Senior Cup Quarter-Final:
Goodwick United 0 - Carew 1
A clinical piece of finishing midway through the second half by influential midfielder Iwan Izzard saw Carew through to the semi-finals of the Senior Cup at the expense of Goodwick United, who had perhaps the cleaner-cut chances as Rhys Dalling hit the post in the first half and Carew keeper Tom Davies made some finger-tip saves in the second half.
But Izzard showed how to do it from a free kick taken by Shaun Whitfield, whose mis-hit goal-scoring attempt struck the Goodwick wall and ricocheted to Izzard, who showed great composure to bury his shot past Kyle Marsh in the home goal.
Show-piece it wasn’t!
This tussle was rightly billed as a show-piece match between two of the best teams in local football but show-piece it certainly wasn’t as there were five yellow cards and three red-cards, one of which was shown to a player who didn’t even take part! Small wonder that it is difficult to recruit new match officials these days!
Players’ were involved in a couple of ‘handbag’ melees on the touch-line and some bystanders on the touchline didn’t help with their almost constant shouting at the experienced match official, questioning every decision which didn’t go their way!
Even at the final whistle there was talk of ‘rubbish refereeing’ when he deserved credit for trying to keep play going, a comment all too prevalent these days and clearly influenced by watching matches on television.
Lewis a beacon light of skill
There were bright moments during this turgid tussle, with Carew’s veteran defender Gareth Lewis a beacon light of high skill levels and staying calm under pressure, supported by the efforts alongside him of Curtis Hurlow and Shaun Whitfield. Dylan Morgan was a bundle of tricks out wide and James Hinchliffe gave 100% as usual.
For Goodwick, Sion O’Sullivan and Jordan Thomas battled hard at the back and Luke Hayward never stopped running in midfield alongside Johnny Horgan and Kieran O’Brien.
To be to fair to both teams they did want to play, despite the abject weather, and I was eager to watch such quality players – and I make my comments after asking myself did I enjoy watching two such traditionally good teams – and I’m afraid the answer is no!
Goodwick United: Kyle Marsh: Steff Hayes; Steve Dockerty; Scott Delaney; Jordan Thomas; Sion O’Sullivan: Luke Hayward; Johnny Horgan; Kieran O’Brien Rhys Dalling; Nathan Greene. Substitutes: Chris O’Sullivan; Daniel James; Iestyn Evans; Jordan Griffiths.
Carew: Tom Davies: Shaun Whitfield; Curtis Hurlow; Gareth Lewis; Spencer Williams: Iwan Izzard; Zac Rowell; James Hinchliffe; Dylan Morgan; Morgan Scourfield; Adam Muskett. Substitutes: Haydn Shapcott; Oran Guile; Sam Christopher; Archie Smith; Scott Richards.
