidwell’s back
four taking their eye off the game and giving away a silly free kick on the edge of the area. With their eye on
their first clean sheet, the inevitable happened and Danson fired the ball into the top corner of the net. Game
on with little over 2 minutes left and it happened, a long ball over the top escaped the offside trap leaving the
Danson striker one on one with Owen, and this time Owen was unable to stop the low strike into the bottom of
the net. It was the last kick of the game and now another 30 minutes of drama was about to unfold.
2-2 at full time, and with a last minute goal, Danson was now full of confidence and sensed they could win.
Mark Caldecourt rollicked the team at the interval about rising to the supporters on the sideline which cost
Sidwell the game in the 90 minutes. Straight from the re-start it was Sidwell getting off to the quick start
gaining a corner which was then headed wide. Danson then went straight up the other end and was awarded a
penalty after Peter Helps wild lunge brought down the Danson forward on the penalty spot. The Danson skipper
stepped up to fire the ball wide. It remained 2-2 after 15 minutes, and it was now do or die stuff.
The second half of extra time was end to end stuff, and after 115 minutes of football, the last 5 minutes was
the stuff of legends. Sidwell won a free kick just inside the Danson half which Peter Wyeth took. Pete delivered
a lovely floated ball into the area for Nic Watson to glance a backwards header into the bottom corner of the
net which sent the away team and one supporter into ecstasy. But once again this game was far from over, and
Mark Caldecourt called Dan Wilson back from upfront to bolster up the midfield and Dan’s first touch was
horrendous and lost out to a strong tackle from the Danson skipper who floated a lovely ball to the forward on
the right who crossed the ball in to see it luckily float over Owen’s head into the roof of the net. Now Sidwell
felt deflated and cramp setting in around the players, both teams felt penalties were a whistle away. With the
game surely over a last long throw into the box seemed to catch four Sidwell players off guard and allowed the
ball to bounce in the area over their heads for the Danson striker to fire a half volley past Owen. Now the
Sidwell players were on the floor, the Danson supporters taunting the Sidwell players, it had to be over,
shouldn’t it?
Straight from the kick off the ball was launched to the wings; the ball came back for Dan Wilson to header
forward, Mark Caldecourt underneath and took an elbow across the face gaining Sidwell what had to be one last
throw into the box. Peter Wyeth sent the ball with pace into the box and through the crowded area it seemed to
be heading for the corner of the net when the keeper came from nowhere to tip it round the post. Surely that
was the chance that went, but with one last corner from Harry Montgomery, Dave Newman at the far post had
his chance for glory and instead of heading for goal he headed across goal for Mark Caldecourt to head against
the bar. The ball bounced down and a scramble lead to the ball landing kindly for Craig Liasi who smashed the
ball down the keepers throat into the back of the net. With the Sidwell players celebrating the Danson team all
had their heads in their hands, what a game!
It proved to be the final kick as straight from the kick off the final whistle went, and now it was a lottery. After
120 minutes of football, 8 goals, it came down to the bottle of 5 penalty takers. Mark Caldecourt asked who
wanted one and he got a great response with at least 6 hands showing. A quick team talk and messages of ‘we
are a team and it doesn’t matter if you miss’ gave the takers a mass confidence boost, if Craig Liasi’s last
minute leveller already hadn’t.
First up was ex Captain Chris Wiltshire who fired a low drive into the bottom left hand corner of the net. 1-0.
The Danson player then made it 1-1, before Dan Wilson stepped up. Dan made up for his error in the middle of
the park firing high into the top right hand corner of the net, 2-1. The Danson Captain then made certain that
this penalty went in after his earlier miss, 2-2. Then Sidwell Captain stepped up to do his duty and fired an
unstoppable drive into the bottom left corner of the net, 3-2. Then the turning point, the Danson striker who
scored 4 in the game stepped up and fired the ball against the bar, 3-2. Harry Montgomery then stepped up and
fired low just to the left of the keeper to make it 4-2. Danson then made it 4-3 leaving the 3rd round on the
head of Craig Liasi. Craig stepped up to fire an unstoppable ball into left hand corner of the net. 5-3 to Sidwell
after the shootout sending the Sidwell team into ecstasy with a mass team bundle. After the game the abuse
stopped between supporters and players and sportsmanship showed through with both teams congratulating
each other on a great game of football. Final Score Danson Albion 4 – 4 Sidwell (aet) Sidwell won 5-3 on
penalties.

Ref: Tony Barton

Team: Connelly, Wills, (Watson), Wiltshire, Wyeth, Helps, Wilson, Caldecourt, Liasi, McGill, (Newman), Smith,
Montgomery

Scorers: Watson (2), Montgomery, Liasi

Penalty Shootout Scorers: Wiltshire, Wilson, Wyeth, Montgomery, Liasi

Man of the Match: Owen Connelly (Single handed kept Sidwell in the competition)