Ben Watson hits treble as Goldsborough stun Union Rovers to reach Ryedale Hospital Cup final

It was the away side with the first chance in the first couple of minutes, a cross from the left hand side was behind Damon Craig who tried to adjust and go for the acrobatic effort but couldn’t quite adjust enough to trouble the keeper, writes Keith Sales.

On five minutes Union had their first chance. A long throw wasn’t dealt with and it found its way to the attacker but a miskick saw the effort go wide, an early warning for Goldsborough.

Ten minutes later and another long throw caused problems.

The Union centre half climbed highest to send a looping header up and onto the crossbar which dropped safely for Pete Diaz-Thomson in goal to gather.

Two minutes later and Goldsborough would come closest to opening the scoring, Spencer winning the ball in midfield sent Ben Watson through on goal.

The prolific striker rounded the keeper but his touch was too heavy to get on the end of.

However, it fell to the advancing Craig who had the goal at his mercy but couldn’t guide the ball into the net as his effort sailed wide of the post.

On 25 minutes the home side would break the deadlock on the counter through a defence splitting pass from midfield.

The striker Antony Taylor in on goal still had work to do but he lashed the ball through Diaz-Thomson’s legs to give Union the lead.

A few minutes later and Boro were looking for an immediate way back into the game.

Jay Niel up for a set piece found the ball at his feet, he took on his man who tripped him and the referee awarded the away side a penalty.

Up stepped captain Watson whose penalty was well saved to the right hand side of the keeper.

On 40 minutes Diaz-Thomson would produce a wonder save to stop Goldsborough going in at half time 2-0 down.

A free-kick for the home side led to a scramble in the box which resulted in a flicked header on goal. Diaz-Thomson somehow managed to produce a superb save and claw the ball back from behind him when it looked certain the home side had extended their advantage.

Boro came close to getting back on level terms in the last minute of the half when Craig read a back pass from the defender but failed to get hold of his shot properly and the keeper comfortably saved.

A minute into the second half and Watson pounced on the loose ball to send his effort from the angle through the keeper’s legs, only for the ball to be cleared by the covering defender on the line.

A couple of minutes later Goldsborough won a corner which George Sault delivered into box. Smurthwaite getting clear of his marker steamed in at the back post to produce a bullet header to equalise.

Goldsborough were well and truly in the ascendancy and a Spencer long throw was flicked on my Smurthwaite but Mike Coates at the back post stretching couldn’t find the target.

Moments later great control by Craig set Sault through on the angle but he couldn’t control his effort with the ball bouncing and his shot sailed over the bar.

On the hour mark Entwistle gained possession on the edge of the box and tried his luck, the keeper parried and Watson was on hand to slot home to give the away side the lead.

Goldsborough kept pushing for more goals and two minutes later saw a Craig cross fumbled by the keeper and the defender once again cleared off the line.

On 65 minutes a strong header by Smurthwaite found Craig whose flicked header found the run of Watson, beating the offside trap Watson calmly guided the ball past the keeper for 3-1.

On 70 minutes Spencer found Craig in space and his killer pass again found Watson’s run and he made no mistake poking home his third of the game and his 25th so far this season 4-1.

With 10 minutes still to play Goldsborough would add a fifth.

A corner swung in by Simon Taylor found the onrushing Karl Hewison heading home and extending the advantage to 5-1.

There was still time for one more goal and Goldsborough saved the best until last.

The ball fell to Hewison 25 yards out, taking a touch out of his feet he curled his effort into the top corner giving the keeper absolutely no chance 6-1.

A completely dominant performance in the second half by Goldsborough restricting the home side to a single effort on goal and progressing into the Ryedale Hospital Cup Final for the second time.

After the midweek disappointment of the East Riding Cup defeat via a penalty shootout Heslerton were in more cup action as they travelled to Milburn Fields to take on Rosedale Abbey in the quarter-finals of The Hospital Cup.

It would be an afternoon where the visitors would rue missed opportunities allowing the Division One outfit to take the plaudits.

Heslerton began brightly, with striker Jordan Anderson looking lively on his full debut since signing for the club in early February.

Indeed he tested not only the Rosedale full-back but also the keeper on a couple of occasions inside the opening 10 minutes as he linked up well with fellow forward Morgan Kendrew.

The hosts however grew into the game and it took two timely tackles from 16-year-old Jake Allardice to thwart the Rosedale attack, before Hessie keeper Simon Clark made a fine save from a shot inside the box.

Midway through the opening half Rosedale would take the lead, Josh Butler finishing after Heslerton had only half cleared the danger.

Not deterred the visitors drove forward and had a good shout for a spot-kick after a clumsy challenge inside the Rosedale box on Anderson, but play continued.

Then a great ball to Kendrew down the right saw him leave his marker for dead before squaring the perfect ball into the box where the unmarked Gareth Driver could only put his effort over.

Into the second half and within a minute Heslerton were level.

Midfielder Ethan Chan was instrumental in the build up which saw an exchange of passes with Morgan Kendrew who sent a a delightful ball across eighteen yards to the onrushing Anderson who finished superbly.

With the introduction of Rob Ruston for the injured George Ridler the visitors were now looking more like themselves with Driver rising highest in the box to meet another Kendrew cross, only to head over.

Along with Ruston and Chan, midfielder Jamie Atkinson looked to launch further attacks with a string of decent forward passes. From one such move he found Anderson who in turn fed Kendrew who turned inside the box for Driver to rush in, only to fire wide from fifteen yards.

On a somewhat heavy surface the home side began to lift their game and though the Hessie defence had dealt well for a period with any Rosedale threat, after a corner in the frantic melee that followed that man Butler would seize on the loose ball to fire a fine effort over the crowded penalty box and past the despairing Clark.

Five minutes later the hosts would gain clear advantage with Alastair Wilkinson heading home from a James Dunn cross.

Sixteen year old Tommy Palmer would then replace the injured Jack Burnett as Heslerton looked for a way back into the game.

However, more fatigue would strike with the visitors having to see out the final ten minutes with only ten men.

With a little more freedom Graham Atkinson would add a fourth for the home side, though were denied anything more as Clark made one final save.Man of the Match for Heslerton was Chan.