The Reserves booked a Calvert Cup Quarter Final place with a comfortable 5-3 win over Philosophers on a grey day at Bullocksteads.

With R.S. Benwell and Jesmond Mysterons drawing 4-4 in the other Group 3 match, the Reserves are assured of finishing in the top two and so reach the quarter finals of the competition for the first time.
Garnett started well, despite a number of the team having not played together before. An enterprising run down the left from Thorpe played in Concoran who beat his man and got to the by-line before sliding in a cross in for the unmarked ROBINSON to poke home his first goal for the club.

Continued pressure forced a number of corners, and the expert left foot of Concoran delivered a perfect inswinging corner which was met with a glancing header from Pollard. The ball was on its way to the top corner when a diving defender produced an excellent 'save' to push the ball round the post. Referee Dunwoody had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, but produced no card for the blatant professional foul, showing that referee's in the league are still proving unwilling to enforce the rules correctly.

Pollard himself took the kick, but unfortunately telegraphed his intentions somewhat, and though his penalty was well struck and destined for the bottom corner, the Philosophers keeper was able to get across to save, and then react quickly to block the follow up from Elliot.

This blow did not affect the side however, who were playing some useful passing football, and when Philosophers were unable to clear a high ball into the area, JONES was on hand to pounce from close range, and atone for his earlier glaring miss from a Concoran back header.
Garnett were to go further ahead when the impressive Thorpe again linked well with Concoran and broke into the area to square across goal. Despite Pollard failing to get a touch at the near post, the ball still nestled just inside the far post, to give the delighted THORPE his first goal for the club.
Philosophers threatened only sporadically up the bank at the Steads, and keeper Shaw was rarely troubled until a rare slip from Miller let the onrushing forward in to sidefoot past Shaw from just inside the area. The three goal cushion was soon restored though when Martin, pushing forward from right back, arrowed a low ball into the area, and POLLARD finally got on the scoresheet, sidefooting home left footed from 10 yards.

The second half saw Elliot volunteer to take over in goal to give Shaw a chance to use his presence up front. Powers replaced Warwick on the right of midfield, an unfamiliar position, but one that would hopefully allow him to use his pace to get beyond a tiring defence. One particularly energetic burst seemed to drain Powers immensely but he was still able to win a free-kick midway into the Philosophers half. The alert Martin quickly floated in the free kick, which POLLARD met with a glancing header that found the net, in off the post, to give the Martin-Pollard combination its 2nd goal of the game.

Garnett visibly relaxed after this, and this combined with some tiring limbs, allowed the Philosophers back into the game. Having replaced Elliot in goal, Robinson was now to concede the first goal of his Garnett career as the pacy Philosphers forward broke into the box to score. Tiring limbs also meant that with ten minutes to go the majority of the team were caught upfield, leaving Thorpe and Miller heavily outnumbered by a Philosophers break. Thorpe produced his only error of the game, as he lunged in desperately, leaving the Philosophers through to score again.

There was time for the referee to disallow another Pollard header from A.Alexander's towering leap, but in the end Garnett were far more comfortable winners that perhaps the scoreline suggests.

Team: E.Shaw, A.Martin ©, R.Thorpe 1 MOM, L.Elliot ,P.Miller, A.Alexander, M.Warwick (A.Powers 52), D.Concoran, D.Robinson 1, K.Jones 1, M.Pollard 2.