April 09

March 09

Willow Park 1 – 4 Garforth AFC

Hardy Cup, Semi-Final

Saturday 28th March 2009

Garforth eased into the Final of the Selby District League Hardy Cup on Saturday with an impressive 4-1 victory over Willow Park.

With seven league places and fourteen points separating the two teams, Garforth started the game as underdogs. However, it became quickly apparent that Garforth were the stronger outfit.

The blues midfield three of Bronson Sheppard, Adam Gunby and Christian Charles ran the game and, together with wide-man Hassan Khan and former Gambia winger, Simon Ndure, they really caused their hosts some problems.

Gunby opened the scoring on 23 minutes, volleying home from just outside the area. The ball sailed past a hapless ‘keeper into the bottom left hand corner of the goal. However, Park, were on level terms just 4 minutes later when their frontman broke through and fired across Gareth Hughes into the goal. Hughes was fuming afterwards claiming he even got a hand to the strike.

Joint top-scorer Mikey Elsworth made the score-line 2-1 in the favour of the visitors just before the break following a melee in the penalty area. From this point on there was only going to be one winner.

Garforth went into the second period with the wind behind them and were told at half-time to test the home ‘keeper by manager Chris Hawkin. Elsworth certainly did that 17 minutes into the second half with a blistering drive that even Bruce Grobbelaar would have struggled with! The ball nestled in the top corner of the Park net and made the score line 3-1.

Ten minutes later Elsworths strike partner, Lee Beardshaw, raced onto a Gunby through ball and coolly lifted the ball over the advancing Park ‘keeper. Very similar to Hernan Crespo’s goal against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final!

The hosts hit the woodwork late on, but never really looked like getting back into it. Garforth continued their impressive cup run and will now play Ferrybridge Amateurs at Thorpe Willoughby on Saturday 11th April 2009 @ 2pm.

Other players who impressed were the back three of man of the match Josh Lumley, Carl Wrigglesworth and Paul McLees.

Febuary 09

Monk Fryston United 1 – 3 Garforth AFC

Hardy Cup, Quarter-Final

Saturday 28th February 2009

Garforth AFC romped into the semi-final of the Hardy Cup with an impressive 3-1 victory at Monk Fryston United.

With a number of key players returning, the Blues looked strong from the off, tearing the hosts defence to shreds. ‘Forth wasted a number of opportunities before Monk Fryston scored the opener on 24 minutes.

The lead was short lived as Michael Elsworth fired home for Garforth six minutes later. The ball was played in from the left had side and after a scramble in the area Elsworth smashed the ball into the roof of the net from twelve yards.

The Blues ran the midfield with Christian Charles and Adam Gunby solid as ever and Dominic Laughton was having a field day down the left. Gunby doubled the visitors lead on 41 minutes with a left-footed curling effort from the edge of the box.

The second half started much the same as the first with Garforth bossing the game. Josh Lumley, won everything in the air and was backed-up well by his two defensive colleagues Carl ‘Jinky’ Wrigglesworth and Paul McLees.

Top scorer, Lee Beardshaw, returned to action after spending four weeks on the sidelines with a pulled hamstring but simply didn’t look fit. He wasted a number of opportunities to increase the Blues lead before being replaced by Craig Sutton on 70 minutes.

Before Beardshaw left the field, ‘Jinky’ Wrigglesworth really lived upto his name. He won the ball on the edge of the Garforth penalty area and ran past three Monk Fryston players before reaching the opposition penalty box where he was confronted by three defenders! He weaved in and out in the fashion of George Best before coolly slotting the ball past a despairing Monk Fryston ‘keeper.

The hosts hit the woodwork twice late on, but there was really no way back after Garforth went 3-1 up. The Blues will now meet either Willow Park of Pontefract or Hensall Athletic in the semi-final.

Man of the Match was Josh Lumley but others who starred for Garforth were Hassan Khan, Bronson Sheppard, Danny Cairns, Ricky Elsworth and stand-in ‘keeper, Luke Valentine.

November 08