COPS PREVAIL IN CLASH OF THE TITANS!
Heroic performance from 10 man Cops
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GATEWAY 14 SUFFOLK & IPSWICH LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
Stowupland Falcons 1 Coplestonians 2
(Cops are sponsored by the Hudson Group)
The two leading sides in the Premier Division went head to head on a very heavy Church Road pitch. Cops were missing Godbold and the injured Turner but into the starting side came Jonny Linard, Brad Sayer and Stef Mallardo.
Cops started well and looked to play football on the difficult surface. It nearly paid off when they forced a corner but Luke Read could only scuff his shot at the keeper. The home side struggled to get past the resolute Cops defence with Grant Monaghan and Stef Mallardo in complete control down the middle. On 20 minutes there was a controversial moment when the Assistant drew the Referee’s attention to an incident that saw Jonny Linard get a straight red card. To observers it was a harsh call, given Linard’s retaliation to a foul being a powder puff reaction. However, he had to go for an early bath and Cops faced a mountainous task.
However, it was Cops who kept up the pressure and the home keeper made a fine one handed save as he turned over a Mallardo header as Cops belied their reduction of playing staff!
The home side started to press more as half time approached and their numerical advantage looked as if it might pay dividends. It did, as a free kick in the 4th minute of time added on saw Ryan Whebby apply the finish to give the Falcons a half time lead. HT 1-0.
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Anyone thinking the game was over was quickly disabused of this notion as the second half commenced with Cops being in the ascendancy. A series of attacks saw Adam Todd and Keiran Driver bearing down on the home goal. A casual observer would not have known Cops were down to 10 men as they drove forward. Driver fired wide and had a shot well saved and Drew Connick also saw the home custodian make a fine one handed save from his goal bound effort.
However, Cops were indebted to Christian Burrup (sponsored by Bevan Burgess) in the visiting goal as he turned over a tremendous strike as the home side broke forward. Cops then drew level when Adam Todd (sponsored by Scoop) fired home an unstoppable shot from 18 yards. It was a rocket of a shot and Cops looked the more likely side to win the game in spite of being down to 10 men.
The poor surface saw Baden Holmes almost gift the home side with a goal but again Burrup came to the rescue with a superb save. In his efforts to retrieve the situation, Holmes was fouled and injured, so he had to be substituted with Franco Mallardo.
This turned out to be to Cops advantage as it was Franco Mallaro who got forward to send in a cross for the tireless Keiran Driver (sponsored by Dave Little) to head home.
Following this the Cops striker was fouled by Morgan Rushton who saw a red card. The home skipper Luke Ransom was then given a second yellow card and consigned to the sin bin.
The final whistle sounded with the now 9 men of Stowupland, including the keeper, pushing forward for an equaliser. A welcome sound for a Cops side that had overcome adversity to bag the crucial three points.
FT 1-2
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