June 5, 2019
Heritage Cup Up For Grabs After Weekend Games
Image credit: Mark Parsons
Whilst the CONIFA Sportsbet.io European Football Cup 2019 was getting into full swing in Artsakh over the weekend, three more of our member FAs were in match action in Yorkshire.
The Heritage Cup got underway with the first two of the three games in the competition, with Yorkshire hosting Parishes of Jersey and Chagos Islands.
YORKSHIRE IFA 1-0 PARISHES OF JERSEY
Saturday’s match saw the hosts take on a lively Parishes of Jersey side, in what turned out to be a keenly contested game, settled right at the death.
The Jersey players had a host of chances through the game, with Jake Prince cannoning a low shot off the post on 12 minutes after being set up by Karl Hinds.
And the woodwork was to come to Parishes of Jersey’s rescue on the half hour mark, as Yorkshire centre half Matthew Dempsey curling a free kick against the bar.
Four minutes later, and visiting midfielder Adam Trotter should have scored, but pulled his shot off target from a great position.
Powerful midfielder Luke Watson had chances either side of half time, as the two teams continued to trade chances, but the game was to come to a dramatic conclusion.
Hinds had had a shot cleared off the line before, at the other end, Yorkshire grabbed all three points.
A free kick into the box dropped to the feet of Brodie Litchfield, who slotted home.
Time was running out for the visitors, and home goalkeeper Kyle Trennery pulled off an outstanding stop to deny Watson.
And Watson was to see red in a late fracas, as an entertaining game finished in favour of the home side.
CHAGOS ISLANDS 2-9 PARISHES OF JERSEY
Sunday’s game saw Chagos Islands make the long trip up from Sussex to take on Parishes of Jersey, who made a number of changes after Saturday’s narrow defeat.
Chagos Islands were to quickly fall two goals behind in the first nine minutes, as Kieran Lester tapped home from a corner before Karl Hinds capitalised on a defensive mistake to make it two.
But the Chagossians quickly got back into the game, as Steven Leelah beat the offside trap to slot home past the goalkeeper.
And the lively forward stunned Parishes of Jersey when he made it two all not long afterwards, stabbing home at the far post.
That saw Parishes of Jersey step it up a couple of gears and, whilst Chagos Islands were full of endeavour and energy, they were unable to prevent their opponents going two in front by half time.
Lester got his second to make it 3-2 with a curling effort, before completing his hat-trick as he wriggled to make space and beat the keeper to his right.
If Chagos Islands had plenty to do at this stage, their challenge became harder when Desire Sambouag received a second yellow three minutes after the restart.
And Parishes of Jersey took full advantage in the last forty minutes of the game.
Four minutes after the red card, Tom Harris made it 5-2 with a fierce finish from close range and, whilst he was denied by the offside flag four minutes after that, he did make it 6 just after the hour.
Luke Watson headed the ball down and Harris unleashed a fierce shot into the top right corner.
Chagos Islands were endeavouring to repel the constant waves of attacks from their opponents, but fell 7-2 behind as Harris completed a fifteen minute hat-trick with another fine finish.
Harris then had a shot blocked on the line, which Hinds turned in for 8-2, but it wasn’t until right at the end that the scoring was completed, as Watson headed home to beat the keeper.
WHAT NEXT?
The winners of the Heritage Cup will be confirmed soon, with Yorkshire and Chagos Islands set to fix a date for the remaining fixture in the competition.
A draw or better will see Yorkshire take the silverware.
