Wembley beckons for ruthless Golds

Having covered the Golds quarter final win over North Shields for the Littlehampton Gazette I was asked to do the same as Loughborough Students came to The Sportsfield so media duties it was again, only this time the eldest daughter Imogen tagged along.

Town of course are having the season of their lives for all involved, already in one cup final, chasing down a league title, still in another county cup competition and of course this semi-final which most will know wasn’t on the agenda a few rounds ago having been knocked out of the Vase 5-0 by Athletic Newham, since removed for an ineligible player and as they say the rest is history.

The students stood between them and a place at Wembley, aiming to go one better than the side of ’91 who also reached this stage but lost out in the days of two legged semi’s.

After playing four times in seven days last week a free week with no midweek match hopefully would have put the squad in good shape and the inclusion of top scorer Joe Benn on the subs bench, back after injury keeping him out for a few weeks, would have been a huge lift despite winning games without him.

Kick off was delayed by ten minutes to allow the 3,142 fans into the ground, not often you get that happening at Step 5 I can tell you.

In these type of big games you want a positive start and boy did the home side get one! 38 seconds on the clock and Town were in front, the ball poked through to George Gaskin by Tom Biggs and the striker made no mistake to open the scoring, the perfect start.

Not what the students were expecting I don’t think, and while they put together some nice passing movements and seemed to have an extra man in midfield they couldn’t generate any change out of the Town back four.

Littlehampton looked the more likely to score again and skipper Jordan Clark was close, his header well saved by Ben Whiting, minutes later though he was powerless to stop Clark’s downward header ending up in the net and the home side’s advantage was doubled with 35 minutes gone.

Loughborough did come back and struck James Binfield’s bar soon after through George Wood, maybe a sign it wasn’t going to be their afternoon, the only clear chance they created in the first forty-five minutes.

Liam Humphreys had the ball in the net before half time, adjudged offside but a fine finish nonetheless before the flag went up and the home side went into the interval two goals to the good.

The next goal with the scoreline as it was, crucial which ever way it went and the Golds claimed it. 11 minutes into the half, another superb corner from Scott Kirkwood fell kindly for full back Shay Wiggans eight yards out and he smashed the ball past Whiting for the Sportsfield to erupt again.

Clark thought he had his second and Town’s fourth with 19 minutes left to play, but the ball appeared to be cleared off the line, the referee and his assistant unmoved by the celebrations.

Loughborough needed to push forward as time ticked on and they did, Binfield with a flying save to his left to keep the scoreline blank for the visitors and worse was to come for the students.

Two minutes later Dion Jarvis broke from inside his own half and as the students backline retreated Jarvis ran, crossed to the unmarked Gaskin who made no mistake in scoring his second, Town’s fourth and sealed a trip to Wembley Stadium on 22nd May with 11 minutes remaining.

The set pieces in the final ten minutes from Kirkwood did cause a few problems but Town were unable to find the net again, a comprehensive 4-0 win sending the Sussex club to the arch for the first time in their history.

I think while Loughborough were full of fit young athletes, the guile and experience running through the Littlehampton side was what won them the game, the fast start, slowing the tempo at times, good set pieces that the visitors struggled to deal with, it all came together.

To see that many people in a Step 5 stadium was also just madness, I thought just over 2,000 in the quarter final was crazy but a further 1,000 or so  in this time are able to say they’re a part of history. Credit must go to the club’s committee and every single volunteer that helped them stage that on Saturday, that wasn’t easy to co-ordinate I imagine and that you must tip your hat, well played all.

I must mention Martin Denyer whose given me a few of his fantastic set of pictures taken throughout the game, I make no apologies for using more than one in this piece, they deserve a stage to be seen.

I must point out I’m not a Littlehampton fan, they are my current hometown team and it’s great to see them doing well the same as it is Worthing and Hastings Utd further along the coast, I follow what’s going on everywhere to bring you the best coverage of non-league football across the pyramid, is just pure luck Town are on a crest of a wave and the Rebels are finally heading to the National League South, I’m lucky. Plus it gives me a bank of interviews to ask for you all to enjoy as well!

To the team, a full on performance and even when it comes to that you know I like to pull out one or two individuals. Jordan Clark, an immense presence at the back and a nuisance in the opposition penalty area, the skipper led from the front.

Aaron Capon just ran his socks off, hassled the full back constantly, busied himself going back and forth on the right hand side, Liam Humphreys winning header after header and as mentioned earlier Scott Kirkwood had his set pieces on the money.

But, there’s only two days to enjoy and dwell on what’s to come, there’s a league title to win along with another cup tie at Chichester to come, it’s going to be a mad end to the season for this side but one with enough depth and goals to win the lot, see you on the 22nd May then……………………..