Oxford University Association Football Club

Queen's Flair Met With Lincoln Resilience As Title Goes To Final Day

Lincoln College 1st 2-2 Queen's College 1st

In radiant March sunshine, the two dominant teams of the JCR Second Division took to the pitch, knowing that victory for either would almost certainly guarantee a unique double promotion (owing to impending league restructuring). With both teams having played 11 games prior to the fixture and deadlocked on 30 points and +26 goal difference, it is surely the tightest JCR league since records began. The pre-match talk was dominated by the “will they, won’t they shake hands” controversy between skippers Hardman and Thomasson after an incident of a personal nature, which cannot be discussed due to a High Court super-injunction. Thankfully they did to the relief of anxious spectators, who had feared ugly scenes.

Unsurprisingly a tense early 15 minutes saw both sides struggling to construct anything creative. However, as the half progressed Queen’s fabled front three of Castro, Taylor and Edmiston started to stretch the game, and the away team were unlucky not to take the lead after a darting run and cross by Castro was powerfully headed wide by Queen’s token Blue Kelly. This counter-attacking style invited Lincoln into the game, with midfielders Biggsson and Simmondsson enabling the hosts to impose themselves. After 30 minutes, a quick interchange between the Icelandic Dunnberg and English winger Savigarsson left the hapless Hardman for dead, and only a quick reaction save by Freddie Johnson kept the score at 0-0 at half-time.

Passionate team talks by both sides, with veteran Queensman Max Olds giving a rousing speech in his 100th game for the college, saw the second half start at a fearsome pace. As Lincoln pressed further, with the wind and slope to their advantage, it began to look like their possession would see them open the scoring. This Queen’s side however, with none of the mental fragility of last year’s Alfie Enoch regime, whose leadership resembled that of his famous namesake, Conservative legend – Enoch Powell – were more than willing to soak up the pressure. And it was on the cusp of the hour, when a rare mix-up between the Lincoln full-back Edwardsson and the keeper Nuttonsonsson, allowed the league’s top scorer, hot shot Harry Taylor to open the scoring, sending the travelling faithful into ecstasy.

As Lincoln pushed forward for an equaliser, Queen’s were desperately unlucky not to double their lead, when a telepathic move between Edmiston and Kelly sliced open the Lincoln defence in a move reminiscent of Yorke and Cole in their pomp at the Camp Nou. The home team were grateful for a successful last-ditch challenge by Blues vice-captain Matty Floodsson. A second goal was however inevitable, and minutes later, diminutive Iberian, Tommy Lil’ Fidel Castro, scored what will surely go down as one of the goals of the last half-decade. Picking up the ball on the halfway line from Danny Williams, Castro jinxed past no fewer than twelve players before effortlessly rounding the keeper and sliding the ball home from 7 and a half yards, leading to magnanimous applause from Lincoln captain Joshy Thomason who later commented “Simply amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it!”

Lincoln however have not reached the Cuppers Final for no reason, and it was to their credit that they responded by piling pressure on Queen’s defence, switching their formation to 3-4-3. The relentless bombardment was initially well dealt with by the Queen’s centre half Hunt Torres Davidson, on loan during the MLS off-season. Despite displaying the tenacity of a mandrill the extra striker began to show. With no more than 15 minutes remaining, Queen’s defence was finally breached, an over hit pass finding Thomasson at the back post who expertly guided the ball over the head of Johnson. This galvanised the home side, and wave after wave of attack was repelled, with Queen’s full-backs Murphy and Dalton working overtime to contain Lincoln wingers.

The equaliser eventually came after a long throw bamboozled the Queen’s defence, leaving substitute Haleberg to tap in from close range, sending Lincoln in search of a winner. The remaining five minutes was played out with both teams seeking the elusive goal, with fatiguing referee Chrissy ‘Industrious’ Greenwood struggling to stay with the ferocious pace of the game. It was however to end 2-2, leaving the title going into the final day.

With both teams agreeing to split the points for the return fixture due to Lincoln’s Cuppers commitments, it has meant that the title will be decided on Friday of 8th. Queen’s, at home to Hertford at their spiritual John Ogobe Riverside Ground are required to win by more goals than a Lincoln side notorious for its Scandinavian influence, who are playing Balliol in order to secure the title. With the incentive of double promotion, it is sure to be a nervous day for all involved, with Sky Sports 5 (only available online) showing split screen coverage from 1:30pm onwards.