SEMI FINALS

LANGWITH WHITESTAR 6 CHAPEL TOWN RES 2

DFA JUNIOR CUP NORTH QUARTER FINAL AT COCKSHUT LANE

2 NOVEMBER 2024 --- 1.30PM

LANGWITH WHITESTAR V CHAPEL TOWN RES WITH SAM DOCKWRAY HAT TRICK MAN

Langwith stormed into the semi finals of the DFA Junior North Cup after a powerful second half performance after going in at the break all square with a determined Chapel Town who in the end were thankful to an excellent performance from keeper Thomas Gyte for keeping the numbers down.

GYTE WOULD BE STRONG IN GOAL ALL THE GAME FOR CHAPEL

A new ground and its not been often I have said that recently but this has been a ground on the list for a little while and it looked an interesting encounter.  Sadly most of the the game barring last 25 minutes or so were under a brolly with drizzle and dark weather affecting the collection of pictures today.

The approach was via the Mag Lane railway level crossing and for some reason the manned crossing was shut 15 minutes before the trains passing.  Thankfully time was ok and arrival and a nice chat with ex Football League official Mark Sutton followed another first I have not covered a game he has been on before either.

LIAM WIDDOWSON SETS OFF

Langwith is a former mining town with some classic pit village houses and seems to be merged with Whaley Thorns and I'm not sure where the boundary stops so we could be in the latter but equally it may be the former.  While there appears to be three Whaley's in Whaley, Whaley Common and Whaley Thorns Langwith goes a few more to the better.  The options are Langwith, Nether Langwith, Langwith Maltings, Upper Langwith, Langwith Junction and Langwith Bassett.

THE CARDS COMING

The pitch would be found in nice condition for a recreation ground with a fenced compound of changing rooms and a selection of park seats looking onto the pitch the club also have respect roping on one side of the ground.  

AND THERE IT IS

Thankfully teams were obtained from the home side and the away side I was patiently assisted by Henry De Pee.  After a circuit we were ready for a prompt start in this 1.30 kick off.

THE MANAGEMENT LANGWITH WHITESTAR

So from the Nottinghamshire border lands with a roads breadth keeping the home side in Derbyshire the chance to test themselves against their High Peak visitors didn't get off to the best of the start when they went one down after 3 minutes when George Rowlands low shot found its way in at the post as keeper Ben Goddard couldn't hold on to the strike, 

Langwith were confident they could get back into the game and forced Gyte into a acrobatic save from Sam Dockwray's effort and it was the ever threatening frontman who levelled the scores from the penalty spot after he was brought down just inside the box after 20 minutes.

SAM DOCKWRAY HAT TRICK HERO

It continued to be the home side pressing and shortly after Dockwray [S] got his second with a back post effort that rolled in off the far post to give them the lead.

As Whitestar mounted more pressure you feared for the visitors but amazingly seven minutes before the break they equalised with a good double save from Goddard the ball was finally despatched by Rowlands for his second.

Just before the break Gyte was called on when he pulled of a remarkable set of three saves in the same move to deny Langwith.

Usual brief break at this level of football and there seemed no panic in the home sides management and so it turned out to be in the second half.

So the second half would start with Langwith straight on the attack and a confident performance it would produce.

Just shy of the hour mark Langwith grabbed the lead again when a when a wonderful in swinging corner off the right from Brady Dockwray evaded Gyte's efforts and flew straight in to make it 3-2.

The dominance would start just two minutes later when the fourth arrived courtesy of  Dockwray [S] who fired in to complete his hat trick.

HENRY DE PEE - CHAPEL TOWN

The home side were dominant now but it has to be said that the visitors never gave up the cause and were battling away with a credit to their club. 

But they couldn't deny the home a side a fifth again a corner did the damage Chapel could not clear their lines and Daniel Foster provided the strike with fifteen minutes remaining.

3-2 BRADY DOCKWRAY SCORES STRAIGHT FROM THE CORNER

Chapel did have a few breaks with nothing really coming from them although De Pee did have what looked a good appeal for a penalty turned down by referee Sutton. However it was soon normal service resumed as Langwith made it half a dozen in the goal stakes on 90 minutes again Gyte, who had been excellent, pulled off a double save but couldn't deny the third effort a super strike from 25 yards out from Liam Widdowson that was a clear 'top bins' contender.

BRACE FOR GEORGE ROWLANDS BUT THIS EFFORT STRIKES THE WALL

Shortly after referee Sutton blew for time in what had been an cracking little game that it has to be said the visitors played their part in.  From a Langwith point of view they will go into the semi finals with a confidence and not many will want to face the Nottinghamshire Senior League lads.

Hopefully I get the chance to re visit on a better weather day and collect some better pictures than today but winter is coming and the dark afternoons follow of course.  Their appears a few pictures still left so hopefully you will take a look at those below these words.

An enjoyable afternoon I shall look out for Langwith's progression.