The Dock Association Football Club

Dock avenged the recent reverse in the league fixture with Lairds, and in doing so, marched into the Memorial Challenge cup semi-final with an emphatic victory at Bebington Oval last Sunday. All fourteen players used gave excellent displays, but Ian McGraa (pictured left) took the greatest plaudits with his four goal haul and Man of the Match performance.

Dock started as brightly as the early spring sunshine and took the lead on five minutes, when a deep cross shot from Ian McGraa eluded the Lairds ‘keeper and flew into the top corner of the net.

In the tenth minute, Jamie Kenyon shot narrowly wide as Dock continued to press, after good work from Tom Charters.

Ian McGraa then added a second directly from a twenty yard free-kick, after Mark Head was upended by a Lairds defender after a good turn and run.

Dock continued to create chances, the most notable falling to Tom Wingfield with a sliced shot and from Ian McGraa, with a header from a Luke Hughes cross.

Lairds rallied and on thirty five minutes, Martyn Stevenson produced a fine point blank save to keep Lairds at bay. From the resultant break away, Dock almost snatched a third through Mark Head, who shot just over.

Ian McGraa soon completed a first half hat-trick just on half time after a swift counter attack by Dock, which came from a Lairds free kick which was well defended by Paul Byrne.

HT: Lairds S & S 0-3 Dock.

The expected Lairds response never materialized and Dock through the impressive McGraa added a fourth on fifty two minutes. Colin O’Hanlon won a 50-50 ball in midfield with a thunderous tackle, and after the ball was slotted into the path of Ian McGraa, he slotted home coolly to extend the lead.

Shortly afterwards, the impressive Sean Crotty was substituted by Ian Irvine, due to a leg injury.

On sixty five minutes, McGraa then turned provider for Jon Clampitt to finish off an excellent Dock move with a well placed header to make it five.

Tom Wingfield again went close on seventy two minutes and McGraa again almost set up another for substitute Jack Warburton, whose fierce low shot was well saved on seventy six minutes.

Dock continued to have the majority of possession and on eighty seven minutes, Luke Hughes capped a fine midfield display with a well taken goal to complete the scoring.

After this thoroughly deserved victory, Dock will now go on to meet Woodchurch in the semi-final on April 20th.

FT: Lairds S & S 0-6 Dock.

Dock. 3-5-2 (with substitues in brackets).
Stevenson, Byrne (Warburton), Crotty (Irvine), O’Hanlon (Craven), Wingfield, Clampitt, Charters, Hughes, Head, Kenyon, I. McGraa.

Report: Peter Warburton

Queens Park was the visiting team to the Memorial Ground last Sunday and completed a league double over Dock. In doing so, Queens also maintained their 100% win record in the Birkenhead Premier League. Although most of the game was played out in bright sunshine, the spectators had to brave a cold wind throughout the match.

The pitch was in excellent condition and both sides were attempting to keep the ball on the ground and get their passing games going. The referee was keen to keep a lid on any over vociferous tackling and after 5 minutes both Dock’s centre forward and a Queens defender were booked for a high footed altercation. Shaun Crotty did well to clear a Queens shot off the line on 12 minutes and Dock responded when Steve Duckers and Crotty linked up well to force a Dock corner.

Queens started to assert their authority in midfield, with Cotgrave and Bowe dominating possession. For the next fifteen minutes, it was Queens who looked the more likely scorers, and good chances were missed from a series of crosses that Queens failed to convert.

Dock responded with a couple of sporadic attacks with Ian McGraa trying his best to get Dock moving forward. Before the half time whistle went, it was again Queens that had good chances to make the breakthrough. Again, a combination of poor finishing and a great save from Dock ‘keeper Martyn Stevenson, who pushed a goal bound effort onto the bar, kept the scores level at the break.

HT: Dock 0-0 Queens Park.

Queens made the breakthrough on 47 minutes when they caught Dock cold from the half time break and winger Murray tucked away a shot into the corner of Stevenson’s net after a free kick was poorly defended. Dock then introduced Ian Irvine to replace Mike Saunders who suffered a hamstring injury. It was Dock who came close to an equalizer from a free kick soon afterwards. Queens then again ‘upped a gear’ and just before the hour had an effort cleared off the Dock line, in an incident which saw Stevenson injured. Queen’s Terry Cotgrave then hit the bar from a free kick on the hour mark and Stevenson again pushed a Queens’s effort onto the post as the visitors searched a second goal.

As a reminder to Queen’s that their lead was a slender one, Duckers had a good chance to equalize, but Peace in the Dock goal made a great save. Tom Charters did force a good save from Peace but it came as no surprise when Queen’s doubled their lead from substitute Jackson’s header on 80 minutes.

In the final ten minutes, Queen’s had a couple more chances to extend their lead but the Dock rearguard repelled these with good goalkeeping and some fine last ditch defending.

In summary, Queen’s were well worth their win and Dock will need to improve before the two sides meet again next month in the Wirral Premier Cup Final.

FT: Dock 0-2 Queens Park.

Dock. 3-5-2 (with substitues in brackets).
Stevenson, Crotty, Byrne, O’ Hanlon, Duckers, Owen, Charters, I. McGraa, Saunders (Irvine), Kenyon, Whyte

Report: Peter Warburton
Photos: Chris Stading

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Dock succumbed to a last minute sucker punch at Bebington Oval last Sunday. The game was played out on a difficult, bumpy pitch in a swirling wind, which both teams found difficult to master.

Dock manager, Jason Williams, rang the changes and utilized his vast squad to start with a 4-3-3 system. Paul Davies returned in goal and young Jack Warburton made his first start at right back, since joining this season from youth football.

A scrappy start from both teams rendered both ‘keepers somewhat redundant and lots of passes were over hit due to the strong wind.

The first real chance of the game fell to Ian McGraa for Dock, whose effort was cleared off the goal line by a Lairds defender after twenty minutes. McGraa went close again on the half hour mark from a header from a Warburton cross, but the ball flew narrowly over the bar.

A minute later, good work from Paul Ryan set up Mark Head and his shot went wide of the post. The closest Dock came to scoring in the first half came on thirty five minutes, when after a Mark Head shot was blocked, Paul Byrne hit the bar with a thundering header. There was a further good effort form Rob Whyte before the break, but the teams went in all square at half time.

HT: Lairds S & S 0-0 Dock.

Dock resumed the second half, kicking against the wind and took the lead on fifty minutes from a fine passing move. The move started on the right and after some crisp passing between Warburton, Owen and Clampitt, the ball came to McGraa some twenty five yards out. After running into the box, avoiding numerous challenges, he coolly picked his spot from ten yards out to beat the home keeper (pictured below).

Docks lead what short lived, however, and Lairds struck back five minutes later when a free kick was allowed to travel into the six yard box for the Lairds forward to volley home.

Dock continued to move forward with their short passing game, which was countered by Laird’s approach of using the wind to their advantage which resulted in some quick counters from the home side, with ex-Docker Robinson showing some good touches for the home side. Dock’s defence looked pretty solid, however, and McGraa again came closest to scoring on seventy minutes following a free kick.

The game appeared to be fizzling out into a draw, when in the last minute, Lairds were awarded a free kick just inside the Dock half. The Lairds centre half pumped the ball into the box and a freak gust of wind took the ball directly into Davies’ net to give the home side an unexpected lead.

Mike Saunders went close to getting an equalizer at the death, but his header lacked the power to beat the Lairds ‘keeper and the referee blew for full time soon afterwards.

Dock can count themselves somewhat unfortunate to come away with nothing from this game and deserved at least a point from the balance of play and chances created.

FT: Lairds S & S 2-1 Dock.

Dock. 4-3-3 (with substitutes in brackets).
Davies, Warburton (Redmond), Byrne, Crotty, Wingfield (Clampitt), Owen, Craven (Kenyon), Ryan, I. McGraa (Hughes), Head (Saunders), Whyte.

Report: PETER WARBURTON
Photos: CHRIS STADING

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On the weekend of the F.A. Cup quarter finals, the national T.V. companies would have been better advised to choose this epic cup semi-final as their live game. It was this season’s third meeting between the clubs and this match had all the attributes to make it one to remember for the fans. Sending offs, penalties, calamitous defending and brilliant finishing were all on show at the Memorial Ground, Borough Road.

After some early sparring, the visitors took the lead after a free kick was only half cleared and an 18 yard snap shot flew low into Martyn Stevenson’s net on seven minutes. Within five minutes, Dock had a chance to draw level, but Mark Head’s effort went narrowly wide. A Tom Charters cross on twenty minutes flew agonizingly wide, but two minutes later Dock drew level from the spot when Mark Head was fouled in the box. He got up to smash home the penalty to tie the game.

There then followed a dreadful first half defending display from Dock which gifted Horse and Jockey two goals to give them a 3-1 half time lead. On twenty nine minutes a free kick from all of 25 yards was misjudged by custodian Martyn Stevenson and the ball trickled over the goal line. Just one minute later, poor defending from a Jockey throw in allowed a simple near post tap in to make it 3-1.

Despite a late first half rally, which resulted in a mighty goal line scramble in the Jockey box, the visitors went into the break two goals ahead and confident of pulling off a shock.

HT: Dock 1-3 Horse and Jockey.

After a soul searching team talk from the management team, Dock went onto the offensive from the first whistle of the second period. Within two minutes the referee sent off a man from each side, Jamie Edwards from Jockey for raising and elbow, and Jon Clampitt (somewhat unfortunately) from Dock for retaliation. The dismissals appeared to hinder Jockey and galvanize Dock into a full on offensive of the visitors goal. Eventually, the Jockey’s defence was breeched on the hour mark, when Mark Head hit a rasping twenty yarder into the net.

The expected equalizer came on seventy two minutes, when after great work from Luke Hughes, Tom Charters (pictured top left) chipped an extravagant shot into the top corner of the visitors net to make it all square at 3-3!

The Dock forwards were now scenting blood and were going all out to win the tie inside ninety minutes. Probably guilty of pushing forward too much, Dock succumbed to a sucker punch fourth goal on a rare foray from Horse and Jockey on seventy seven minutes. After a great save from Martyn Stevenson, the resultant corner was again defended woefully and a free header was dispatched for the Jockey to regain the lead 3-4!

Dock once again rallied and was awarded another penalty for a trip inside the Jockey area. Mark Head hit a crisp shot low to the ‘keepers left, but he produced a magnificent save to deny his hat-trick. Not to be outdone, Head netted the equalizer on eighty three minutes to restore the balance, and the ninety minutes saw the sides’ level at 4-4.

FT: Dock 4-4 Horse and Jockey.

Five minutes into extra time, Martyn Stevenson made another fine save to deny Jockey again taking the lead. Dock then took the lead for the first time on 102 minutes through striker Rob Whyte (pictured below).

With both teams now running on empty after all three substitutes were made, the play got somewhat scrappy. Dock sealed the win two minutes from time, with a sixth goal, when Man of the Match, Mark Head despatched his fourth goal to seal a memorable win and a place in the final against old rivals Queens Park which will take place at Cammell Lairds FC on Wednesday 30th April.

The Dock’s resilience and never say die attitude shone through as brightly as the early spring sunshine and deservedly won them a place in this year’s final.

FT (A.E.T.): Dock 6-4 Horse and Jockey.

Dock. 3-5-2 (with substitues in brackets).
Stevenson, Byrne, Irvine (Saunders), O’ Hanlon (I. McGraa), Duckers, Hughes (Ryan), Clampitt, Owen, Charters, Head, Whyte

Report: PETER WARBURTON
Pictures: CHRIS STADING

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After some doubts were raised as to the state of the Bebington Oval pitch being playable, and after a referee’s inspection, the game kicked off in bright sunshine. It was evident from the start, that the recent weeks’ weather had taken its toll on the pitch, but both sides tried their best to play some attractive passing football from the outset.

The Jockey seemed to adapt more easily to the conditions and Dock were forced to defend, with the lively Jamie Edwards a constant threat for the home side.

Dock countered on ten minutes when both Steve Duckers and then Mark Head had half chances from deep crosses into the Jockey box.

On twenty five minutes, Jamie Kenyon had a shot just off target and then in the half hour, Dock had their best chance of the half. From a Jockey corner, Dock broke quickly and Mark Head’s shot was saved well by the home goalie.

Horse and Jockey took the lead straight afterwards, when from a Dock attack, they swept quickly forward and a fine finish from their inside forward gave Martyn Stevenson no chance on 32 minutes.

For the rest of the half, Horse and Jockey looked to press home their advantage, and but for some fine ‘keeping from Martyn Stevenson, the half time deficit could have been much greater. He made at least two outstanding saves up until half time to keep the score at 0-1.

HT: Horse and Jockey 1-0 Dock.

After a rousing team talk from management team Jason Williams and Paul Wood, Dock looked much more aggressive in the second half and the vast majority of the play was spent in the Jockey half. When Jockey did venture into Dock territory, Matty Carlin and Ian Irvine, both who gave a masterful exhibition in defending in difficult conditions were equal to anything the Jockey could muster.

Dock had a concerted period of pressure leading up to the equalizer on 70 minutes, when Mark Head finished with aplomb after a neat one-two on the edge of the box.

Dock made a couple of substitutions, with one (Ian McGraa on for Jamie Kenyon) proving to be the critical and decisive change. Dock kept knocking on the door and it looked like Jockey would hold out for extra-time, when Dock scored a somewhat contentious winner in the last minute. After the referee initially waved for advantage for a foul on the edge of the Jockey box, and then Dock getting in a shot off target, he pulled the play back to signal a direct free kick for Dock.

Ian McGraa stepped up and coolly slotted home the ball from 20 yards to put Dock through to the next round. Although the game was not the best spectacle for the fans, Dock just about deserved their win for their second half dominance.

FT: Horse and Jockey 1-2 Dock.

Dock. 3-5-2 (with substitues in brackets).
Stevenson, Crotty (Byrne), Irvine, Carlin, Wingfield, Duckers, Hughes, Clampitt, Owen, Head, Kenyon ( I. McGraa).

Report: Peter Warburton
Pictures: Chris Stading

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