Willand Rovers vs Oxford City
The magic of the FA Cup finally ran out of stardust for Rovers as we exited the competition in the 2nd round of qualifying when we travelled to National League North side Oxford City.
In the first few seconds, the hosts put themselves in front as Olly Sully played the ball to the middle as no one was there and McEachran latched onto the ball and took a daring shot which flew past George Burton and into the left-hand corner to put the Hoops in front.
Willand would try and get a response from going down very early on as a free kick is worked around the box to River Allen who crosses the ball to Jamie Richards who heads the ball across the goal as a shot goes at the ball but is straight at the hands of Rylee Mitchell.
Disaster for David Steele’s men in the first 15 minutes as the ball was played down the right-hand side and driven low into the box, leaving George Burton scrambling to get a grip but not before Louis Walsh tapped it in to double the lead.
Fin Rooke then attempted to make his stamp on the game as he got his head on it and tried to put it just right of the keeper but it was too close and was another one off the training pitch for Mitchell.
When Rovers thought the goals had come to a halt in the first half, Oxford had different ideas as the ball went down the right-hand side to the winger whose quick feet and good reactions were fast enough to get past Nathan Byrne who crossed the ball to Louis Walsh who heads in his second goal of the game. A name which will become too familiar as the afternoon goes on.
Nearly a fourth before the whistle the ball is sent in again but this time Louis Walsh gets on the end of the cross and plays it back to the Oxford player in the box but George Burton makes a big stop as it goes out for a corner keeping the scoreline at 3 at the break.
As the second half started about 2 minutes into the half it was almost deja vu for George Burton 4 as Louis Walsh got his hat-trick and slotted the ball to the left of the Rovers shot-stopper.
Another shot on goal for Oxford as the ball was once again crossed in this time from the left flank and crossed to the far post where Jayden Carbon leaps over Josh Searle to head it close enough to George Burton for him to tip it over the bar.
4 became 5 at the midway point of the second half as the hosts directly from a free kick made sure that no matter what their place was booked in the next round as Lewis Coyle stood over it on the edge of the box it soars into the near post bottom corner of the net as George Burton is glued in place.
It was a somewhat rare Willand attack in this game as Josh Searle crossed the ball into the box but Rylee Mitchel punched it out and the ball looked to drop onto Harvey Dorothy’s head.
Just when the game was put to bed, the final goal of the afternoon rolled in to make it 6 with Louis Walsh making it 4 on the afternoon and securing the match ball as we were utterly torn apart as he was clear through and 1 on 1 with George Burton.
Despite being down 6-0, Rovers still wanted a consolation towards the end of the game with Harvey Dorothy testing Mitchell as he had a shot and tried to slot it through the keeper’s legs but Mitchell read it and stopped the chance.
Full-Time at Court Place Farm with the scoreline standing at 6-0 to the hosts and their place booked in the next round and a momentous FA Cup Journey coming to a grinding halt as described by manager David Steele. On the day they could have had the scoreline potentially higher but a test nonetheless for the Rovers and league action to focus on for the rest of the 24/25 Season.
