Report

Trysull make final in shootout drama

Tenacious Trysull fought their way to the League Cup final with a gutsy penalty shoot-out win to shock runaway league leaders Wordsley Wasps North.

From the moment they went behind in the third minute to a sloppy first corner, Tigers looked the stronger side and the likelier winner in their most passionate and compelling performance of the season.

Spirited Trysull played their hearts out, putting their bodies on the line time and again as they committed to the cause of the unlikeliest win of the season.

Wordsley had turned the Tigers over 5-2 in the league, but this Trysull side was made of sterner stuff and calmer passing heads that grew in confidence as the game progressed.

Independent officials, even running the line, who paced out the size of the pitch before giving both sides a pre-match talking-to about a clean fight, made it clear that Trysull had truly arrived in the big time.

The game kicked off at 11.03 and Trysull gave as good as they got in the opening exchanges.

Debutant starter Oscar Triggs, in at left back, put in three great tackles early on, the last a real cruncher, proving that Tigers were not going to roll over this time.

The mood was infectious so it was tragic when Wordsley scored from their first corner, a left foot inswinger that Tom Slater dived over the top of.

But Trojan Trysull were unbowed and started to apply the pressure with a couple of good moves, from which they earned their own corner.

Todd Parker swung it over and the ball fell for Tom Hudson, but he wanted one too many touches and the chance went begging.

Oscar and Tom H were linking well down the left as Tom received a slide rule ball down the line, slipped it in field to captain Liam Tolley and ran on for the return.

Trysull’s indoor training session at Sedgley last weekend appeared to have paid dividends.  Their off-the-ball movement and more precise passing were threatening to undo Wordsley.

Nick Street fed an inch-perfect through ball to Harvey Cartwright, but he swung and missed.  Then a brilliant square ball from Tom H to Todd allowed him to release Harvey, but his stumble gave the keeper the half second he needed to smother the ball.

Tigers were almost caught napping with Wasps only other attack of the half; a long hopeful punt forward broke to the striker, who forced a comfortable save from Tom S.

Trysull finally got their reward when Harvey was bundled over 10 yards outside the box.  He curled the free kick on target, the keeper saved but couldn’t hold the ball, which dropped for Tom H, who in a frantic bundle managed to squeeze home his second attempt for the equaliser.

Wordsley looked increasingly rattled by the unfamiliarity of having teams come back at them and were succumbing to a string of injuries.

Tigers finished the half in the ascendancy with a swift break from defence, Nick swapping passes with Harvey to release Todd before play broke down.  And when the ball came back, Trysull’s defence continued to hold firm.

From the restart, Trysull almost succumbed to a sucker punch, but heroic goalie Tom S saved at a stretch.

And they were unlucky not to take the lead, when Harvey played a one-two with Todd, but couldn’t quite get the shot away before the keeper closed the angles down.

Trysull had a lapse when a Wasps throw hit Tom H in the crutch and the world stood still until Oscar threw himself at the shot and it ricocheted away for a corner.

Nick took a long free kick from his own half to release Tom H through the centre.  He played it wide right to Todd, who got muscled off the ball, but Nick picked up the pieces of the clearance then lost the ball.

Wordsley bore down on goal but last ditch challenges from Liam the Lionheart, running himself into the ground in the centre, and Oscar cleared the danger.

Alec Taylor replaced Tom H and Todd switched to the left wing.  Alec’s first contribution was a great tackling back in midfield, but he was harshly penalised and relieved to see the free kick sail high over the bar.

Wordsley had resorted to long range efforts from set pieces, so another free kick shot from halfway saw Nick get the tackle in to block the rebound.

Trysull won a free kick in an identical position to the one they scored from.  Again Harvey took a shot into the wall, but the referee blew for it to be retaken for Wordsley not staying back the full five yards.

Second time, Harvey slipped the ball to Todd, who checked back on his left foot.  Harvey pulled the trigger as the ball fell to him, but his pot shot was charged down.

Oscar twice released Todd down the left in the dying seconds of regular time, but the ref’s whistle heralded five minutes of extra time for Trysull to settle the match in their favour.

Trysull’s poise was impressive as they played football from the back even in added time; Nick back passed to Tom S, who stroked the ball to Oscar wide at left back, who then calmly released Todd up the left wing.

Next, Alec broke clear down the right and crossed for Todd and Harvey in the middle, but the keeper read the play well to catch the ball.

A long range effort wide from Harvey brought the first half of extra time to an end with no one able still to separate the sides.

With no clear chances in the second period, it was going to penalties, though Trysull finished the game on the attack, Nick charging down the line for Alec and exchanging passes with Liam.

And so the nerve-wracking agony or ecstasy of the penalty shoot-out with Trysull’s sole prior experience haunting them of last season’s lost Merit Shield final.

To a man, they had left everything on the pitch and now they stood five penalties from glory.  Could they summon something from their depleted reserves of energy.

• Wordsley were to kick first and try to steal the initiative, so they put their no 1 penalty taker up first, only for him to blast the ball wildly over.  First blood Trysull!

• Nick bravely stepped up to steal the lead knowing he must hit the target.  He blasted the ball hard and low down the middle where it cannoned back off the keeper’s knees.  Disaster!  But the ref called for a respotting as the keeper had encroached off his line.  Nick slotted the retake coolly to the keeper’s left.  1-0 Tigers.

• Wasps were looking to get on the scoreboard and their no 3 took a great penalty, but somehow Tom S saved low to his right and Trysull were flying.

• Captain Liam was looking to put Trysull two up, but his spot kick was a nice height and the goalie saved to his right. Still 1-0 Tigers.

• A cool Wordsley finish low to Tom S’s left saw them equalise.  1-1.

• Harvey was next to step up, his dad Ben so anxious he couldn’t watch.  Harvey went for power, the keeper got his hand to it but couldn’t keep it out.  2-1 Tigers.  They really might do this, we’re thinking.

• Tom S laid a hand on the next spot kick, but again the scores were tied.  2-2.

• The goalies were playing a blinder.  Once again the Wordsley keeper guessed right and got his hands to Todd’s high penalty. Agonisingly, it hit the bar, then rebounded down and in for 3-2 Trysull.

• And Tom S laid the seal on his perfect spot-kick display when he saved Wordsley’s fifth, earning himself £15 from proud dad Richard and saving Alec the nerve-wracking experience of having to score with his last.

Trysull utterly deservedly had earned themselves a final at The Dell stadium in April.  And who could deny them their victory, having despatched Cup holders CS Colts in the round of 16 and the league’s classiest outfit in Wordsley in the semi final.

Penn Colts or Halas Hawks East await them in the final after their game was postponed because of a frozen pitch.