College Lions versus Chester City ISA

The Overleigh School, Handbridge. 17th September 2000

This was the first ever Cup game for Chester City ISA FC, and a match against Section C opponents College Lions wasn't going to be easy. The ISA came into the game rocked by the news that keeper James Green would be missing through the injury sustained at M&S the previous week. Manager Paul Brazier put reserve goalkeepers Mark Howcroft and Jay Austin through their paces just before Kick Off, and after the promise of up to 20% discount off anything Brazier bought from JJB Sports, he chose Howcroft to start the game.

The ISA started brightly and were more than holding their own when luck ran against them and they went a goal down. Mark Howcroft had produced some fine saves but couldn't stop the Lions from taking an early lead. It didn't take long for the ISA to hit back and a through ball from Miller was picked up from Musgrave just inside the Lions Half of the field and he ran on and chipped the ball over the keeper from some distance to score a great equaliser. The game was being played in typical cup tie fashion, and a wild lunge by the ISA's Craig Phillips resulted in the first Yellow card of the game. 5 mins later and Phillips was lucky to remain on the field as a similar tackle to the first one resulted in just a talking to from the referee this time round. A few mintues later and the ISA found themselves behind again when the Lions took a 2-1 lead, but the ISA simply came back once more, with a great defence splitting ball by Miller finding Musgrave who cooly slotted the ball under the keeper to make the score level again at 2-2.

Alex Vile then scored a fabulous solo goal to put the ISA into the lead, and for the first time in the game and with just a few mins until half time, a cup upset now looked a strong possibility. Unfortunately though the ISA defence couldn't hold out for the few remaining minutes and the College Lions managed to grab an equaliser and made the half time score 3-3.

The Second Half started as the first ended, but the ISA were then caught with a sucker punch that changed the whole game, as the College Lions scored 3 quick goals to take a 6-3 lead with about half an hour to play. The one thing that stood out in the whole game was the spirit and determination of the ISA side, and this was again evident when they clawed the score back to 6-4, after Musgrave had fired home his third of the game from the Penalty Spot. Two more quick goals from the Lions again looked to have killed the game off, but some fine work from Vile on the wing presented Musgrave with a chance for his forth of the game which he calmly took, and at 8-5 gave the ISA a glimmer of hope with about 15 mins still left to play.

By this point in the game Paul Brazier had used up his 3 subs, and when the player/manager himself went down hurt, he had no choice but to play the final 10 minutes injured. In those final 10 minutes the ISA seemed to have injuries all over the place and makeshift physio Paul Brighton was busier than a doctor on an Ellesmere Port casualty ward on a Friday night when the pubs have just shut, as he attended to the walking wounded. As the game drew to a close the Lions managed to find the net once more, and went through to the next round of the Cup with a 9-5 victory.

Overall a spirited performance by the ISA against a side a division above them. Mark Howcroft in particular done well coming in for the injured Green, after not playing football for a a number of years preferring the wild Oliver Reed lifestyle to that of a star goalkeeper.