Junior Cup ( H)
Won 3-1
(H/T 1-1)
Moulton FC started their defence of the Northants FA Junior Cup with a home tie against Kettering Nomads, a side they defeated on the way to winning the trophy last season. The visitors shocked the Magpies by taking the lead after only 4 minutes when a corner to the back post was headed back into the 6 yard box for a free header. Moulton responded by having plenty of the ball but were continuously thwarted by being far too narrow in the final third which made it easy for Nomads to defend and their first serious effort on goal was along range effort by Andy Hall which flew just over. The equaliser did eventually come after 31 minutes, Francis Boateng had ventured forward from centre half and he blocked two clearances in quick succession with the second one falling to NAT ANSU just inside the box and he needed no invitation to find the net, and a few minutes later it could have been two when Ben Fulthorpe and Ansu worked an opening for Pierre N’golo and his cross was inches away from being converted by Luca Iaciofano. Hall fired in another long range effort but to no avail and the sides went in level at the break.
HALF TIME MOULTON 1 KETTERING NOMADS 1
Moulton started the second half on the front foot and Lewis Isom was just wide with a free kick and then Fulthorpe drove forward and forced a good save from the Nomads keeper. The home side kept up the pressure and after breaking up a Nomads corner Jack Barnett and N’Golo combined to set up Isom but his shot was deflected wide for a corner. The visitors were visibly tiring and Boateng tried his luck from distance but that was also narrowly over and then Iaciofano and Ansu combined but this time Isom failed to hit the target. The pressure eventually told after 64 minutes and a Barnett who initially started the move which also involved N’Golo and Hall eventually played a great ball into the box and ANSU finished first time. It was all one way traffic now and Moulton sealed the win with 15 minutes left when Hall fed ANSU in the inside right channel and he fired past the advancing keeper from 15 yards for his second hat-trick in 5 days. At this point all Magpies supporters were pleased to see the return of Dan Camacho to first team action for the first time in 12 months replacing N’Golo. Iaciofano and Isom set up Barnett but he shot wide and near the end Camacho unselfishly set up fellow substitute Derek Okoye but he couldn’t get any power in the shot and the keeper saved easily
FINAL SCORE MOULTON 3 KETTERING NOMADS 1
TEAM Vallance, Ashman, Barnett, Isom, Fulthorpe, Boateng, Iaciofano (Dicks 84) Hall, Ansu (Okoye 79) White, N’Golo (Camacho 75)
Subs not used Mortimer Weston.
PRESSBOX MAN OF THE MATCH NAT ANSU
NAT is sponsored by RICHARD EASON PHOTOGRAPHY.