Senior Cup Final 2004-05

UCL ACADEMICALS  0  OLD ALOYSIANS 3

played at Wingate & Finchley F.C. on Tuesday 19th April 2005 (report courtesy of Del Saunders)

"UCL STRICKEN BY WALLACE"

Two goals by Dave Wallace helped Aloysians to a well deserved victory against Academicals in the LOB Senior Cup Final. Probably playing their best football of the season Aloysians, despite starting shakily in the opening minutes, when they could have been 2-0 down, outplayed Accies for the majority of the game. Within two minutes a header back to the keeper was well short and a smart lob was hooked off the line by a retreating Aloysian defender. Four minutes later, a break down the left and low cross was stabbed towards goal by Ned Carabine but Lee Halligan in goal for Aloysians saved with an outstretched leg only for the ball to strike the eventual goal hero Wallace who was lucky to see the ball hit the crossbar and rebound to safety. Accies attacked in strength but were stunned after 10 minutes. In the first serious Aloysian attack, James Kay found Wallace with a fine cross ball from the right. A first time chip into the 6 yard box had the Accies defence all at sea and  in trying to clear the ball, it hit another defender and rebounded into an open net. For the next quarter of an hour play was restricted to the middle of the park with both sides guilty of giving the ball away. Wallace on the left was causing trouble with a number of low crosses but clear cut chances were few at both ends. After 35 minutes Aloysians forced a corner on the right and from the kick Wallace rose at the near post to glance a header into the opposite corner. Two goals up, Aloysians took control and Accies keeper Dan Saxby did well to take the ball off the head of Sean O'Donnell, from another right wing cross, to restrict the score to only 2 down at half time.

Accies started the second half looking for an early goal and were unlucky when a low free kick just eluded the advancing Joffsy Houghton. Almost on the hour mark, Houghton again went close, shooting just wide from the edge of the box. With Kay outstanding in midfield, Aloysians began to take total control. Kevin Smith nearly created a third with a fine cross from the left, but no-one was able to convert the cross. After 67 minutes a snap shot from O'Donnell was kicked off the line and with Accies now in disarray it seemed like target practice for the marauding Aloysians side. Billy Gillard struck a beauty from the edge of the box into the side netting and four minutes later Wallace did the same thing. A third goal had to come and after 73 minutes Wallace found space to deliver a delightful chip over the keeper into the far corner of the net. Further chances came and went begging but at the final whistle a 3-0 scoreline was fully deserved.

After the game, Andy Booth, President of the LOB Cup Competition, presented the trophy and medals to both teams and the four officials who controlled the game well.

Officials:- Referee: Pat Morrissey. Assistant Referees: Alan Hobbs and David Cunningham. Fourth Official: Peter Panayiotou.

UCL Academicals:- Dan Saxby, Martin Woodrow, John Delaney, Dan Chantler, Innis Pirrie, Nick Crowther, Mike Foster, Rick Hirst, Neil Gillard, Steven Hair, Gareth Jones, Joffsy Houghton, Ned Carabine and Lloyd Vanson.