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Last season, Division 2 Cup interest ended for these two teams in Round 2. Mythop lost 1-0 at home to North West Kitchens whilst West Coast lost 4-2 away at the Halfway House. West Coast ended a disappointing season down in eleventh place in 2A but Mythop went on to finish fifth in 2B and were subsequently boosted up into 2A. The sides are yet to face each other this season in league action. In all likelihood I expect that this may have been the first time that the clubs had ever faced each other.
Steve Ramsdale's Mythop reached today's second round thanks to a bye but opponents West Coast had to knock out the Old England 3-0. This morning's league table showed Mythop in sixth place. They have two games in hand on leaders FC Eden although they're twelve points adrift. Their pitch out in Lytham has suffered more than most this season due to the inclement weather resulting in a 'stop-start' campaign. They've taken seven points from the last nine and look to be in decent form. Gledhill Cup interest ended in the opening Round with a 4-2 home defeat to FC Matrix.
West Coast Tackle are struggling this season down in twelfth. Thus far they've only managed to win two of their twelve league games. Daryl Prance's men are still to gain a point in 2009. They received a bye in the opening round of the Gledhill before losing 5-2 to North West Kichens 5-2 in the second round. The form book suggested a win for Mythop but in Sunday Cup Football just about anything can happen.
This morning's referee was Dale Harvey and if the Fair Play Table was anything to go by he was in for an easy game as they both sat top and second respectively. Extremely cold, but bright and dry this morning for spectators. At 11:02 am Mr Harvey's whistle got the Cup tie underway with Mythop in their yellow strip kicking towards the ditch.
Mythop Leisure FC 2008/09
West Coast Tackle Postal FC 2008/09.
We're underway.
With only three minutes on the clock the visitors took a shock lead. A fast flowing move upfield saw the ball eventually fall to West Coast skipper John Emery and in the above picture he lashed it home to open the scoring. 0-1.
Referee Harvey, “There's no way I'm taking my coat off this morning.”
The best save of the day as Mythop keeper Barry Curtis tipped over a close range effort.
West Coast were playing full of confidence and on fourteen minutes they desrvedly extended their lead. Another good move lead to Warwick Hargreaves showing good composure as he lobbed the onrushing Barry Curtis from the edge of the box. 0-2.
Hargreaves scores the second for West Coast.
Chris Lomax (Left) is once again in trouble with Mr Harvey.
West Coast player manager Daryl Prance on the charge. 'Jumanji'.
Matt Rainbow on the ball for Mythop.
West Coast supporters (Mature hoodies) risk hypothermia.
Close but it went wide.
A rare bad miss from Rainbow as he scuffed this effort from five yards.
Rainbow's miss was made all the worse as from keeper Branston's long kick upfield Ben Sear pounced on the loose ball and with an exquisite chip, (His words not mine), he beat the keeper to put the visitors in dreamland. 0-3. The goal coming on 32 minutes.
Paul Allen with the throw for Mythop.
Carl Windsor fails to connect with the acrobatic effort.
On 41 minutes Mythop were thrown a lifeline. Many heads had gone down but not that of Chris Lomax. A Mythop move was only half cleared and the ball fell to Lomax 25 yards out. He hit it first time and the ball flew past Branston into the top corner. Great strike. 1-3.
West Coast keeper Branston is left stranded by Lomax's great long range effort.
Mythop were still celebrating as they fell to a sucker punch. Another long ball from keeper Branston was flicked on and in the picture below John Emery replicated his first goal with a similar great finish. West Coast back on top just before the break. 1-4.
John Emery (Right) scores to put the Postal 4-1 ahead.
Mythop Leisure FC not a happy bunch at the interval.
Half time score: Mythop Leisure FC 1 – 4 West Coast Tackle Postal FC.
All smiles in the West Coast camp.
Chris Lomax (Left)
The Ref's finally warmed up enough to take his coat off. On 53 minutes he awarded a free kick to Mythop and deposited his clobber in the back of the net.
From the free-kick Matt Rainbow puts Mythop Leisure FC right back in the game as his effort eludes keeper Branston and goes in off the underside of the crossbar as shown in the above video.
Mythop keeper Barry Curtis.
Goalbound but it just swerved wide – good effort from the Postal.
Shaggy.
Coker.
On the hour mark Mythop pulled it abck to 3-4 thanks to a goalkeeping calamity. A Mythop chance was half cleared and the ball eventually fell to Paul Allen. He hit a shot but in all honesty it was a tame effort. Branston misjudged it, it hit his shoulder and agonisingly rolled over the line. More Frank Carson than Scott Carson. 3-4.
Branston in a pickle (sorry, couldn't resist it) as Paul Allen's soft shot squirms in after his error.
Good tackle.
Ben Seear (Left)
For the next twenty minutes West Coast kind of steadied the ship and had a number of good breaks upfield. However, Mythop went very close from a corner when a scrambled effort looked to have crossed the line. The follow up was also hacked off the line. See for yourself in the video below – did it cross the line?
Mythop go very close to equalising but did the ball cross the line?
With Mythop pushing forward gaps were left at the back and West Coast almost took advantage as Lee Coker's effort flew just past the post. At the other end Rainbow slid it wide.
West Coast keeper Sam Branston.
We were now deep into added time, the away supporters were screaming for the whistle and my fingers had frozen to the camera. A misplaced pass in the West Coast midfield gifted possession to Mythop. A great low throughball was played to the edge of the box. Matt Rainbow dummied it and chased after it, he was now clear one on one against the keeper. “Please not extra time, please not extra time, miss it you little…………” GOAL – Extra time ! 4 – 4.
Rainbow (10) scores a last gap equaliser for Mythop to take the match into extra time. West Coast players distraught.
Rainbow celebrates in the stand as West Coast skipper Emery begins the enquiry.
Score after 90 minutes. Mythop Leisure FC 4 – 4 West Coast Tackle Postal.
Extra time begins.
Mythop's Micky is introduced from the bench. He excuses a late bad tackle by explaining how difficult it is for substitutes to adapt to the pace of the game.
A coming together.
John Emery.
To be fair West Coast started extra time the brighter showing good spirit after the setback of the late equaliser but on 108 minutes Mythop took the lead for the first time. Good work from Rainbow played in Kozlowski who passed to Chris Lomax who made no mistake in scoring his second from just inside the box. 5 – 4.
Lomax gives Mythop the lead in extra time.
We enter the last fifteen minutes.
On 118 minutes Mythop made it safe through a Kozlowski effort and four minutes later Adam Scholes made it 7-4 with a first time finish.
“That's that, I'll go and fish our ball out of the dyke.”
Final score after extra time : Mythop Leisure FC 7 – 4 West Coast Tackle Postal FC
Smith & Blant celebrate the Cup win.
In summary this was a highly entertaining Cup tie that warmed the heart on a freezing Fylde Coast morning. West Coast played excellent in the first half and fully deserved their half time 4-1 lead. Mythop were frankly rubbish in the first 45 minutes as their opponents won everything all over the pitch.
In the second period they picked up their game and achieved their objective of grabbing two quick goals back before the hour mark helped a little by West Coast keeper Branston. Mythop kept at it and snatched a deserved equaliser in additional time. Despite West Coast's best efforts there was only going to be one winner in extra time and so it proved as Mythop went on to reach the quarter finals with a 7-4 win.
Good performances from West Coast by young Seear and Hargreaves but especially captain John Emery who led by example. He scored two good goals and was still harrying and chasing deep into extra time.
As for Mythop Matt Rainbow is a real handful and he finally looked interested when he scored the all important free-kick. Many looked sorry for themselves at 4-1 down but not Chris Lomax who took on the role of leader from midfield and dragged his troops back into the game and on to eventual victory with a hard working performance. He took the Man of the Match award and with it the prize football and famous 'Sporty' kindly provided by our recommended kit supplier Teamsport90.
Well refereed by Mr Harvey. Good luck to Mythop in the last eight.
Chris Lomax (Right) and young Blanty with the Man of the Match awards.
Sportspy 2008/09
bfsfa.com/fyldesport
