Thrapston Town 3 v Northampton O.N Chenecks
1
A return this weekend to cup football. Who would be our
Bobby Stokes, our Lawrie Sanchez, our Ronnie Radford?
Thrapston were up against ON Chenecks from Northampton,
and on league form the advantage surely rested with the team
from the east of the county. However, cup football being
what it is, this was to be a much closer encounter than many
had expected.
Thrapston started brightly enough. Barely a minute on the
clock, and Tom Alsop picked the ball up midway in the Chenecks
half and drove in to the penalty box before crashing home
his shot to give Thrapston the lead. Would this provide a
platform, or a false sense of security?
Certainly the latter. From then on in the half Thrapston
struggled even to be second to everything, and the physical
presence of the Chenecks seemed to unnerve Thrapston and
knock them off their stride. Chenecks ultimately got their
reward with a scrappy equaliser, and Thrapston were hanging
on for half time.
The second half was a much more pleasing affair form a Thrapston
perspective. Balls were now not only contested, but won,
and most of the match was played in the Chenecks half. Returning
skipper Sam Gallagher was introduced, and joint leading scorer
Devante Hodgson came on to provide more options up front.
However, it took something unusual to settle the encounter;
namely a brace from Eric Curtis, whose occasional forays
forward, have never brought such reward before. First the
ball falls to him on the edge of the box following a half
cleared corner. The ball is returned from whence it cam,
with interest, and Town have the lead.
Then, to make the game safe he smashes the ball from fully
thirty yards straight over the keepers head in to the room
of the net, and sets off on a Radford like sprint round the
pitch in celebration. Game over, Thrapston advance in to
the last 16 of the county cup.
Final Score 3 - 1
MOTM – For coming up with two great goals when it
looked like Thrapston might struggle to break down a stubborn
defensive shield, today’s man of the match was Eric
Curtis.
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