Eye beat Cardea to Progress in the Cup

Cardea were made to rue missed chances away to Eye in the first round of the Peterborough Challenge Cup, losing the game 2-0.

With Cardea a few players short over the weekend, Matthew Robinson called up reserve players Andrew James and Kieron McKenna to boost the numbers. Within 15 minutes, Cardea were left even shorter when attacker Mike Dandrilli was forced off with a knee injury which had been troubling him for a couple of weeks.

Eye started the game well and knocked the ball around quickly in the early stages with the Cardea back line having to be awake to deal with the early pressure.

Just as Cardea were getting a foothold in the game, in the 11th minute, a decision by the referee not to award a blatant foul on right back Travis Brown cost them the opening goal. The Eye striker, with the blessing of the ref, picking out the far top corner of James Wilson’s goal with absolutely nothing the keeper could do to prevent the shot. A top quality finish but one that Cardea can consider themselves unlucky to concede.

The game became an end to end and fast paced affair with both teams creating plenty of half chances, and squandering them in the final third. Midfielder Nathan Ginty coming the closest to creating something as he tested the opposition with an inviting cross. The delivery beat everyone and flashed across the face of goal with the Cardea attackers unable to get close enough to worry the Eye keeper.

HT: Eye United 1-0 Cardea

At half time, the Cardea management narrowed the midfield slightly in the hope of preventing Eye playing so fluidly and for the most part this worked.

Cardea created a few excellent chances to level the scores with Mitch Tomkin and Kieran Hart having 1-on-1's kept out.

Then came the chance of the game, a ball forward fell perfectly to midfielder Ash Baldwin who, through 1 on 1, poked the ball past the onrushing keeper. Unfortunately the ball didn’t have enough pace to cross the line, and as youngster James Ware followed up, an excellent piece of defending did enough to ensure Ware could only hit the post with the goal at his mercy. Chance gone.

With Cardea pushing hard for a leveller, more spaces started to open up and Eye started to get chances themselves. James Wilson preventing Eye from adding to the scoring with an excellent save with his feet and then the Eye attacker timing his jump poorly with the goal at his mercy keeping Cardea in the game.

With 5 minutes to go, manager Matthew Robinson substituted defender Dan Baldwin off and moved skipper John Reddell upfront in an attempt to force 1 more chance for the visitors. The gamble didn’t pay off and Eye managed to extend their lead and finish the game off in the 89th minute after an excellent finish from their debutant striker.

FT: Eye United 2-0 Cardea

After the game, Manager Matthew Robinson said “I thought we were unlucky today, poor finishing and a lack of quality in the final third when it mattered prevented us from scoring 2 or 3 today and if we stick those away, the game could have ended positively for us. Eye also missed chances so the game could and probably should have finished about 4 all! All we can do is move forward to the league game next weekend and hope that we rediscover our shooting boots!”

MOTM was awarded to Central Defender Michael Williams who added to a string of excellent recent performances at the heart of the Cardea defence with another solid display. Both him, and Dan Baldwin were excellent at the back and provided Cardea with a base to start their attacks. Especially in the absence of vice captain and regular defensive partner Tom Rimes.