Posted by Claire on May 3, 2007, 10:26 am Oxford City won the Joe Roughton Cup with a convincing victory over Witney at Ardley. City, third in the Allied Counties Premier Division, started favourites over a Witney side in the bottom half of the North Division, but anyone who attended the Under 17 final would have known that a combination of the Ardley slope, a hard pitch and Cup Final nerves can make any result possible. However, on this occasion the nerves were all Witney’s. United seemed to take some time to sort out the positioning of their back four, and City, kicking up the slope, had the game won in the first half hour. Ben Hepburn, in great form on the left, provided several telling early crosses – one was deflected in by a Witney defender and another crashed home in superb style by Corey Forbes. Jack Griffiths then completed a six-minute hat-trick – first there was one of the excellent runs from halfway, holding off his marker intelligently in the way that is becoming his trademark, followed by a superbly judged 18-yard lob and a clever angled shot from just inside the penalty area. Forbes added a sixth before half-time from an unselfish Kieron Lewis pass. In all of this time, Witney had only had one attack, and it would have been easy for them to lose heart, but they rallied and pulled a goal back in injury time when Riddy slotted home after Wyatt had hit the bar. Playing down the slope and in the middle of a tiring run of games, City were able to take their foot off the gas in the second half. Witney, to their credit, refused to give in and pulled another goal back through Wyatt. City completed the scoring when Jetmir Kamberi headed in a Lewis Colwell corner from close range. City captain Kieron Lewis lifted the trophy; just reward for the football he and the team have played this season. Credit to Witney for displaying excellent character and sportsmanship, and to City for a scintillating first 30 minutes. Team: Alex Williams – Lawrence El-Kassir, Joel Meade, Kieron Lewis (capt), Lewis Colwell – Jetmir Kamberi, Jamie Coleman, Mark Bell (sub Ajay Lloyd 53), Ben Hepburn (sub Russell Colwell 69) – Jack Griffiths, Corey Forbes. Oxford City slumped to a rare home defeat against a lively North Greenford side. A combination of injuries, unavailability and the demands of a cup final victory only 24 hours previously left the City team tired and understrength. This was never likely to be enough against a Greenford side who had shown a fortnight previously that they can run hard and pass the ball accurately. City suffered a further blow when Ben Hepburn limped off after only 8 minutes; their stretched resources being reflected in his replacement, with goalkeeper Alex Williams being pressed into action up front. City were struggling to get into the game, but went ahead after 18 minutes when Jack Griffiths, full of running as usual, ran from the halfway line and beat the keeper expertly. City rode their luck on a couple of occasions but let in an equaliser on the half-hour mark when possession was lost in midfield and Russell Colwell was left stranded. City tried to take the game to Greenford in the second half, but it was from their best attack – Griffiths missing narrowly – that United broke upfield and scored with an excellent lob from the edge of the area in the 61st minute. City, with Kieron Lewis immense as always at the back, Jamie Coleman putting in a sterling performance beside him at emergency centre-back, and Lewis Colwell playing through the pain barrier on the left, struggled to stem the tide, but Greenford added two more fine goals in the last ten minutes. This was a game too far for many of the City players, but with yet another game to follow 48 hours later they needed to pick themselves up. Team: Russell Colwell – Lawrence El-Kassir (sub Mark Bell 65), Kieron Lewis (capt), Jamie Coleman, Lewis Colwell – Mark Janes, Jetmir Kamberi (sub Bonny Shyaka 86), Corey Forbes, Ben Hepburn (sub Alex Williams 8) – Jack Griffiths, Lance Williams. Allied Counties Youth League Premier Division Wednesday 2nd May 2007 Oxford City got back to winning ways by beating Chalfont St Peter comfortably. Having had the luxury of 48 hours rest since their previous game, City were never threatened by a Chalfont side who nevertheless did better than the score suggests and who have been unlucky to finish bottom of a competitive division. The opening half-hour saw some bright football in midfield from both sides without either keeper being tested, but City took control with two goals in 60 seconds. First Jack ‘goal-a-game’ Griffiths knocked in a rebound from a Mark Bell shot; then Bell himself curled a glorious left-foot shot round the keeper after beating three defenders. City had several more chances, but had to wait until the second half to increase their lead, when Bell once again made space to fire home in the area after good work by Brandon Shepherd and Corey Forbes. City were putting Chalfont under constant pressure and Forbes added a penalty after he had been pulled back in the box. Bell completed a hat-trick, as he had done at Chalfont last month, with a well-placed shot after an excellent run and pass from Mark Janes. Forbes completed the scoring, running from halfway, holding off the defence and picking his spot well. Chalfont’s luck was summed up when their best shot of the game looped over Russell Colwell but hit a post and rebounded into his arms. City showed great character to come back from Monday’s defeat. They were irrepressible going forward, with Bell outstanding, Janes, Shepherd and Lance Williams providing great support, Forbes and Griffiths always a threat up front, Lawrence El-Kassir composed in the midfield anchor role, and Kieron Lewis impassable at the back as usual. City’s last game is away to Northwood next Tuesday; a match which may decide which of the two teams will achieve a top-three finish. Team: Russell Colwell – Mark Janes, Simon Reeves, Kieron Lewis (capt), Jamie Coleman – Lance Williams, Lawrence El-Kassir (sub Bonny Shyaka 75 min), Mark Bell, Brandon Shepherd – Corey Forbes, Jack Griffiths (sub Alex Williams 72 min)
Joe Roughton Oxfordshire Under 18 Cup Final Sunday 29th April 2007
Oxford City (6) 7 (og 2, Forbes 19, 43, Griffiths 24, 27, 30, Kamberi 76)
Witney United (1) 2 (Riddy 45, Wyatt 67)
Allied Counties Youth League Premier Division Monday 30th April 2007
Oxford City (1) 1 (Griffiths 18)
North Greenford United (1) 4
Oxford City (2) 6 (Griffiths 32, Bell 33, 51, 77 Forbes pen 73, 84)
Chalfont St Peter (0) 0
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