RAF Akrotiri Football team has stormed into this year’s RAF Cup quarter finals in January after a hard fought 5-1 victory against Leeming.
The match played in the Akrotiri village stadium saw SAC Liam Thornton crowned Man of the Match after he bagged four out of their five goals.
“The team were fantastically well prepared after a good week of training with FS Lancaster from the fire section”
Explained Scott Cater the OiC of the team.
“The players were confident before the match and it was quite clear that everyone was well up for a tough game against strong opposition. The first 20 minutes were a struggle but once the first goal went in from SAC Thornton the team settled down and we never really looked back.
“It was a strong team performance and that is based on the fact that we have a really strong team spirit this season, with everyone willing to go that little bit further for their team mates. I am proud of all of the players, however, Liam’s four goals and all-round game made him a worthy man of the match."
The first twenty minutes of the game were very even with no chances created at either end; the first real opportunity came in the 25th minute when Leeming’s Nick Aston saw his 20-yard shot parried away for a corner by home goalkeeper Stuart Grant. The resulting corner kick resulted in Jake Moore firing well over the bar.
The deadlock was broken on the half hour mark when Leeming’s captain Jake Moore was dispossessed by Akrotiri’s Liam Thornton who ran on before clinically slotting the ball past the advancing goalkeeper Ross Martin to put the home side 1-0 up. By half time Thornton had completed his hat-trick to make it 3-0.
Into the second half and Akrotiri fired a chance over the bar whilst at the other end Leeming forced a couple of corners before the game was well and truly put to bed in the 50th minute. It was a Sean Kinsella through ball that released Allando Davis who showed his pace before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting the ball home to make it 4-0.
To their credit, Leeming’s heads did not drop and they kept plugging away, they reduced the arears with 59 minutes on the clock. It was a cracking 20-yard strike from David Holt that made it 4-1. Leeming went on to force another couple of corners and put together a couple of nice moves but were unable to add to their solitary goal. Liam Thornton made it 5-1 to Akrotiri in the final stages.
Speaking to the RAF FA after the match a jubilant RAF Akrotiri manager, Flight Sergeant Richard ‘Bomber’ Lancaster commented, “First twenty minutes we were poor, we didn’t execute our game plan and Leeming caused us a few problems. The water break came at the right time and other than a five-minute spell in the second half we pretty much dominated the game. We look forward to welcoming RAF Northolt in the next round. I left RAF Northolt for Cyprus so it will be good to catch up with Sergeant Danny Bartley and his team”.
For Squadron Leader Paul Harrap Chair of the Cyprus Services Football this was a hugely exciting match. He said:
“We are absolutely delighted that RAF Akrotiri has progressed to the Quarter Finals of the RAF Cup.
“This is an excellent result and is down to the hard work and commitment by the players and staff. We hope to continue in this manner as we prepare to meet RAF Northolt over here in Cyprus in February next year.”
Teams:
RAF Akrotiri
1 SAC Stuart Grant
2 SAC Jake Burns
3 SAC Aaron Lewis
4 SAC Carl Edwards
5 SAC Shaun Brian
6 Cpl Simon Oakley
7 Allando Davis
8 Sgt Greg McHale
9 SAC Liam Thornton
10 Cpl Sean Kinsella
11 Flt Lt Scott Cater
12 Sgt Jack Elkin
13 SAC Michael Ralph
14 Flt Lt Tom Williams
15 SAC Matthew Hyland
16 Cpl James Ireland
17 SAC Richard Hassall
18 Cpl Steve Harries
RAF Leeming
1 Cpl Ross martin
2 SAC Andrei Demyanchuk
3 SAC Nick Aston
4 Cpl Shane Shardlow
5 SAC Jake Moore
6 Cpl Scott Dawson
7 Cpl David Holt
8 SAC Liam Farrell
9 SAC Ben Mearns
10 Cpl Matthew Lazenby
11 Cpl Stuart Jardine
13 Cpl James Newton
14 SAC Cameron Mercer
16 SAC Jack Joyce
