Two late goals by captain Charlie Oliver rescued three points for FC United as the Reds came from 1-0 down to beat France’s Vinsky FC 4-1 in a feisty Fenix Trophy Group C match, which saw both sides reduced to 10 men, at Broadhurst Park on Tuesday night. Ben Hazelden reports…
Three goals in the last six minutes meant the Reds eventually ran out comfortable winners, but the scoreline doesn’t tell half the story of a match that produced two red cards, a saved penalty, and two bad tempered melees, as this Fenix Trophy clash more than lived up to its bill.
Yassin Berriah gave the visitors a 1-0 lead against the run of play five minutes before halftime, but thankfully for the Reds, Max Woodcock headed home the equaliser four minutes into the second half. The goal sparked an unsightly melee involving most players on the pitch, which resulted in Jan Palinkas and Djibril Diop both being sent off.
Minutes later, Vinsky goalkeeper Arnie Sala saved a Luke Griffiths penalty before Oliver came to the rescue with two headed goals in the 84th and 90th minutes, and Charlie Munro put the icing on the cake with a well taken fourth in stoppage time.
With both sides winning their opening game of the tournament against Krakow Dragoons, Tuesday’s match presented an opportunity for both FC United and Vinsky to top the three-team group at the halfway stage.
FC United dominated throughout and could have been two or three goals up before the visitors had registered a shot on target. However, Engulu was in fine form to deny United’s hatful of half chances.
Lewis Gilboy, Max Woodcock, and Charlie Oliver all went close but couldn’t break the deadlock. It was one-way traffic with the visitors rarely able to get out of their own half. However, as is often the case, they caught United with a sucker-punch against the run of play to go 1-0 up.
Number nine Paul Agbohoun drove towards the area and had his shot blocked but straight into the path of Berriah who, from the left corner of the area, bent a first time shot into the far corner to give the travelling side a shock lead at half-time.
United soon levelled the scores though. The French side felt aggrieved about the equaliser as Engulu went down holding his foot just as Griffiths swung in a corner, leaving Woodcock to head into an empty net. However, no free-kick was given, as Engulu had been stood on by his own player.
A melee ensued and after the officials had restored order, both teams were reduced to 10 men. This didn’t seem to change the momentum in the game, as FC United continued to press for a winner. Substitute Jordan Buckley went close to finding it when he took a snapshot from the right side of the area with Engulu doing well to save at his near post.
With time running out, Oliver was unended in the box by Vinsky captain Mastias Bouaziz in the 82nd minute, and the referee pointed to the spot. However, in yet another dramatic twist, Griffiths saw his penalty saved as Engulu looked set to become the hero.
United fans may have begun to wonder if this was going to be their day but their prayers were answered in the 86th minute. Gilboy did well to win a free-kick just in from the right, which was subsequently swung in by Aaron Bennett and nodded home by an unmarked Oliver for 2-1.
FC United were finally ahead and deservedly so, but they weren’t finished there. Six minutes of stoppage time were added on, and the home side scored twice more during this period. Griffiths made amends for the earlier missed penalty by delivering a brilliant corner onto the head of Oliver, as he grabbed his second of the game and secured the points.
Then, just a minute later, Munro put the cherry on top when he scored a fantastic individual effort, driving through a tired Vinsky midfield and slotting the ball into the bottom right corner from the edge of the area.
The chaotic victory means FC United top Group C with six points. We next host Krakow Dragoons at home on Sunday 10th March, before travelling to Vinsky later in March with the date to be confirmed soon.
