More silverware for Copperpot thanks to Hodson hat-trick

A hat-trick from midfielder Nick Hodson was the highlight of The Alan Haughton Trophy Final on Sunday (10 May) as Copperpot proved far too strong for an under strength Midland Phoenix outfit.

Prior to kick-off the major worry was whether or not Phil Crowther could muster 11 fit players for Midland and without the likes of Simon Riley, Matt Jackson and Todd Hayes his patched together outfit were never really going to prove any real threat to a strong Copperpot side.

Midland started the game on the front foot and were quick into every tackle, as the ankles of Pot midfielder Davey Luker would testify. Referee Nick Gibbons certainly had to be on his toes in the early exchanges as the tackles flew in and it came as no surprise when Chris Harris picked up the first yellow card of the game for another late lunge on Luker.

On seven minutes the game had its first moment of controversy as Midland Phoenix had a goal ruled out for what proved to be a foul throw-in. As midfielder Liam Ratcliffe finished neatly from the edge of the penalty area you could hear the buzzer on the arm of referee Gibbons. Assistant Ryan Bromfield was signalling to the official that there was something amiss. It came to light that full-back Dave Marshall had committed a foul throw in the build-up to Ratcliffe scoring and the goal was disallowed, much to the annoyance of the Midland bench.

In many ways it was a shame the goal didn’t stand as it would have given Midland the lift they needed to compete against their superior opponents but unfortunately for the neutral it didn’t and very quickly Copperpot were in the ascendancy. Time after time their midfield piled forward at will and they deservedly opened the scoring courtesy of a Johnny Lomas shot.

The pressure remained on the static Midland defence and with keeper Gaz Horrocks struggling to move because of an ankle injury they really were sailing up the proverbial creek without a paddle. That said, even if the keeper had he been 100% fit he wouldn’t have kept out Lomas’ effort or that of Chris Ogunyode five minutes later when he doubled his side's lead with a classy volley after his pace had left Gary Mason for dead.

Despite the setbacks Midland never throw the towel in but their tactic of hoisting balls forward to leading goalscorer Scott Highton was food and drink for composed defenders such as John Luker and Wayne Jopson. Midland kept losing possession too quickly and their defence was quickly put back under pressure.

In the dying minutes of the half Midland very nearly pulled a goal back when the hard working Highton, named in the divisional Team of the Year this week, wriggled free of his marker, but the alert Tyson was quickly out to smother his goalbound shot.

Half-time saw a change of tactics for Midland as Chris Harris dropped back into his usual role in defence and captain Tommy George moved into midfield. The tactic backfired two minutes into the second-half when a back-tracking George fouled the pacey Sam Butterworth in the area and Nick Hodson made no mistake from the spot.

From this point forward it was just a case of how many Copperpot would score as the lactic acid set into the muscles of the Midland players and they unable to keep up with the pace. All credit to them for their whole-hearted effort but as the bodies tired mistakes started to creep in and whichever Midland defender gifted Hodson his second with a free header from a corner will testify to this.

James Mooney and Carl Darwood entered proceedings as Copperpot looked to keep things fresh but this wasn’t an option for Midland as they had just one substitute.

Lomas scored his second of the game when a suspected cross looped over the head of the stranded Horrocks to make it 5-0 and salt was rubbed firmly into the wounds when Hodson completed his hat-trick with a right-footed finish to make it six.

For many years now Hodson was been at the heart of battles between the two sides and this will no doubt have been a moment for him to savour.

Midland: Horrocks, McDermott, Marshall, Mason, George, Fletcher, Harris, Trippier, Spiller, Ratcliffe, Highton.

Copperpot: Tyson, Prescott, Jopson, Luker, Cooper, Lomas, Luker, Hodson, Butterworth, Ogunyode L, Ogunyode C.

Man-of-the-Match: Nick Hodson (Copperpot)