I’m now into the business end of my Football Manager 2017 project. The Counties Championship league season has intensified, with three teams booking their play-off berths in February.
But now, after a brief hiatus, our focus shifts back to the knockout County Cup. EIGHT of our 48 counties are still standing after an eventful Round 3 – and in this chapter, we’ll find out which TWO will be playing in the Final at the end of the season.
The Quarter Finals took place in January, with the Semi Finals following a couple of months later in March. Would the cream rise to the top, or were there still a few more surprises left in a competition which had already seen its fair share?
QUARTER FINAL DRAW
I’ll begin this post by reminding you of who our Quarter Finalists will face in this round:
West Yorkshire vs Bristol
Greater Manchester vs Derbyshire
Essex vs Shropshire
Bedfordshire vs South London
Greater Manchester were amongst the favourites to win this competition, but they would now face a stern test from Derbyshire. South London would also be up against strong East division opposition in Bedfordshire, who were bidding to claim a second cup scalp from the capital.
Essex might have been running away with the East division, but Shropshire were unlikely to make things easy for them in the last eight. The other survivors from the West division – Bristol – were feeling similarly confident about causing a surprise in West Yorkshire.
All of these matches were played on 10 January, which happened to clash with a round of Counties Championship fixtures. Any league games that the Quarter Finalists would’ve played on that date were rearranged for February.
Anyway, let’s not wait any longer. Time to find out who’s in the Semi Finals…
QUARTER FINAL RESULTS
WEST YORKSHIRE 1-1 BRISTOL [West Yorkshire win 3-2 on penalties]
Despite being strong outsiders in Leeds, it was Bristol who took the lead after just four minutes. Left-back Scott Golbourne slipped the ball across the West Yorkshire area for striker Bobby Reid, who squirmed it past Alex Smithies at the goalkeeper’s near post.
Experienced midfielder Chris Lines threatened to get Bristol a second early goals before West Yorkshire started to show more of what they were capable of. Attacking midfielder Duane Holmes and striker Cameron Jerome enjoyed their best chances of the first half, only to be denied by England goalie Jack Butland.
After surviving an early second-half scare from David Goldsmith, the hosts managed to get back on terms in the 74th minute. James Bree’s right-wing cross was meekly intercepted by Bristol defender Lloyd Kelly, which allowed WY midfielder Lewis Cook to play in his colleague James Milner. The 31-year-old powered it home to force extra-time.
Neither team could make any real scoring chances in those additional 30 minutes. With the scores at 1-1, a penalty shoot-out beckoned. Having progressed through the previous two rounds on spot-kicks, Bristol were confident of making it a hat-trick…
…but it wasn’t to be. Goldsmith and Reid each had penalties saved by Smithies as West Yorkshire led 3-2 going into the fifth round. Centre-back Seb Hines could’ve clinched the tie there and then, but Butland stopped him. It didn’t matter, though, as a third Smithies save from left-back Joe Bryan sealed Bristol’s exit and put WY into the Semis.
GREATER MANCHESTER 2-0 DERBYSHIRE
Derbyshire had accounted for Tyne & Wear in the last round, but Greater Manchester would prove far too strong. Things started to look ominous for Nigel Clough’s men in the fifth minute, when Zach Clough was only denied an early Mancunian opener by a determined block from Gary Cahill.
Eight minutes later, Derbyshire’s defence was cracked open. Kieran Trippier crossed from the right flank, and midfielder Cameron Brannagan escaped the clutches of visiting left-back Carl Dickinson to bury the ball into the far corner. The hosts were already in a winter wonderland in a snowy Manchester.
Despite some determined goalkeeping from Lee Camp, he would again be let down by lax defending from Dickinson in the 62nd minute. The former Stoke and Port Vale defender was beaten to Danny Drinkwater’s corner by Craig Dawson, whose header hit the bar but then deflected into the net off an unlucky Stephy Mavididi.
And that was just about that. Aside from a couple of Diego De Girolamo shots that were respectively blocked and fired well wide, Derbyshire didn’t even get close to the GM goal. The North division’s runaway leaders moved safely and serenely through to the last four.
ESSEX 6-1 SHROPSHIRE
The beasts of the East, against one of the best teams in the West. It wasn’t even a contest, though, as Essex blew Shropshire away in the first eight minutes. Dwight Gayle’s fifth-minute opener was followed soon afterwards by a stunning Gary Hooper volley from Dominic Iorfa’s right-wing cross.
Salop slipped up again in the 23rd minute. Upon intercepting a Gayle flick-on in his penalty area, Wales Under-21s defender Dominic Smith had a momentary brain freeze that allowed Hooper to nick the ball from his feet. Even a prime Joe Hart could do nothing to stop the subsequent shot from firing Essex into a 3-0 half-time lead.
It was Hooper who had assisted Gayle’s goal, and Dwight returned the favour to his strike partner on 57 minutes. A stunning delivery from the byline was flicked in from close range by Hooper, who now wanted more than just a hat-trick. Nine minutes later, he got his fourth goal – and Essex’s fifth – through another excellent Iorfa cross.
Shropshire were crashing out, but they weren’t completely done yet. Matty Done pulled a goal back in the 74th minute, sweetly finishing Steven Fletcher’s flick-on from midfielder Jake Cook’s direct ball.
Hooper ensured he got the final word in, though, as left-winger Andros Townsend set up the 29-year-old’s FIFTH goal of an outstanding display. Having defeated such a strong team so emphatically, it was no wonder that people were strongly tipping Chris Hughton’s Essex boys to go all the way!
BEDFORDSHIRE 2-3 SOUTH LONDON
Bedfordshire were another team from the East division with cup and league ambitions. After seven minutes, though, the former was looking like a pipe dream for manager Garry Monk. South London took an early lead in Luton after Junior Stanislas stroked a beautiful midfield through-ball for Tammy Abraham to convert.
The Londoners would strike again within nine minutes, as midfielder Harry Arter blocked a pass from counterpart Lewis Baker to kick off a counter-attack. About 15 seconds later, Stanislas notched his second assist of the game, teeing up Kasey Palmer for a shot that went in off the post.
Alan Pardew would’ve needed to do more than that to put Beds to bed, though. Come the 31st minute, it was game on again, as Jernade Meade’s pass into the South London was clinically half-volleyed home by Calvin Andrew.
South London wasted a slew of chances to restore their two-goal advantage in the second half. Their frustration only heightened after Bedfordshire launched a last-ditch counterstrike in stoppage time. The visitors cried offside as Jay Dasilva played a first-time pass to Keshi Anderson, who thundered it home to take the game into extra-time.
Pardew got his team’s hopes back up for extra-time and stressed the need to stay patient. His calm attitude rubbed off seven minutes from time, as his decision to throw 16-year-old Ryan Sessegnon on at left-back paid off. Sessegnon got to the byline and then crossed to Wilfried Zaha, who finished at the far post to break Bedfordshire hearts.
SEMI FINAL DRAW
After all that, we were left with just four teams from three divisions (the West division having had its entire contingent wiped out). Two teams from the North had survived, setting up the prospect of a Pennines ‘derby’ in the Semis – or even the Final.
So, how did the draw pan out?
South London vs West Yorkshire
Greater Manchester vs Essex
West Yorkshire wouldn’t face their foes from across the hills just yet, but they would head to the capital to take on a formidable South London side. Being underdogs wouldn’t worry Stuart McCall’s Yorkshiremen as they entered The Valley.
The other Semi was likely to be even more competitive. Greater Manchester and Essex were the dominant forces in their respective divisions, boasting frontlines that were feared across the country. What would happen when TWO unstoppable forces collided?
The date was set for 7 March. 90 minutes were all that separated these four sides from a trip to Wembley Stadium at the end of May.
SEMI FINAL RESULTS
SOUTH LONDON 1-2 WEST YORKSHIRE
South London registered the first shot on target in a pulsating contest, as Nathaniel Clyne’s 14th-minute header was caught by West Yorkshire goalie Alex Smithies. Just three minutes later, though, it was the visitors who had edged ahead through Cameron Jerome’s flick-on from Aaron Lennon’s right-wing cross.
The Londoners had a big chance to get back on terms on 25 minutes, after forward Michail Antonio was tripped by Kalvin Phillips. Young midfielder Kasey Palmer stepped up to take a 25-yard free-kick, which dipped at just the right time to evade Smithies’ fingertips and find the net. 1-1!
Alan Pardew’s side played through the rest of the first half with an extra spring in their step. A stunning 31st-minute effort from Jordon Ibe was well caught by Smithies, who then watched the winger put a shot over the bar six minutes later. By half-time, they were perhaps the marginal favourites.
That all changed two minutes into the second half. A counter-attacking long pass from WY midfielder Jonny Howson picked out James Milner on the left. The ex-England veteran’s subsequent cross into the six-yard box was met by a point-blank finish from Jerome, and groans from much of the Charlton crowd.
The hosts were dealt another blow after 66 minutes. Holding midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah was already on a yellow card when he upended Lewis Cook, leading to his dismissal.
Having to play the best part of half an hour with 10 men was a hurdle South London could not overcome. Aside from a couple of chances from Ademola Lookman and Joe Gomez, they rarely tested West Yorkshire’s defence again. The final whistle confirmed that McCall’s men had held on for a 2-1 win and were heading for Wembley!
GREATER MANCHESTER 2-3 ESSEX [after extra-time]
For a contest between two teams of such quality, the first half was very disappointing. Nerves got to Greater Manchester’s young left-back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson when he headed Ravel Morrison’s 15th-minute corner against the woodwork. Benik Afobe squandered an even easier chance for Essex in the 34th minute, giving Keiren Westwood a far-too-easy save.
The second half proved to be more of a battle. A 58th-minute clash of heads with Manchester defender Phil Jagielka left Essex’s star winger Andros Townsend sporting a pretty nasty bruise. He was taken off as a precaution just three minutes later, with Chris Hughton throwing Jack Barmby on in his place.
Robbed of one of their main men, the Essex boys started to crack – and after 74 minutes, the hosts managed to break through. Marcus Rashford fed the ball to Zach Clough in the box, and though Dean Gerken pulled off a magnificent save, he was unable to keep out Danny Welbeck’s rebound.
Welbeck sensed a chance to seal the Mancunians’ Final berth five minutes later, when Morrison sent him clean through. However, his lob over Gerken went wide, and that would prove costly when Essex levelled at the death. Barmby’s left-wing cross was headed home by Alex Pritchard to silence the home fans and force extra-time!
The crowd would be in full voice again less than four minutes after kick-off. As Greater Manchester put together a beautiful passing move that would have had Barcelona salivating, Cameron Brannagan put in a killer cross that Welbeck tucked away for a 2-1 home lead.
Essex countered four minutes later, winning a penalty through Rashford’s clumsy tackle on Afobe. Charlie Daniels’ poor spot-kick was easily stopped by Westwood, but the East leaders would quickly get another 12-yard opportunity after Morrison pushed their centre-back Kortney Hause. Gary Hooper stepped up this time, and he confidently converted to make it 2-2 after 100 minutes.
The momentum was now firmly with the visitors. As the Mancs’ defence showed signs of fatigue, Hooper’s fresh legs capitalised, and he buried a 116th-minute through-ball from fellow substitute Liam Kinsella to turn the match on its head! Following a couple of great comebacks, Essex were into the County Cup Final!
I’m not sure too many of you would have predicted this before the Quarter Finals, but it’s Essex and West Yorkshire who will contest the County Cup on 27 May! Messrs Hughton and McCall now have two-and-a-half months to prepare for their big day out at Wembley.
Of course, both our Finalists are hoping to also play at the home of English football a week earlier, in the Counties Championship Play-Off Final. Essex have already qualified for the off-season, and West Yorkshire will be looking to join them soon.
The Counties Championship resumes on Monday, when I’ll recap all the league results from March as the play-off race nears its big climax. I hope to see you then.
Fuller FM 
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