Lacklustre Queen's dealt royal blush
Football Premier Division
Queen’s.........................0
St Hugh’s.......................4
Brilliant in Cuppers or atrocious in the league, Queen’s just cannot beat St Hugh’s. Having suffered a narrow 2-1 exit against Hugh’s in the fi rst round of Oxford’s cup competition, the revenge factor was a potential attraction for this encounter. However the ironic timing of this league game failed to provide any excitement. At least on Queen’s part. St Hugh’s were terrifi c, and the 4-0 scoreline made one wonder how they made such hard work of the hosts the previous week.
The answer lay in Queen’s ability to fi eld their best players in Cuppers. Last season’s championship winning side has all but dissolved bar one team member for the sake of the Blues. In the knock-out game, in which Queen’s led 1-0 for most the game with two late goals costing them their place in the competition, the title holders were able to boast star names including Blues’ captain Jack Hazzard.
Yet their reliance on a second string has already started to take its toll in the league this season. This was their second 4- 0 hiding, the fi rst coming at the hands of St Catz in a humbling open to their campaign. Goals from Leo Pyrah, Alex Lesley and both of last week’s scorers Christos Hajipapas and Adhip Rawel completed a miserable start to the season for Queen’s wilting squad, and strengthened hopes of a successful season for St Hugh’s.
The visitors fi red a warning shot after ten minutes when Hajipapas’ close-range header was ruled out for offside, but the lively striker did not have to wait long to register his side’s fi rst of the afternoon. Moments later, right-winger Adam McAnally squeezed a precise pass into his stride twenty yards from goal, and seeing Queen’s keeper Ben Dodwell out of position, unleashed a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
One goal should have become two on 23 minutes when Dodwell’s right hand upright was battered twice in an instant. First forward Simon Goddard, who couldn’t quite shape his well-taken shot the right side of the post, and then skipper Adam Levine crashed a header against the woodwork, while his follow-up fl ashed wide of the mark.
With St Hugh’s delivering an irresistible performance, and wingers McAnally and Matt Sale acting like tireless pistons in the wide areas, Queen’s seemed to be fl agging more and more with every completed pass from the visitors. Even luck seemed to be against the bedraggled home side as Hugh’s registered their fl uke of a second.
With Goddard and Hajipapas eager to pounce, a chipped cross from central midfi elder Leo Pyrah eluded all those gathered in the goalmouth and was itself enough to double the lead as it nestled in the back of the net. Clearly disappointed, Queen’s hit back. Yet their approach play not once emulated the prowess of the attacking options they harboured last season.
Joe Ager’s nicely executed shot from ambitious range and Simon Lennox’s criminal blaze over the bar with only the keeper to beat were the only fl ashes of inspiration from the hosts before the interval. Starting the second half brighter than they had begun the fi rst, Queen’s then carved out a glorious opportunity for captain Pearson who posted a header beyond the far post when in a promising position.
St Hugh’s went on to capitalise on their opponent’s perfunctory nature in front of goal. Hajipapas whipped in a fi ne cross from a corner on 63 minutes, and despite defender Andrew Bottomley hacking the ball away from beneath the crossbar after Rawel’s initial header, Hugh’s defender Lesley was the fi rst to react and planted a powerful drive to take his team to 3-0.
With the match drawing to a close, eager substitute Josh Hantman intelligently took advantage of a misunderstanding between keeper Dodwell and his centre back Andrew Jack on the byline. Queen’s were convinced the ball had gone out for a goal-kick, but Hantman played on regardless and squared a sharply placed pass into the path of Rawel who rounded off a delightful afternoon for St Hugh’s ten yards from goal.
10th Nov 2005