Långholmen way too hot to Handel for students
Handelskamraternas IS 1-6 Långholmen FC
For those who braved the damp chilly conditions, this game provided an insight into what good, organized and fully committed football is all about as Långholmen FC dumped last year's beaten finalists out of the Cup.
Right from the off the omens were good for the away team as Handels failed to convert one of the two free penalty kicks awarded to teams in lower divisions as part of the Cup's handicap system. The Stripes' keeper Edwin Bergquist got down well to block the shot, which in all fairness was a very poor effort from Richard Nordenvall.
A no nonsense approach was administered by Långholmen, and with some effective passing and free flowing football it didn't take too long for them to make things even. Deri Thomas fired in a looping shot which sailed over the keeper and into the net.
It was at that point that you could see that Handels were just not up for this game, and the fact that they mustered only two shots on target during the whole game paints the picture perfectly.
Inside twenty minutes the tie was dead as a contest when counters from Deri Thomas and Andy O'Sullivan made it three.
Midfield general Robbie Graham controlled things effectively and - aided by Mattias Larsson, who had a great debut - made sure that middle of the park dominance was Långholmen's all the way.
It really was a big disappointment for the fans on the terraces that Handels put up such poor resistance and it is hard to believe that this same team made the final last year. A lot of the talk before this match put Långholmen a little as underdogs due to the hype surrounding their opponents in the last year or so, but the Långholmen team responded in the correct manner by doing all the talking with their feet.
Anton Björklund was in devastating form and he went from being goal provider to goal scorer directly after the restart with a hard shot that the keeper could only parry into the net.
O'Sullivan was on hand again twice to round off a well earned hat-trick and complete the rout.
Långholmen can look forward to the next round of the cup with a match against Div 3 side Rågsved or Kista Pars. On this form they might just be able to progress another couple of rounds.
For further coverage, including audio interviews with some of the players, visit Långholmen FC's website
Scot James
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For those who braved the damp chilly conditions, this game provided an insight into what good, organized and fully committed football is all about as Långholmen FC dumped last year's beaten finalists out of the Cup.
Right from the off the omens were good for the away team as Handels failed to convert one of the two free penalty kicks awarded to teams in lower divisions as part of the Cup's handicap system. The Stripes' keeper Edwin Bergquist got down well to block the shot, which in all fairness was a very poor effort from Richard Nordenvall.
A no nonsense approach was administered by Långholmen, and with some effective passing and free flowing football it didn't take too long for them to make things even. Deri Thomas fired in a looping shot which sailed over the keeper and into the net.
It was at that point that you could see that Handels were just not up for this game, and the fact that they mustered only two shots on target during the whole game paints the picture perfectly.
Inside twenty minutes the tie was dead as a contest when counters from Deri Thomas and Andy O'Sullivan made it three.
Midfield general Robbie Graham controlled things effectively and - aided by Mattias Larsson, who had a great debut - made sure that middle of the park dominance was Långholmen's all the way.
It really was a big disappointment for the fans on the terraces that Handels put up such poor resistance and it is hard to believe that this same team made the final last year. A lot of the talk before this match put Långholmen a little as underdogs due to the hype surrounding their opponents in the last year or so, but the Långholmen team responded in the correct manner by doing all the talking with their feet.
Anton Björklund was in devastating form and he went from being goal provider to goal scorer directly after the restart with a hard shot that the keeper could only parry into the net.
O'Sullivan was on hand again twice to round off a well earned hat-trick and complete the rout.
Långholmen can look forward to the next round of the cup with a match against Div 3 side Rågsved or Kista Pars. On this form they might just be able to progress another couple of rounds.
For further coverage, including audio interviews with some of the players, visit Långholmen FC's website
Scot James
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