FC Hulland 1 Coach Rangers 10

Thursday 17th May 2012
FC Hulland 1 Coach Rangers 10
Bill Redfern Cup First Round
At: Hulland Ward Playing Field, Ashes Avenue
Kick-off: 7-00 pm
Admission: none; Programme: none
Weather: sunny spells, dry
Attendance: 17 (headcount)
Duration (45): first-half: 45:09; second-half: 45:00

Callum Woolley scored seven goals as Coach Rangers stormed into the Bill Redfern Cup Second Round with a double-figure haul against FC Hulland. Last season’s beaten finalists suffered an early scare when Stuart Simmonds put FC Hulland in front before Woolley scored a first-half hat-trick and netted another four after the break. Kevin Millward, Paul Godfrey and Ian Godfrey also got on the scoresheet, though Hulland’s goalkeeper James Hodge produced a series of decent saves to prevent the winning margin being even greater.

The Bill Redfern Cup honours a man who was associated with the Summer League from ‘day one’:

Bill Redfern’s commitment to the League totalled 64 years which is a remarkable achievement by any standard and is very unlikely to be surpassed. He attended the inaugural meeting of the League at Church Broughton in 1929, played on the very first evening of fixtures, and was a member of the League Council, holding the posts of Vice Chairman and Chairman and was elected President and a life member in 1971. Up to his death in 1994 at the age of 86, he continued to attended meetings and matches. His passing ended an era in the Summer League’s history.

The position of the League today is in no small way due to the unselfish efforts of Bill who gave freely of his time for the enjoyment of others and we must never forget the tremendous debt we owe to him. The Bill Redfern Memorial Cup was first contested in 1995 and Bradley won the inaugural competition.

(Taken from the 2011 Bill Redfern Cup Final programme, which I produced on behalf of the league)

Because of all the recent wet weather, the Summer League table had an uneven appearance with teams of differing numbers of games. Table-toppers Bradley (16 points from 7 games) had played two more games than fourth-placed Coach Rangers (12 points from 5 games) while FC Hulland (9 points from 5 games) stood three positioned lower in seventh.

FC Hulland play home games at the playing field on Ashes Avenue in Hulland Ward, about five miles east of Ashbourne on the road to Belper. It is a flat surface with a slope along one touchline which provides an elevated viewing position.

Coach Rangers (in pink shirts, black shorts and socks) got the game underway attacking from left to right in relation to the slope. They quickly got forward and Hulland goalkeeper James Hodge blocked a right-foot shot from Callum Woolley at the near post.

However, it was FC Hulland who took the lead in the 3rd minute. Stuart Simmons burst through into the area and sent a powerful right-foot shot past the helpless Coach goalkeeper Robert Redfern.

For the next 15 minutes, Coach tried to get back on level terms but both Craig Richardson and Dave Shipley saw headers blocked on the line.

Coach were told to “raise it a bit” and get “move movement” and they did indeed equalise in the 18th minute. Phil Dawson played the ball down the right to Woolley who crossed into the area. Kevin Millward’s hooked a shot towards goal from the far post and Woolley applied the finishing touch.

Woolley struck again two minutes later to put Coach in front with a low shot from the edge of the area.

Hulland got forward looking for an equaliser and Redfern was well positioned to save a shot from Simmonds. A superb saving tackle from Richardson prevented Pete Flynn from scoring in the next attack.

At the other end, Hodge produced a superb save to deny Carl Allen and also got his boot in the way of Millward’s shot just after the half-hour mark.

With Coach continuing to create chances, Woolley completed his hat-trick just before interval, slotting home a loose ball after Millward’s initial effort was saved by Hodge.

Hulland almost pulled a goal back early in the second half, then had Hodge to thank for superb one-handed save which prevented Woolley from scoring again.

“Keep it going Hulland. Let’s get the next goal”.

However, it was Coach not Hulland who scored the next goal in the 56th minute through Millward’s sweet low drive into the bottom-left corner of the net.

The fifth goal came on the hour mark. Paul Godfrey hit a long ball forward from just inside his own half which eluded Hodge, a defender and Millward at it ended up [in my opinion] going straight in the net.

“Tremendous finish, Cal” was heard after the sixth goal went in. Millward crossed from the right and Woolley sent a first-time volley flashing past the keeper.

After Woolley had a ‘goal’ disallowed for offside, he scored the seventh in the 73rd minute to complete a double hat-trick with a well-struck shot from Shipley’s pass and added the eighth a minute later. Hodge and a defender failed to deal with a ball down the right to prevent Woolley with a simple task of slotted into an empty net.

Soon it was 9-1 to Coach and a seventh for Woolley. Sam Howard fed Ian Godfrey who set up a chance for Woolley to blast home unchallenged at the far post.

Later Callum told me he bagged a few six-goal hauls in the past but never a seven-timer before.

Coach wanted a tenth goal and spent some 11 minutes creating and missing chances before the ball was in the back on the Hulland net for the final time. Ian Godfrey hit a low 30-yard drive that crept through a populated area and into the bottom-left corner out of reach of the diving Hodge.

The was time for a final Coach chance – Martyn Taylor fired wide from Millward’s corner – before referee Chris Cope blew for full-time.

FC Hulland (light blue black black): 1. James Hodge, 7. Simon Donnelly, 14. Dave Oakes, x. John Harrison, x. Matt Harwood, x. Carl Russell, 5. Connor Hodgkinson, x. Matt Alcock, x. Martin Bates, 11. Pete Flynn, 10 Stuart Simmonds. Subs: 5. Dan Ford (for no. 3, 51), Charlie Mansfield (not used).

Coach Rangers (pink/black/black): 1. Robert Redfern, 15. Phil Dawson, 16. Craig Richardson, 5. Dave Shipley, 6. Paul Godfrey, 10. Sam Howard, 3. Carl Allen, 9. Ian Godfrey, 14. Craig Frith, 11. Callum Woolley, 7. Kevin Millward. Subs: 4. Martyn Taylor (for Richardson, 57), 2. Dan Frith (for Craig Frith, 60)

Referee: Chris Cope.

Goals:
1-0 Stuart Simmonds (3)
1-1 Callum Woolley (18)
1-2 Callum Woolley (20)
1-3 Callum Woolley (44)
1-4 Kevin Millward (56)
1-5 Paul Godfrey (60)
1-6 Callum Woolley (69)
1-7 Callum Woolley (73)
1-8 Callum Woolley (74)
1-9 Callum Woolley (78)
1-10 Ian Godfrey (89)

Cards: none