A simply stunning first half volley from winger Ollie Sitch set the University of Birmingham Men’s 1st football side well on their way to a vital win over title challengers Worcester.
Having already put UoB 1-0 up after just 12 minutes with a well-placed header, Sitch then went on to double his, and his side’s, tally ten minutes before the break with an outstanding first-time volley. Struggling with the windy conditions at Metchley, a Worcester midfielder miss-timed his jump for a clearing header, which gave striker Luke Barrow the opportunity to hoist the ball over his shoulder, more in hope rather than expectation of finding a teammate. Sitch however was there running onto the ball and volleying it first time to catch the visiting keeper well off his line to the send the touchline, and the commentators delirious. Listen below for Patrick Herbert and I’s reaction to the worldie.
Burn FM Lose there professionalism at Ollie Sitch’s stunner by Burnfm_Sport on Mixcloud
Speaking after the game, the 20-year-old claimed he “knew what was going to happen,” before explaining that when the ball was dropping: “I just had one thought in my head, I thought that’s going in the back of the net.”
Obvious comparisons were drawn immediately with a goal Jamie Vardy of Leicester City scored less than 24 hours before this one and when asked whether the two goals shared some similarities, the confident Sitch simply answered: “Vardy has nothing on me. I saw it dropping out the sky and I thought, he didn’t take any time over it yesterday, and I’m going to do exactly the same thing.”
So, 2-0 up at half-time, the UoB camp would have been confident of sealing a win against the one side between them and the top of the league, especially when just the other side of the break both Barrow and Nitin Mishra hit the post, before midfielder Jack Davies finally found the Lions’ third with a neat finish from close range in the 63rd minute.
The visitors pulled one back, but with only 15 minutes left to play it was too little too late for them as they conceded the top of the table spot to Birmingham. Winning by two clear goals was also vital for the Lions as that leaves their head-to-head at 4-3 in their favour over Worcester, which holds more importance than goal difference in this league, if the two are to be level on points come the end of the season.
Sitch and the squad have now set their sights firmly on their opposition next week, Oxford, with their star striker making it clear that the side “need to come out all guns blazing next week and really put a performance in and (eventually) win the league.”
Men’s Football 1st’s Worcester by Burnfm_Sport on Mixcloud
Jack Simpkin
