Knowle Prevail in Epic Semi-Final Clash!

Ronald Crane reports from The Draintech Community Ground.

Played in front of The Robins seventh crowd of over one hundred, this match was well worth the entrance free. The real winners of the cup tie were the spectators who enjoyed a rip-roaring clash between two good sides who left nothing on the pitch.

Scoring in the seventh minute when Christian McArdle stabbed home from close range, The Robins were the better side in the first-half, yet went to the break two – one down.

After going in front with that McArdle goal, The Robins continued to dominate, but on the half hour mark, Ajax were awarded a penalty that Keeling dispatched with ease. Three minutes later, with The Robins appealing for a free-kick on the edge of Ajax’s Area, turned down by the Referee, the visitors broke away with pace and purpose. The long ball forward caught The Robins’ defence un-prepared and Gogington-Furlong took full advantage to put Ajax in front.  The Robins did not go into their shell, but continued to press forward, without profit.

The second-half was a far more even affair, but the introduction of Hayden Purves changed the game. He was a constant threat to the visitors, who found him very hard to control. Playing on the left of mid-field, he ran, jinked, teased, and prodded forward. Bringing colleagues into play he was all that was good about The Robins. That is not to say that the rest of the home side did not do their bit, they did; but with two well-matched sides, he was the difference.

The Robins’ equalized when Owain Taylor’s free kick brought the scores level. However, their joy was short lived, when Caswell scored when we had a session of pin-ball following a free-kick on the edge of the area. It was doubly sore as the free-kick was a direct of another defensive error.

Central Ajax going back in front, injected real resolve into the men in red. They went about the task of gaining another equalizer with gusto. Their hard work paid off when Tom Craine tapped home after good work by Brandan Hague.

At full-time it was three-all. And so to penalties. These were taken at the “Tree End” at the Draintech Community Ground, with mounting tension in players, the benches, and the crowd.

Keeling’s effort was saved by Biddle to give the Robins the edge. Owain Taylor, Tom Craine, Hayden Purves, and Cody Mullan all scored for Knowle. George Seeley stepped up to take the fifth shot. If he scored, The Robins were through – he hit the post! Drama ratched up a notch, Jeffries was unable to take advantage of the lifeline and missed the first sudden death kick for Ajax. It was left to George Manning who promptly thrashed the ball into the net to send The Robins to the Bescot Stadium on Tuesday 30th April.

Knowle FC; Biddle; Taylor [58]; Rainey (Manning); L Clarke; McArdle [7]; Bennett (Purves); Corry; C Mullan; Craine [81]; G Seeley (c); Scott (Hague). Sub not used Burston-Keeley.