The Kent Reliance Sunday Junior Cup is heading for Folkestone after Arrow Athletic came from behind to beat Halfway House 5-1 in a Sunday lunchtime Final at the Gallagher Stadium that for a long time was a lot closer than the result suggests.
Behind at half time to a delightfully cushioned header from Halfway defender Ashley Vail, Arrow roared back after the break and levelled through Kieran Byrnes before the Sheppey side were reduced to ten men after Vail was sent off for a second booking in conceding the penalty that Damien Abel drove home to give Arrow the lead.
Byrnes then netted a second before Eamonn Elalem and Darren Winfield scored to give the scoreline a flattering look.
Not that Arrow’s player manager Craig Smith really cared when he spoke to KSN after the game.
He said, “We’ve worked all season to win this Trophy today so very pleased. We weren’t happy first half, but came out in the second half and were absolutely quality – I cannot fault anyone for the second half, we were superb.”
“We’ve got a good side and some of us have played with each other since we were youngsters. Been a great day – we’re out tonight and we’re definitely going to make sure that we celebrate what we’ve achieved today as the boys deserve it.”
The view from the halfway dug out was clearly one of disappointment when their Assistant Manager Pat Allison told KSN, “Delighted to have made the Final, but obviously disappointed that we’ve lost.”
“Well done to Arrow Athletic – they came out a different side in the second half. The sending off took us down to ten against a side playing the long ball and we couldn’t cope with it. Once the second goal went in and we were chasing the game with ten men, it was so difficult and sadly we came up short.”
As has happened before this season in previous Finals played at the Gallagher, both sides spent the opening exchanges getting used to each other and the pitch before almost out of nothing Halfway House took the lead just before the half hour. A corner was played into the Arrow box and Ashley Vail was on hand to cushion a header into the corner.
Four minutes before the break, Arrow were so desperately unlucky not to level the scores as Abel found himself in space behind the Halfway defence, he lifted the ball over the advancing keeper Richard Martin and as he looked on anxiously as a Champion golfer would follow his winning putt into the hole, the ball bounced up and hit the bar before rebounding into Martin’s grateful arms.
In the first minute of the second half, Abel was again – this time by a fabulous Martin save from a free kick and from the corner, the keeper was indebted to Malcom Jordinson for heading Winfield’s flag kick off the line, before in Arrow’s next attack, Abel was again denied by the Halfway keeper – this time Martin parried the Arrow striker’s thunderous volley before the rebound was scrambled away.
The equaliser duly arrived but not from Abel, but from the left boot of Byrnes – the striker cut in from the right and his shot flew into the bottom corner past an unsighted keeper.
Man of the Match Jamie Pickering who pulled Arrow’s strings in midfield the entire game was then involved in two moments that turned the game in his side’s favour.
Firstly the Arrows midfielder was unlucky to see a header thud off the bar before as the ball was played back in he was fouled by Ashley Vail, and referee Martin had no option but to award a spot kick and show Vail a second yellow card. Abel this time was not to be denied drilling the penalty wide of Martin and into the net to give Arrow the lead.
Arrow then missed a golden chance to extend their lead when Winfield’s corner was nodded back for Daley Sinclair who could only have been four yards out but managed to shoot wide of the left post – a real let off for Halfway.
It was only a temporary reprieve as with just nine minutes left, Byrnes was put clean through and after selling Martin an outrageous dummy, coolly rolled the ball into the empty net.
The victory was sealed 90 seconds later when Elalem got on the end of some great wing play by Winfield to make it four.
The Folkestone side then made it 5-1 in stoppage time with a fierce swinging Winfield drive following a short corner which fizzed past a bemused Martin, but by then the damage had well and truly been done.
ARROW ATHLETIC – Danny Regan, Daley Sinclair, Nick Langley, Joe Bullard, James Webb, Eamonn Elalem, Ashley Porter, Jamie Pickering, Darren Winfield, Damian Abel, Kieran Byrnes
Subs – Craig Maxwell, Rob Knott, Brad Wilkins, Nick Jones, Craig Smith
HALFWAY HOUSE – Richard Martin, Chris Green, Askley Vail, Giacomino Vail, Mark Abbott, Nicky Hunt, Lewis Gransden, Malcolm Gransden, Malcolm Jordinson, Chris Moreton, Graham Andrews, Ciaran Aldous
Subs – Mark Smith, Chay Peters, Mark Scales
REFEREE – Steve Martin
ASSISTANTS – Martin Nelson, Chris Cannon and Bob Potts