Poole Borough Football Club
MATCH REPORT
| Updated 01/04/00 Want to comment on the match?
Fooks, Smith & Russell - 3 goals each |
Poole Borough (7)11, Okeford United (1)2 Dorset League Division 1 Cup 1st April 2000 Scorers: Smith 12,32,72; Fooks 14,30,42; Russell 23,31,90; Thompson 56; Atkins 70. Poole booked their semi-final place with another emphatic victory against a side they have to play twice more in the league in April. Okeford, however, took a surprise lead after only 3 minutes when a right wing shot was cleared off the line by Winston Buckfield, by a striker was on hand to convert the rebound. Borough pushed for the equaliser, but still looked vulnerable in defence without the absent Ron Denty. Chris Morgan did well to collect the ball and take in into the box but his shot came off the keepers legs. On 12 minutes Borough were level. Morgan sent Ben Thompson on a run on the left and he crossed for Scott Smith to glance a header past the keeper's outstretched arm. The keeper did well to save a Russell long range shot, but could do nothing when Smith took the ball off a defender ran into the area and squared for Alan Fooks to tap in. Okeford continued to push forward and could have equalised as Dan Burton came out late to narrow the angle and the resulting shot when just past the post. At the other end Dave Holdroyd saw his powerful header cleared off the line. The visitors had the ball in the net again on 22 minutes but the goal was disallowed for offside. Borough increased their lead a minute later when James Russell was able to take the ball through the middle of opposition defence and place the ball into the left corner. Continued pressure from the home side resulted in a further three goals within three minutes. On 30 minutes Thompson picked up the ball on the left wing, cut inside and hit a shot which cannoned off the post, but Fooks was on hand to convert the rebound. A minute later Russell scored with an unstoppable drive from 25 yards out and within another minute Smith wason hand to stick out his leg and steer a Fooks centre over the line after it alluded the keepers dive. Alex Gunn created a chance with a solo run, but he was unable to slot the ball past the advancing keeper, who also did well to divert a well placed Morgan shot. Borough got their 7th just before the break as Fooks sprung the offside trap, knocked the ball to Thompson, and his low return cross to Fooks was buried into the back of the net. HT 7-1 With the tie sewn up, Borough allowed Okeford more space in midfield, and were punished after 55 minutes when a shot from outside the area dipped over Burton's head and into the net. The home team responded immediately with a Thompson free kick which dipped wickedly on its way over the line to leave the keeper punching thin air. Okeford still continued to push forward and Burton was forced to make a double save against close range shots in the area. At the other end Lee Atkins scored his first goal of the season after 70 minutes when he received the ball outside the area and deftly lobbed over the keeper. Two minutes later Smith scored the 10th goal with a tap in from a Fooks right wing cross. Borough continued to attack at will as Okeford began to tire, Russell had a shot come back off the post, and a Smith centre had to be tipped over the bar. Russell completed the hat-trick of hat-tricks just before the final whistle as he ghosted across the box to make room for an angled shot inside the post. Poole Borough : Dan Burton, Dan Cockwell (Pete Morrell 72), Chris Morgan, Paul Morrell, Winston Buckfield, Dave Holdroyd, Alex Gunn (Lee Atkins 57), James Russell, Scott Smith, Alan Fooks, Ben Thompson (Paul Arnold 87). |