Match Report

Cup - Quarter Final - Saturday 6th January 2007

Leicester Mixed 0 Market Harborough A 5

The scene was set for a classic under-dog verses high flier thriller in the Quarter finals of the cup. In form leicester hosted a bouyant Harborough. With harborough missing a couple of key players, skipper smith was forced into some tactical changes. The match started with some typical Harboro pressure from the younger team putting mixed under pressure and creating some early chances. But it was leicester that had the first attempt on goal with a smart move that saw keeper Baz Liddle, looking to keep only his 3rd clean sheet of the season, make an alert save to push the ball just past the post.

After that it was all harborough pressure all the way. Everything good that harborough created was started by centre back Neil James who was also celebrating his 18th birthday. His bursting runs set up the first goal after
good interlinking play with part-timer Jack Wells saw the ball come free to Ellie Hand at the far post to slot calmly into an open net. It wasnt long before Harborough had a second with goal-a-game Tim 'Chappers' Chapman tying the ageing mixed defence in knots after Paul Moorehouse charged through a stranded opposing defence and yet again it was Hand that rifled it past the stranded keeper making it 7 for the season and taking her level with the abscent Bobby Read.

After that it was up to the midfield of Wells, Smith and Ross Gillanders (with his first apperance of the campaign) to hold out until half time.After some inspirational words from the skipper and under the command gaze of chairman Garlick, Harborough started the second half determined not to sucumb to their traditional second half slump. No-one showed this more than the midfield dynamic trio of Lisa Coe, Alice Phillips and Lauren Hand who worked tirelessly (as always) to secure Harborough good possetion and position. It was Coe who initiated the 3rd goal winning a free hit on the 25 line and Birthday boy James using some amazing quick thinking slipped a cunning ball through some static defending to Skipper Smith. After that it was the stuff of dreams as spectators watched the legend dispatch a fizzing shot into the bottom left corner to take the score to 3-0 and harborough hopes of a historic victory another step forward. Obviously still in shock leicester conceeded a penatly corner seconds later and filled with confidence Robert Smith stepped up and completed a well worked corner with the best of finishes into the bottom corner. For the next 15 minutes Harborough came under some pressure but A team stalwart Anna Birch and loan signing Vicki Warden made sure that the danger from the wings was snubbed out as it started and the combination of the midfield workhourses and James at the back made sure that Harborough kept only their 3rd "shut-out" of the season.

As if things couldnt get any better Harborough added a final goal through Harborough vetern Gillanders latched onto a loose ball in the D and fired low through the keepers legs. The scenes at the final whistle were of jubilation from harborough and a shocked respect from Leicester Mixed, who openly admitted that "they may have underestimated how good harboro actually were"!

Reaction from Harborough stand in Manager, Matt Roberts were rather muted through jubilation but he did manage to state that "it was the best Harborough performance seen for many a year".

Gk - Baz Liddle
Men - Rob Smith (capt), Neil James, Ross Gillanders, Jack Wells, Paul
Moorehouse & Tim Chapman Ladies - Ellie Hand, Lauren Hand, Alice Phillips,
Anna Birch, Lisa Coe & Vicki Warden

MOM - Vicki Warden

From Ross Gillanders