FROM BRINK OF ELIMINATION TO CHAMPION: JONES TAKES GLORY IN GILLINGHAM

ESA
11 hours ago
3 min read

It was a tournament of two halves for Victor Jones, as the Langton Green player won the FISTF English International Satellite event in Gillingham, Kent.

Jones looked to be exiting at the group stage, after a goalless draw with Adam Wells and a 2-0 defeat against the improving Simon McMurray in his opening games. A scrappy 1-0 win over Terry Arnold gave some hope of qualification.

It however took two late goals for McMurray to turn around a 2-1 deficit against Wells, to deny the latter a place in the elimination stages and allow Jones to creep through.

The knock out stages were a different story for Jones. He traded goals with Ian Aggett in the Barrage Round – albeit the second equaliser coming seconds from the end of normal time, following a fortunate back decision. Jones though attacked from the start of the overtime period, and having seen an early shot saved, he scored from the resulting corner.

In the last 8, the Harrow Hawks club player established a two goal lead over Marco Ghigliotti, before a late consolation goal spurred a spirited fightback, which Jones withstood.

Jones’ goal led a charmed life at times in the semi-finals and final, against full England internationals, and top seeds, Kevin Cordell and Sam Curtis.

Against Cordell, his opponent had chances, but the game was settled in favour of Jones, thanks to a goal, struck on the move, midway through the second half.

Jones also had to be alert in the final against Curtis, with the Yorkshire Phoenix player forcing several saves, but also making some uncharacteristic errors with short flicks.

The deciding goal in another 1-0 victory came at the midpoint of the first half, with Jones clipping the ball past his opponent’s keeper, via the post.

Jones defended stoutly in the second half, whilst also creating chances of his own. He comfortably played out the closing minutes to secure his second ever Satellite tournament win, having previously won in Huntingdon in 2007.

Curtis had come through tough games against Alan Lee and Paul Andreas in the prior rounds, with the deciding goal in a 2-1 victory over Andreas coming with the final flick of the game.

Having won his three group matches, Simon McMurray was unfortunate to face Andreas in the Barrage Round, were he succumbed on shots after a goalless draw. At the same stage, Malcolm Jamieson beat Kent clubmate Kye Arnold in overtime, but then lost 2-0 to Andreas in the quarters.

Adam Jackson completed the quarter-final line up, losing 5-0 to Cordell, but having earlier pushed Curtis close in an eventual 3-2 defeat in the group stage.

Langton Green “B” – Cordell, Lee, Jamie Warren and Steve Wonnacott – won the team event with a 3-1 final victory over hosts Kent Invicta, Warren’s victory over Kye Arnold, being the standout result. Wolves and CHASERS were the semi-finalists in a 7-team competition.

Warren completed a clean sweep of the winners’ trophies for Langton Green by claiming the Under 16 prize, beating Kent’s Hadley Chapman 1-0 in a close final.