Crosshills FC 4 – 1 Shelf United FC Reserves

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West Riding FA Challenge Trophy Round 2

 

Shelf United FC Reserves 1 – 4 Crosshills FC 

 

Crosshills FC; Lee Knox, Stephen Throup, Stuart Parkin, Scott Newton, Ben Dewhirst, Duncan Steele, Darrell McDonald, Eddie Evans, Steve Brown, Shaun Green, Andrew North.

Subs; Gaz Greene (Unused). 

 

It was a lovely sunny, hot Saturday and with most of the squad thinking of beer gardens and lounging in the sunshine they had to put that aside for 90 minutes. 

 

Instead they were rewarded in Halifax with a lovely sloped, nicely scented pitch to run around in the heat to get a home tie in the next round. The game got under way with Crosshills looking the better from the start with some well composed passes being put together from defence through midfield into the attack. Hills had the downhill in the first half so wanted to build up a good lead before heading into the latter stages of the game with tired legs working uphill. Some good link up play between Andrew North and Shaun Green lead to the break through to make it 1-0, Green from 6 yards out giving the opposition defence and goal keeper no chance whatsoever. 

 

Playing well but wanting to take their chances Hills pushed and pushed and finally got what they deserved, a second, it came through Shaun Green again with good build up play in defence and midfield it came to Green who made no mistakes in doubling the lead and his tally for the game. 

 

With the reds looking like they could get a good result along came another goal, straight from a goal kick by Lee Knox, Green nodded down to North and he took it on ‘Tony Yeboah’ like by smashing it left footed into the top left stanchion, if that wasn’t enough pain on the home team he then peeled off, ran towards the Shelf United Kop and just simply opened his arms out wide, chest out, similar to proud predatory bird. 

 

Three nil now and the hosts were looking disheartened and it was to get worse as a ball though midfield went through to the goalkeeper but Crosshills midfielder Steve Brown carried on the chase and blocked his clearance to watch it go helplessly into the back of the net for the fourth. 

 

In the second half there was a lot of pressure from the home team and they got abit of luck for themselves and pulled one back but the game never looked in doubt. The uphill task in the heat was telling it’s toll on a lot of the players and because there were no substitutes that made the challenge even tougher. Crosshills held off to win 4-1 and progress to the next round where they’ll host Warley Rangers FC Reserves (who also ply their trade in the Halifax District League) on Saturday 5th November 2011.