TWO goals from Calum Gallagher ensured Peel came from behind to beat St George’s 2-1 and secure a fourth Ascot Hotel Junior Cup final berth in five seasons at Douglas Road on Saturday.
With goalscoring chances at a premium, the cup holders from Glencrutchery Road took a slender lead 36 minutes through the first-half when Stuart Morris headed in.
Another dull second period looked on the cards until the 66th minute when Gallagher produced a sublime over-head kick to finally the spark the semi-final tie into life.
Buoyed by Gallagher’s wonder goal, the hosts pushed forward and decisively edged in front from the penalty spot 12 minutes from time.
Gallagher was brought down by Geordies’ skipper Ashley Higginbotham just inside the visitors’ box. The Peel forward picked himself up to dispatch the ball past visiting keeper David Cherry from 12 yards out and set-up a final date in Combination football’s showpiece against former club St Mary’s at the Bowl on Sunday afternoon.
A tight and keenly contested match developed from the onset with both teams struggling to break down two solid-looking backlines.
Indeed with chances in the final third few and far between the game’s early talking point had been the fact the tie’s two assigned assistant referees had gone to Glencrutchery Road by mistake and had not reached the western venue by kick-off forcing referee Simon Hull to start without them.
On the pitch, St George’s were beginning to edge proceedings with Steve Corkill’s young charges wasteful in possession.
The visitors finally turned their growing territorial advantage into a goalscoring opportunity with the match’s first real chance in the 23rd minute when the ball pinged around the Peel box only to go agonisingly wide off an out-stretched Geordies’ boot.
Winger Sam Cubbon was the next to go close when he fired over Morris’s low centre from the left.
Geordies’ spell of pressure eventually took its toll nine minutes before the half-time break when island midfielder Neil Brogan’s free-kick into the Peel box ballooned up off a stray boot and into the path of Morris. The St George’s man made no mistake heading past Peel keeper Neil Thomas and into the back of the net.
St George’s nearly doubled their advantage in quick succession when another deep free-kick was met at the back post by Brogan. His resulting header rattled the Peel cross-bar as the Saints finished the half the stronger.
As with the start of the first half both sides struggled to create chances at the beginning of the second 45.
Geordies, however, did have a good penalty shout turned down while, from the resulting counter-attack, prolific Peel captain Gary Smith was denied by a fine covering tackle by Higginbotham.
With another drab half threatening to unfold, Gallagher produced his moment of magic. Substitute Alex Holden sent in a seemingly routine corner from the right only for Gallagher to meet it with a acrobatic over-head kick that flew into the St George’s net.
Gallagher’s leveller visibly lifted his side’s spirits and Louie Parmar and Tony Duggan both went close in quick succession for the hosts.
The former St John’s striker then engineered a second goal for his side when his quick feet on the edge of the Geordies’ area drew a foul from the otherwise impressive Higginbotham.
Gallagher made no mistake from the penalty spot despite the best efforts of Cherry.
There was further drama to come as the game entered injury time when Peel substitute Aaron Costain received a red card after an altercation with Cubbon. With the latter escaping any reprimand Geordies tried to use their numerical advantage to force a late leveller and send the tie into extra time. This, however, didn’t come and Peel’s bid for a 11th Junior Cup title remains on course.
Team check
Peel: Neil Thomas, Izaak Flanders, Steven Corkill, Kenny Walker, John Kelly, Dean McCann (Alex Holden 60m), Daniel Pickering, Louie Parmar, Gary Smith (c) (Aaron Costain 82m), Calum Gallagher, Tony Duggan.
St George’s: David Cherry, Andrew Marshall (Oli Bennett 85m), James Aire, Ashley Higginbotham (c), James Lees, Conor Dempsey, Ryan Downey, Neil Brogan, Nick Bass, Stuart Morris, Sam Cubbon.
Referee: Simon Hull
Booked: Pickering (Peel); Downey, Cherry, Lees (St George’s)
Sent off: Costain (Peel)
Man of the Match: Pickering (Peel) - composed and mature performance by the young midfielder means he just edges out two-goal man Gallagher and centre-back Walker for the MotM honours.
Match rating: HHIII