Dynamo Reserves Dynamic in Winning Junior Cup South

Melbourne Dynamo Reserves FC beat Ashbourne Reserves FC 4-1 in Derbyshire County FA Junior Cup South in front of a crowd of 115 at the Raygar…
The game started brightly for Ashbourne when a free kick awarded to them on the edge of the area in the first minute. The resulting kick was expertly tipped over the bar by Melbourne goalkeeper, Ben Newton. 

In the 3rd minute though, Melbourne got themselves on the scoresheet first after some good work from Jack Goodband led to him sliding the ball across the box for Ben Stanley to beat his marker and slot the ball home to make it 1-0 to Dynamo.

The following 15 minutes were evenly matched with half chances at both ends, but it was Melbourne who doubled their lead after just 20 minutes when Ben Stanley turned provider for Shaun Hayes who out jumped his marker from a corner and headed into the top right corner of the goal to make it 2-0 to Dynamo. 

Ashbourne started to create a couple more chances to try and get themselves back into the game, with Rich Coates pulling his shot on the turn wide of the left post and then Craig Startin having a good shot blocked by Melbourne defender, Jack Stanley.

At the other end, Jack Goodband was causing problems for the Ashbourne defence with his pace and movement and Shaun Hayes causing problems with his height from set pieces and throw ins. Ashbourne nearly got their names on the scoresheet on 35 minutes though when No.9 Charles Mann raced through only to be thwarted by Ben Newton with a good save at his feet. Ashbourne continued to apply pressure and Coates again was unlucky when controlling a cross field ball well from Rafael Barah and hitting a shot on the half volley which struck the bottom of the left hand post of the Melbourne goal. 

Just before halftime though, Melbourne nearly made it 3-0 when a cross across the six yard box was mishit by Ryan Monk.

HALF TIME: Ashbourne Reserves FC 0 – 2 Melbourne Dynamo Reserves FC

Ashbourne started the second half brightly with striker Sam Harrison having a good shot but again they were undone by the pace of Melbourne on the break. Winger Tom Colclough got the better of the Ashbourne and delivered a great cross, which Ashbourne keeper Alex Harris got a touch too but only to send it in the direction of Ben Stanley who calmed slotted the ball away for his second of the night. 

Melbourne continued to apply pressure to the Ashbourne goal with the pacey Jack Goodband again beating the offside trap by pulling of the shoulder of the Ashbourne full back only to blast his shot over from just inside the box. Ashbourne were again unlucky with a half chance at the other end, when their player beat the Melbourne keeper to a bouncing a ball and his looped header was cleared off the line by Melbourne captain Vinnie Hallifield. 

Melbourne No.10 Goodband continued his impressive game, firstly sending a drilled ball across the six yard box, with his strike partner Ryan Bond unable to apply the finish when sliding in. minutes later, Goodband was at it again, twisting and turning on the edge of the box before curling  right foot shoot past the keeper, only to see it hit the right hand post.  Melbourne’s pressure was rewarded though, when Ben Stanley, on a hat-trick, saw his chipped shot hit the far post and Ryan Bond reacted quickest to tap in the rebound and make it 4-0 to Dynamo.

Ashbourne did get on the scoresheet with a consolation goal with under 10 minutes left to play when a cross from the left hand side was not dealt and substitute, Will Tomkinson made no mistake with his finish to make it 4-1. 

There was still time for Ben Stanley of Melbourne to flash another shot wide of the post from outside of the area in his attempts to wrap up a good night’s work with hat-trick, unfortunately it was not meant to be though.

The game concluded not long after Ashbourne blazed over from a direct free kick just outside the area.

FINAL SCORE: Ashbourne Reserves FC 1-4 Melbourne Dynamo Reserves FC