Wed 16th Mar 2016
St Marys Cup
TAFC First team 6-2 Bushey Sports
TAFC goals: Christopher Stapleton (4), Luke Dunstan, Joe Naylor
CHRIS STAPLETON MAKES HISTORY
Having put 5 goals past Hertford town on Tuesday we followed that up with another 6 the following night against Bushey Sports to take us through to the next round of the St Marys Cup, a competition we reached the final of last season, where we narrowly lost 1-0 to Hemel Hempstead.
This was officially a First Team game but having endured a tough match the previous night Ian Richardson made full use of his squad, making 9 changes to the starting line up. However, it was still a strong team with 10 players with First Team experience plus 3 others making their debut, namely Connor Richardson, Tom Shaw and Chris Stapleton who made an immediate impact.
Playing at centre forward Chris almost certainly played his way into our records books scoring a hat-trick within 34 minutes then adding a 4th in the second half. I think its safe to say that no other player has made such a dramatic debut.
His first goal came after only 11 minutes when he controlled a lovely cross from George Tomlin then swiveled and shot past the keeper. Sixteen minutes later Jack Sunderland played him through and he calmly slotted the ball home. The hat-trick followed seven minutes after that when he converted a Jack Westlake cross.
The visitors who play in the Premier Division of the Herts Senior County League were slow starting but had some talented players in their ranks and they tried to play good football. They were thrown a lifeline 2 minutes before half time when their leading scorer Dean Williams was fouled in the area and Captain James Hurst smashed the penalty past Jack Hopwood. HT Score 3-1.
Dean Williams had an early opportunity to reduce the deficit to a goal but from a good position he fired his shot well over. The game was put beyond Bushey's reach in the 53rd minute with a lovely bit of skill from Luke Dunstan who was making a welcome return from suspension.
Four minutes later George Tomlin's superb cross was met by Chris Stapleton and the header flashed past the keeper. Goal number six was a smartly taken shot from Joe Naylor in the 71st minute.
To their credit Bushey kept going and got another goal in the 74th minute when Raliquis Lawrence smashed home a cross. Both sides had opportunities to add to their tallies but in the end the final score was 6-2. FT Score 6-2.
A good result and performance with the headlines deservedly going to Chris Stapleton for an amazing debut. It shows we have strength in depth and a youthful basis to the squad as the 3 scorers were aged 18, 19 and 22. Looks promising for the future.
Teams:
TA:1 Jack Hopwood 2 George Tomlin 3 Stuart Stedman (Capt) (12 Paul Jeffrey HT) 4 Ryan McMahon 5 Connor Richardson 6 Dave O'Connor (14 Tom Shaw 58) 7 Luke Dunstan 8 Jack Westlake 9 Chris Stapleton 10 Joe Naylor 11 Jack Sunderland.
BS:1 Przemek Mieriwa 2 Jim Devins 3 Uri Quarts 4 James Hurst (Capt) 5 Opeyemi Adeyemi (16 Miled Mustapa 80) 6 Francis Adjei (15 James Gallagher HT) 7 Raliquis Lawrence 8 Gavin Chatterpaul 9 Dean Williams 10 Gary Burrell 11 Ross Suorto (23 Joel Agyeman 74). Subs not used: 12 Dean Seabrook 14 Gabriel Asars-Beco.
Scorers:
TA:C Stapleton (11, 27, 34,57), L Dunstan (53), J Naylor (71)
BS:J Hurst (Pen 43), R Lawrence (74)