Claymore Athletic FC 3 Bassett Allsorts 0
San Dimas High School 5 Mega Buck Bandits 3
The FA Cup semis both went to form with Claymore and San Dimas winning through and setting up a repeat of the 2005 Final. (Although Clive will hope for a different result as I triumphed 6-1 that day). Ben and Dave will look to build on this Cup run with improved league performances over the remaining weeks.
Claymore had the easier passage with the Allsorts appearing to freeze on the big day and offering little attacking threat . Tom Cleverley tapped Clive's team in front on 25 minutes after a flowing team move but it took until 12 minutes from time for the lead to be doubled. David Luiz powered an unstoppable header past Steve Harper and Clive's Wembley trip was confirmed with a Branislav Ivanovic clean sheet.
San Dimas had far more difficulty getting into their first final since that 2005 victory. The Mega Bucks ripped through my defence in the first 45 minutes with Charlie Adam striking from the spot and with a 25-yard free-kick in a five-minute spell around the half hour mark. It was 3-0 shortly afterwards when Matt Jarvis thumped a shot in off a post. Paul Scharner left the fray at the break with a clean sheet in the bag and it was his substitute, Maynor Figueroa who turned the game late on. The High School had reduced the deficit to 3-2 on 58 minutes when Peter Odemwingie took advantage of a horrendous Mega Bucks mix-up. John Mensah saw red for Dave on 82 minutes for a professional foul and now the Bucks were in meltdown. Figueroa smashed home from 25 yards in injury time and then he and Fabio added clean sheets to complete the fightback.
The final is set for the weekend of 30 April. The teams meet in the league three weeks before. Some psychological points to be made there I suspect.
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