LIGGINS SENDS GLAPPY INTO THE SEMIS

GLAPWELL 1 BAKEWELL TOWN 0

DCFA DIVISIONAL CUP NORTH QUARTER FINAL AT HALL CORNER

3 DECEMBER 2022 --- 1.30PM

JOY ALL ROUND AS LOGAN LIGGINS RECEIVES A HUG FOR HIS WINNNG GOAL

A Logan Liggins back post strike seventeen minutes from time proved enough to send Glapwell into the DCFA Divisional Cup semi final after a tightly contested encounter that had seen both keepers perform well to deny earlier goals.

The first visit of the season to Hall Corner for this early start of a cup game and upon arrival 90 minutes before the the option to walk around the adjacent estate and it brought forward a lovely bright day if somewhat cold to the fingers, always a pain for the camera men.  Arrival had been after the 'walk and a match' theme had taken in a mile and a half to the neighbouring village to pick up the 49 service to The Young Vanish.

Entry into the ground found almost immediately the weather change dark grey skies with the first signs of rain, something that would not leave us for the duration of the afternoons game.  The grass was looking very long in places but on the walk round there were some really boggy places on the pitch and clearly grass cutting was not an option.  Sadly Hall Corner has seen better days with much of the ground looking unloved now but thankfully it still pushes on for Glapwell in The CMFL.  With Bakewell also in The CMFL North it looked a very close game in prospect for what turned out to be a small gathering.

BETTER DAYS

Bakewell came into the game after a 3-3 draw last weekend at home to Dinnington and Glapwell would be hoping for the game not to go to penalties after they were on the wrong end of a spot kick loss at Clipstone last week.

With the BBC weather forecast woefully wrong again and having looked forward to some pictures in nice bright weather I headed for the stand and again the light affects what can be produced. 

AARON MAUND THREATENS THE GLAPWELL DEFENCE

In the opening exchanges Alex Moth was looking the dangerman for the visitors while Perry Richards was looking lively for the lads from Hall Corner.  With both keepers having to be alert it was Tom Crapper who pulled off a sharp stop from a Richards effort to Glapwell.  

Liam Wajs wasn't to be left put when on his debut he pulled off a lovely save from Bakewell substitute Feddie Hatcher who fashioned a smart header from an Aaron Maund cross.

With eight minutes to go to the break Bakewell were having a purple patch but Wajs was on hand again to deny Moth and keep Glapwell on level terms.  On the stroke of half time Liggins got in a back post shot after a superb cross feild pass but a Bakewell defender cleared the ball off the line.

RYAN BOOKER IN EXPERIENCED PLAYER MODE 

So we had gone into the break goal less and it this been featured on those 30 second half time radio reports it would have gone something like this.  Good game with both keepers on top on a pitch with some long grass and boggy in places.  The lights poor, its cold, its raining and the Bakewell keepers wearing a woolly hat and at half time its goal less.

BAKEWELL THOUGHT THEY HAD SCORED BUT A QUICK VAR CHECK SAID OTHERWISE

Crapper was proving his worth again with an excellent save from a Thomas McTighe 25 yard free kick to deny Glapwell the lead.

But as both sides battled through this game with gusto it was the home side who would take the lead after 73 minutes.  A patient build up on the right found the final cross nodded on by Grant Mitchell, Logan Liggins was on hand at the back post his first effort hit the side of a defender just off the goal line but his second bite at the cherry made no mistake with the ball nestling in the back of the net and you could say the Glapwell player was somewhat delighted with his goal.

A tough game in difficult conditions with some end to end action that remained a credit to both sides efforts to seal a semi final place but despite a late free kick that saw Crapper leave his goal to join the attack Bakewell could not force the game to penalties and Glapwell had booked their place in the semi fianls, shortly afterwards when referee Richard Thompson blew the final whistle.

BAKEWELL KEEPER CRAPPER SUMS UP THE WEATHER

Thankfully ten minutes from the returning 49 service allowed a sharp move to the bus stop before finishing off on the reverse mile and a half walk back to base with most of it conducted in a downpour.  In the words of the public information advert from the 70's, 'wished I'd brought my brolly'.

LOGAN LIGGINS TURNS TO CELEBRATE HIS WINNER