Rampton Hospital — Sat 2 Feb 2008

Match report

Half time: 1 – 1

Samba welcomed Rampton Hospital to Burton Road for the quarter final of the Notts FA Junior Cup. The only change to the starting XI was the return of G.Taylor, who took the place of the injured Doughty. The game kicked off with the stakes high for Samba as they had never been beyond this stage of a cup competition. The opening exchanges were modest in quality as both sides fought for supremacy in the middle of the park. The first chance of note fell to Samba when G.Taylor lost his marker in the box, cut inside and hit a right foot shot which the keeper parried, ony for G.Taylor to drag the rebound wide. Rampton were looking dangerous through the Samba middle, with a flicked header sending their forward clear. Fortunately for Samba their striker dragged the ball wide but it was a warning. It was a warning that was not recognised as only minutes later the striker was through again and this time his finish was cool and precise and Samba were trailing. Ballard then had to be alert to save a Rampton header from a corner kick down to his right, to prevent the away side from going 2-0 up. It was clear that Samba's best chance was to play football and pass their way through a stubborn Rampton defence. Any aerial balls or set pieces were being defended very well but Samba were getting some joy on the deck. On one such occasion Wilford received a square ball from Bassett in the middle of the park, and sprayed a searching ball to Lucas on the far left. Lucas got to the bye-line and pulled back a cross for the advancing Wilford who had made up 30yds to get into the box. As the ball reached Wilford he opened his body and finished in style to make the game level again.

At half time Samba were upbeat having forced their way back into the match, and were told to continue passing the football. The game was ultra-competitive and was turning into a real good cup tie. Samba were playing against the slope but looked comfortable and were exerting pressure on the Rampton goal. The game took a further twist however, when Rampton regained the lead. The goal came from a Samba goal kick which failed to clear the necessary distance. The Rampton forward chipped a ball back into the box for the on-coming midfielder who directed his header past Ballard for 2-1. Samba dug in and got their reward 10 minutes later and again it was the captain who equalised. If the first goal scored highly for artistic impression, the second failed miserably in comparision, as Wilford jinked in the box, claimed for handball before the ball trickled over the line. Wilford and Samba did not care one jot. 2-2. Samba felt they could win it and only some superb defending by Rampton prevented the Sandboys snatching the winner, as a series of blocks in the box denied the team in yellow. On one occassion Lucas stood a cross up to the backpost and G.Taylor seemed destined to score but his header was blocked by a great last minute challenge from the Rampton defender. The game headed into extra time with the possibility of penalties looming. FC SAMBA 2-2 RAMPTON HOSPITAL EXTRA TIME With the slope back in their favour Samba went hell for leather for the winner but could not make the breakthrough. Rampton defended manfully, blocking anything that moved, as for virtually the entire 15 minutes of the 1st half Samba were camped in the Rampton half. G.Taylor had a penalty appeal turned down after a body check off the ball but no breakthrough was achieved. 2ND HALF EXTRA TIME Rampton came back into it in the second period of extra time and Hill had to hook a header off the line to maintain parity. The game was now end to end but Rampton got the goal from a corner. The initial delivery was punched away by Ballard but when the ball was put back into the box, the Rampton man diverted the ball with his outstep past the despairing Ballard. Conceding with only a matter of minutes to go should have spelt the end for Samba but they rallied and substitute Gibbons played in Wilford, who rolled his defender and smashed the ball home for 3-3 and his first hat-rick. Jubilant scenes were cut short as the linesman had raised his flag. Samba were gutted as it appeared to be a very good goal. Hill was sent from the field for protesting and Samba were denied at least a stab at a penalty shoot out. The final whistle blew moments later on what had been a great cup tie between two committed and decent sides. The dubious offside decision left a bitter taste in Samba mouths, as in short they felt they had been cheated. However, they could do nothing but accept their fate and now must concentrate on promotion.