Terry Marflitt Trophy – Saturday 23rd September 2017
Full-time: Stanningley OB 4 – 1 Idle FC (AET)
Goals: Ryan Mitchell
Assists: Adam Medley
MOTM: Adam Medley
Idle went into today’s Cup clash with Stanningley full of confidence, having won all of their opening League fixtures with relative ease.
This game however was always going to be a testing encounter with the opposition sitting two divisions higher up than Idle in the West Yorkshire League pyramid. Yet the gulf in league position certainly didn’t show throughout the 90 minutes of football.
The game started as it intended to go on, with a series of crunching challenges from the off. It was clear that Stanningley posed a strong and physical threat but Idle rode out the often dangerous challenges and showed their own grit and determination through some strong tackling in midfield from Tom Simonett and a battling defensive display from James Royal and Conor Halligan in defence.
It wasn’t too long before Idle started to adopt their usual style of play, passing the ball to feet and unlocking the Stanningley defence with some tricky wing play from Adam Medley and Ryan Mitchell and were unlucky not to score on several occasions. Ryan Mitchell was thwarted when his back post drive was well saved by the Stanningley goalkeeper, who tipped round the post.
Idle were unlucky not to have had a penalty when the Stanningley right back handled in the box following a goalmouth scramble. This went unseen by the Referee, as did most things throughout the game.
Despite the pressure, it was Idle who found themselves going into the break 1-0 down after switching off from a corner and allowing the Stanningley right back to head home from close range.
Idle started the second half positively, creating more chances from each wing and it was from the left hand side where Idle’s much deserved equaliser came from.
Adam Medley managed to drive past the defenders outside, before driving the ball low into the path of the grateful Ryan Mitchell, who slotted home from close range. 1-1.
The remainder of the second half played out as a tight and tense affair and frustrations boiled over on a number of occasions, resulting in a collection of yellow cards for both sides.
Idle assistant Marcus Strudwick was sent to the stands on 80 Minutes, after questioning some of the Referees contentious decisions. Despite the drama, Idle managed to keep their cool and took the game into extra time.
Stanningley’s strength and physicality shone through in extra time and Idle were finally undone on 100 Minutes , when the Stanningley midfielder drove a low ball into the bottom corner, after Idle failed to clear their lines on the edge of the area. 2-1.
Stanningley seemed to have the bit between their teeth for the duration of the game and managed to score a third on 110 Minutes, after a ball from a corner dropped kindly to their striker, who smashed the ball in the top of the net from 5 Yards out. 3-1.
Stanningley extended their lead just before the final whistle, when a cross-come shot from the right hand side, was unexpectedly turned in at Josh Dickinson’s near post.
Despite the disappointing end to the game, Idle can take a lot of confidence from the fact they more than matched their opposition for over 90 minutes. Idle have a chance to reverse their fortunes next Saturday when they play away to Stanningley again, this time in the acclaimed Yorkshire Shield .
We go again…
By George Collins
The Playmaker 
Posted on September 25, 2017
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