SDFL Herald Cup

Beesands Rovers 3

If the rumour and forum comments were to be believed, the Bees need not have turned up for this cup tie as it was considered a foregone conclusion that the Herald Cup final would be between Buckland Athletic seconds and Watcombe Wanderers.

However, Beesands Rovers were not turning up simply to be another cup ­statistic. Having tasted Lidstone Cup ­success last year and the prospect of a derby match in the semi-final, Beesands were very much up for this game.

Carl Hoare decided to play through the pain barrier given the profile of this game. With a heavily strapped knee and painkillers, and awaiting an operation, he chanced it for cup success.

Homers Heath was heavily sanded and not conducive to neat, fluent play; however, it hosted a thrilling cup match. Against a premier division team unbeaten in their league this season, Beesands were positive from the off. An early Bees free kick was cleared. Danny Tucker's shot was only just high and wide. At the other end Dave Harvey made a timely intervention and clearance.

Lee Morgan put pressure on the defence, but his neat layoff was blocked. A ball through on the Bees' goal saw Hoare collide heavily with an opponent. Even if a 50-50 challenge, it was nevertheless excessive on a 'keeper and required attention for a number of minutes.

A lovely ball through to Morgan produced skilful footwork to take him around the 'keeper and his shot was blocked on the line, deflecting onto the bar and down, with Jed Tucker tapping it in for a deserved 0-1 lead.

J Tucker was fouled and from TJ Lang's free kick was unlucky not to get his cross in. Buckland pressed forward trying to level the score. Luke Broad made successive, timely interceptions and clearances and Harvey tackled robustly. A neat interchange of passes between Jon Burt, Gus Hayward and J Tucker saw the latter's cross result in a shot blocked from Hayward.

J Tucker passed to Morgan, who held off a defender and returned the ball to Tucker, whose attempt was blocked. A Buckland attack was easily cleared by Lang. A further attack ended with a save by Hoare and Jack Ballinger broke up another attack with a fine interception.

A neat through-ball found J Tucker, who held off a defender and slipped the ball inside to Morgan. With his supposed ­weaker left foot Morgan thumped the ball into the bottom corner of the goal to double the lead to 0-2.

Ballinger tackled well again and Alex Browne was spoken to for a robust ­challenge. Buckland attacked and put in a good cross that Lang headed clear. A ­further Buckland attack produced a shot that Hoare saved instinctively at point-blank range. A great save justifying fully his return to the side.

Hayward was given offside harshly when put through and ended up having to leave the field with a knee injury, to be replaced by Guy Watson.

Eventually a foul was given for pushing on Morgan and D Tucker's free kick was punched clear. From a throw Morgan ­headed on to J Tucker, who laid the ball off to Watson, only to see his effort blocked. Lang cleared up at the back yet again.

Buckland hit a free kick into the Bees' area, which was headed for a corner, from which a free header was headed off the line. From a subsequent corner it was again cleared with a header off the line.

From his own half Harvey set off on a marauding run, eventually forcing the ­'keeper to kick, which he then blocked and was unfortunate to see it cleared. Broad tidied up at the rear.The half concluded with the Bees having successive free kicks, the latter ending with a D Tucker shot being saved.

The second half saw the Bees attack from the off and gain a corner, taken by D Tucker. Browne's header was blocked on the line and cleared.

Buckland replied with a good attack, ­taking the ball past several players before shooting, with Hoare saving and Ballinger clearing. Lang tackled well, conceding a throw, and followed this up by clearing successive corners.

From a Buckland clearance Broad put pressure on a Bucks striker, forcing him back. D Tucker tackled well, gaining a goal kick. Broad cleared at the back. D Tucker shot from outside the area and was just over. A great D Tucker sliding tackle and pass to Burt was fed through for Morgan, who was unfortunate not to be able to keep the ball in. A great exchange of passes between Browne, Morgan and back to Browne forced a corner that was cleared.

At the other end Lang cleared. A great tackle by Ballinger conceded a corner cleared by D Tucker's head, which came back in and was then cleared by Lang's head. Morgan pressed well, forcing defenders back. A great tackle from Burt and pass to Browne saw his long-range shot go just wide.

From a Bucks free kick out wide, a ball into the area was blocked as far as the edge of the area, but a shot halved the deficit to 1-2.

J Tucker skinned a defender and was hauled back, with a deserved booking given. The free kick from D Tucker was cleared off the line as far as Burt, whose shot was high. Burt lobbed a ball into the area and Morgan headed it over the 'keeper, who then retrieved the ball.

Bucks attacked to no avail. Great work between Watson, D Tucker, Browne and a lob by Morgan was unlucky not to end ­positively.

Watson passed to Morgan, whose shot was deflected for a corner. D Tucker's ­corner was cleared as far as J Tucker, whose shot was blocked, falling for Watson, who struck home for 1-3.

From the kick-off Bucks attacked and Lang cleared, but the ball came back into the Bees' area and a shot was hit home for 2-3. The match concluded with both sides ­having chances, but Lang made a series of tackles to thwart Bucks' forays.

The Bees last and only success in the Herald Cup was way back in 1962, but they will be doing their utmost to progress ­further in this competition.

Following the game it was discovered that 'keeper Carl Hoare had performed bravely for 70 minutes with a fractured arm. Bravo Carl.

The man of the match was Jed Tucker.

Beesands' next match is on January 31, away at Chudleigh Athletic, in the Dartmouth Cup. Kick-off is at 2pm. All are welcome to come and support the Bees.