Worcestershire’s hopes of reaching the FA County Youth Cup Semi-Finals for the first time since the 1990/91 season were dashed when they suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Wiltshire FA at a windy Swindon Supermarine FC.
The visitors opened brightly and went close to taking an early lead when Adam Ward’s
dangerous cross from the right flashed across the 6 yard box with no one able to get a touch. However, they were stunned when Wiltshire scored in the 12th minute, the otherwise impressive Tom Weaver dallied on the ball inside the penalty area and when
he was challenged the ball broke for home skipper Shepherd to hit a rasping shot into the net giving goalkeeper Josh Smith no chance.
Play swung from end to end with James Schembri shooting wide when put through by Weaver and goalscorer Shepherd seeing his header well saved by Smith.
Worcestershire were unlucky not to level matters in the 32nd minute when a well worked free kick found Schembri and his low shot was brilliantly turned around the post by home custodian Brown. As half time approached the ever dangerous Shepherd nearly doubled Wiltshire’s lead when his header rebounded to safety off the goalpost, whilst at the other end Allard and Schembri went close to netting the equaliser that Worcestershire’s first half display deserved.
HALF TIME 1-0
With the wind behind them Worcestershire started the second half on the front foot with Schembri shooting over the bar from a tight angle, but Wiltshire continued to be dangerous on the break with Johns forcing a fine finger tip save from Josh Smith.
A sweeping move down the left saw Tom Allard finish with a weak shot as Worcestershire strained for the elusive equaliser.
With substitutes Alex Hammerton and Chris Smith on for Adam Ward and Tom Allard, the visitors were desperately unlucky not to level the scores in the 72nd minute when Chris Smith threaded the ball through to Schembri but his shot struck the post.
With 10 minutes remaining, Worcestershire made their last substitution with Jack Cullity replacing the hard working James Schembri, and immediately Cullity fired in a shot that was well held by ‘keeper Brown.
With the clock ticking down, Worcestershire were forced to throw caution to the wind and were undone by a quick breakaway by the home team which saw Morse net the decisive second goal in the 86th minute.
Undeterred, Worcestershire immediately returned to the attack and reduced the arrears when Cullity’s low shot from the edge of the penalty area crept into the corner of the net past the outstretched fingers of ‘keeper Brown.
The visitors kept up the pressure on the visitors defence to the final whistle and almost
equalised to take the game into extra time when awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, but with Cullity’s fine shot heading for the bottom corner of the net Brown just managed to get a hand to the ball and tip it round the post.
Thus Worcestershire’s fine run in the competition ended in disappointment after previous
wins on the road against Northamptonshire (3-2) and Sussex (4-2).
FULL TIME 2-1
Worcestershire: Joshua Smith; Ben Hayes, Dominic Wheeler, Christopher Neilson,
Tom Weaver, Jack Lodge; Adam Ward (Alex Hammerton 58), Connor Smith, James Schembri (Jack Cullity 80), Tom Allard (Chris Smith 70), Oliver Butler.