The quality of the football at the opening rounds of the
Cuppers 5-a-side last Wednesday mirrored the weather: dull, with
occasional bright spells. In an event which rewards discipline,
solidity and directness, plus the odd sprinkling of flair, few
teams truly shone in the plush surroundings of the Iffley Road
Sports Complex. First up were St Hugh’s B team, deservedly triumphing
over their supposed superiors, a combined Merton and Mansfield A
side. Mark Heath’s early penalty decided the game, the more
direct approach of Hugh’s countering the cultured yet
ineffective style of the opposition. This match set the agenda
for the days’ play, teams being consistently caught out by
the regulation forbidding defenders entering their own penalty
box. Queen’s B also caused a shock. Having been 2-0 down at
halftime, they eventually triumphed 3-2 over Teddy Hall A. The
talented Eckersley, with his delicate dribbling skills and
consummate passing, scored one and set up the other to put Teddy
Hall in complete control. Yet in the secondhalf, with Eckersley
tiring, Teddy Hall faded alarmingly, allowing a spirited
Queen’s fight-back with three goals, shared between
Sutcliffe and Pearson, putting the underdogs through. On the eve of the 50th Anniversary of the breaking of the
four-minute mile, not many individuals were showing the
consistency and tenacity that were so key to Sir Roger
Bannister’s remarkable achievement, also at Iffley Road. Exeter A produced a similar comeback to Queen’s B, with
twosecond half penalties from Paul Coles sealing the game after
Lennon had given Balliol A the lead. Though Balliol had the
better of the possession, the Exeter keeper, Taylor, wearing a
Blackburn Rovers kit, was rarely forced to display Brad
Friedelesque reflexes in a dull game. Teddy Hall B team, resplendent in a vivid red-and-yellow
strip, completed a resounding victory over a poor Lincoln B side
bedecked in a slightly more conservative and tasteful sky blue
kit. The excellent Atkinson volleyed the first goal, with Kelly
twice finishing well beyond the vociferous, though
under-protected, Lincoln ’keeper to seal a 3-0 victory. The tournament continues, and over the next few weeks the
action promises to heat up, though the Thursday rounds of the
tournament were postponed due to the celebrations of Sir
Roger’s momentous run.ARCHIVE: 2nd week TT 2004
Queen’s comeback keeps five alive
