CENTRAL AJAX 1-1 HAMPTON FC (3-4 ON PENALTIES...): THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT REPORT...

 Hampton Force Ajax To Pay The Ultimate Penalty…

Central Ajax 1-1 Hampton FC (3-4 on penalties…)

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This Les James Cup semi-final was a tough watch at times, often untidy and between two teams with different approaches to the game. Ajax liked to pass the ball about from defence, with their skipper Lewis Fathers pivoting, pirouetting and passing the ball from midfield like he was creating an elaborate canvas of abstract art. However, despite this attempted possession tactic by the hosts, maybe the grass was a trifle long to embellish it and in truth, they were also harried and hurried by Hampton. 

GATHERING IN THE SUNSHINE...

A goal behind early on, Ajax might have been two adrift had ‘keeper Sean Wilson not plunged right to keep out a penalty by Hampton’s Cam Seivwright. An equaliser arrived for Ajax before the break but there was to be no further scoring, despite the efforts of Hampton’s Hayden Froggatt who could have added further goals to his early strike. He was a real thorn in the butts of the Ajax defenders, rolling them and turning them, whilst shoving, pushing and leaning, just like a real central striker should do…

THE VERY GOOD FROGGATT HAS TAKEN A KNOCK...

There was a flurry of end to end play in the latter stages, as the sun disappeared behind the dugouts and in fact, visiting ‘keeper Matt Allely saved his team at the death, as his skipper Jack Slevin deflected Adam Taylor’s low centre goalwards but the gloveman reacted well to take the match to a penalty shootout.

Ajax messed up in that shootout, missing three of six kicks, two of which rose high into the protective netting behind the goal-frame, including the crucial sudden-death shot by defender Tom Dyke, which handed Hampton victory.

The atmosphere created by a decent attendance was often muted, so much so that a kestrel hovered above with little to distract it from its keen-eyed hunting…

YEAH, THE KESTREL HAD A GREAT VIEW...

The Ajax offense… 

The threat was pace… Both Taylor and Freddy Murphy had it in abundance but there just wasn’t the finish to accompany some swift movement. The quiet Shane Eden was denied by the onrushing Allely, then nudged a smart near post corner by Fathers past the near post, before a gallop by Murphy ended with a drive too high from downtown. Then the hugely effective midfielder Jack Keeling’s powerful diving header flew well astray, following fine approach play by Taylor.

The equaliser for the hosts followed a rush at inside-right by Eden and he nudged the ball across the face of goal as Allely advanced, allowing Taylor to reach the pass before Hampton’s Jason Albini and he scored into an open net.  

ACTUALLY ADAM, YOU CAN ONY KEEP IT IF YOU HAVE SCORED THREE...

During a drudge of a second period, little was created by the two teams but Allely saved smartly from Taylor, following good running again by Murphy, whilst Keeling drove too high from a good position at inside-right, although the move had been slick and deserved a better conclusion.

A late Dan Holt header caused some panic in the Hampton goalmouth but then Allely saved Slevin’s own-goal attempt and the gathering gloom would thus host a shootout…

THE DISAPPEARING SUN BEHIND ME...

The Hampton threat…

Froggatt was the main danger, without doubt, although to be fair, Matt Garbett on the right-flank had good pace. In fact it was Garbett who assisted Froggatt to score, rushing along the right-wing, getting the better of Holt who had just received lengthy treatment for a facial injury. The low centre was read well by Froggatt at the near post, beating Dyke to the ball and shoving a low skidded effort which somehow got past Wilson’s shins and rolled into the net.

0-1 & HAMPTON JOY...

Dyke was soon involved again, attempting to block a byeline delivery by Ciaran Lawless but his left arm was high as he slid, the ball bounced off it and a spot-kick was awarded. Seivwright took responsibility but Wilson dropped right to save smartly, yet still a goal seemed inevitable as the alert Lawless latched onto the rebound, only for him to scuff the ball past the right pole… A let-off for Ajax, certainly…

Seivwright had been set up for a shot from 23 yards by the marauding Froggatt too, only to see his measured attempt drift just off target. The closest the visitors came to a second goal before the break was from a Seivwright corner which home right-back Craig Robins got his head to but the ball went towards his own right post where Ash Maddocks’ low shot for Hampton was blocked to Slevin whose close range shot in a crowd was superbly blocked on the goal-line by a mass of Ajax legs…

After half-time, apart from a Slevin header that Wilson tipped over his crossbar, which wouldn’t have counted anyway, the main chances fell to Froggatt. First he nodded Lawless’ cross over the target, before cutting in from the right and shooting wide of the far stick with his left boot but finally he tested Wilson with a hard shot which the goalie saved whilst plunging left.

ABOVE & BELOW: THE TEAMS PREPARE FOR THE SHOOTOUT...

The shootout…

Sievwright for Hampton and Keeling for Ajax both shot firm spot-kicks into the net but Froggatt’s effort for the guests was blocked by Wilson’s legs.

Green needed to score to gain an advantage for Ajax but his shot was well saved by Allely, diving right.

Garbett’s low penalty went into the left corner of goal but Fathers tried an audacious chipped effort which sailed too high and suddenly, Hampton were in control at 1-2. However, Maddocks also shot over the target, allowing Murphy to regain parity with a high and successful penalty.

Hampton replacement Luke Benham shot into the bottom left corner of the net and Taylor shoved a low shot down the middle and it was poised at 3-3 in the shootout…

However, a confident sudden-death strike by Ciaran Connaire, sending Wilson the wrong way, proved to be the winning shot, for poor Dyke skied his effort under pressure and the visitors celebrated… 

The final words…

There were several cautions but certainly the industrious home midfielder Aidan Foley was harshly booked for a simple foul, especially after a couple of visiting players had only been sternly warned by the referee just moments before. Consistency is all players, staff and spectators ask for…

Hampton’s Garbett, Albini and central defender James Morris would eventually be shown yellow cards, whilst Taylor’s irritated lunge earned him one too, for Ajax. 

MORRIS (5) RECEIVES HIS CAUTION...

Foley had been lively for the hosts but didn’t last the ninety minutes, whilst Eden was unable to threaten as much as he would have liked. Runs by Murphy were often strong and promising but the pacy Taylor was regularly a real danger for the visiting defence. Keeling was motivational in midfield, alongside the artist, Mr Fathers…

The visitors were well served by Froggatt of course, although Garbett’s final ball was wanting a couple of times, following good rushes. Hard work by Connaire and decent showings by full-backs Albini and Jack Chapman meant that Slevin and Morris weren’t overly exposed, despite Taylor’s rapid movement.

So, it remains only to feel sadness for Tom Dyke, who was beaten to the ball for Froggatt’s goal, gave away a penalty and then missed the crucial spot-kick in the shootout… A cruel evening for a player, who alongside Will Jeffries actually seemed comfortable for much of the time, when Froggatt wasn’t actually giving them stick. 

Subsequently, the ninety minutes mattered not a jot, as Hampton really milked their own joy at reaching a cup-final…

NEAT VIEW OF THE BODGING...

They truly enjoyed the moment.

They did…