| Hellenic League Match Reports | Fixture Date | 3rd & 5th May 2008 |
Hellenic League Cup Finals Weekend - 3rd & 5th May 2008
Cup Final’s Day at Fairford Town - 3rd May 2008
Fairford Town hosted the SBJ Insurance Brokers Challenge Cup Final and the Soccer Kits Plus Supplementary Challenge Cup Final on Saturday.
SBJ Insurance Brokers Challenge Cup Final
Hungerford Town 2 – 1 Almondsbury Town
The Challenge Cup Final saw Premier Division runners-up Almondsbury Town face third placed Hungerford Town with the opportunity for one of the teams to finish the season winning the Hellenic’s most prestigious Cup Competition. Both clubs had done very well in the league but finished behind Champions North Leigh.
Almondsbury started the game full of determination to atone for their championship loss but neither side could gain any real control in what was a disjointed and at times ‘fractious’ first half with tackles flying in all over the pitch. Right on half time Almondsbury took the lead when a free-kick into the penalty area was hooked into the net by Paul Metheringham.
Half Time: 0 - 1
The second half was more controlled early on and less frenetic but there was still little between the sides and there was still an undercurrent of venom in the play. Hungerford leveled in the 70th minute when Shaun Terry crossed to the far post to Ben Fitch who volleyed home for the equaliser. Three minutes later a mass confrontation ensued with almost twenty players involved and personnel from the Technical Area’s running onto the pitch to become involved. When order was restored by referee Paul Redmond and his assistants Almonds Saha Kabba and Simon Gilbert were dismissed for violent conduct, Hungerford had TWO players yellow carded in the incident as well, though a further red card would have been more appropriate. With a two man advantage Hungerford stretched the play across the park forcing Almondsbury players to chase and harry to keep in the game. But right on time Mark McMeeking was tackled but maintained the ball as he got to his feet first to hammer the winner in and retain the cup for Hungerford.
Soccer Kits Plus Supplementary Challenge Cup Final
Shortwood United 4 – 2 Ardley United (independent report)
Ardley United the holders of the Supplementary Cup were playing their second cup final of the season having lost in the final of the Floodlit Cup to Kidlington. Their opponents, Shortwood United, who finished 5th in the Premier Division were looking to end the season on a high.
The game opened with a bang, in the 1st minute Shortwood Luke Bennyworth pushed Ryan Wiffin and Danny Mason converted the penalty. Four minutes later Shortwood leveled when Will Steadman headed against a defender from a corner for the equaliser. Both teams found it difficult to break down defences on just before the half time break Shortwood took the lead when Andy Hoskins put a through ball to Chris Davis to beat the Ardley keeper.
Half Time: 2 - 1
Half way through an even second half James Coates increased Shortwood’s lead when he hammered in a 25 yard drive from an Ardley clearance. This caused Ardley to throw more players forward and they pulled a goal back seven minutes from time when Leon Gordon headed in a cross. With Ardley now in the ascendency and going for broke Three Shortwood players were left to run clear and it was Matt Green who hit Shortwood’s 4th from a Jody Beavon pass in the last minute.
League Vice President Hugh Arnold presented the match mementos to the teams and Match Officials.
Ardley United 2- 4 Shortwood United (Shortwood report)
Shortwood won the Supplementary Cup and a brand new kit from sponsors Soccer Kits Plus, after a thrilling final at Fairford on Saturday. Cup holders Ardley put up a spirited performance in a game that was always played in a good spirit and where in the game right to the very last minute.
Wood made the worst possible start when they went a goal behind after 79 seconds. As Wiffin raced into the area Luke Bennyworth pushed him down and Mason drove home the penalty. Wood thought that they might have got a penalty themselves just 2 minutes later as Davis was brought down as he chased Pearce’s long clearance but referee Simon Maynard only awarded a corner. It made no difference as Cant hit his corner to the far post where Will Steadman met the ball with a powerful header that flew in for the equaliser. The game swung from end to end with Wood playing some lovely approach football and Ardley chasing and fighting for every ball. Both sides created chances with Davis and Hoskins playing well off each other and Leon Gordon, for Ardley, looking dangerous with his tricky running.
Just before half time Steadman broke up an attack and powered the ball forward for Hoskins to flick the ball on to Davis. Although the keeper drove him wide Davis managed to push the ball home to give Wood the lead.
Half Time: 1 - 2
The second half carried on in much the same vein as both side’s swapped chances. Davis chipped a fraction high, Carrick headed just over for Ardley. Steadman just cleared the bar with a half volley and Mason volleyed over from a good position. Wood started to really assert themselves and Davis and Cant caused panic whenever they ran at the defence. Wood appeared to wrap the game up after 67 minutes when a corner was only half cleared and James Coates controlled the ball before sending a rasping drive passed Dixon into the bottom corner. Hoskins left the field to a rightful ovation and Wood continued to search for another goal. Cant saw a shot rebound off Dixon’s legs.
With 84 minutes gone Ardley were suddenly back in it, Gordon nipped in to head past Pearce from close range. Ardley really piled on the pressure and the tension grew. Wiffen, Mason and Gordon all had chances to level but in the last minute Wood broke away.
Ardley were committed up field and Coates measured his pass perfectly to Bevan who could have shot but saw Matt Green unmarked beside him. A cool finish followed and Wood could celebrate.
Afterwards John Evans said “Well that’s added a few more grey hairs! I thought we were a little fortunate to be 2-1 up at half time but overall I thought we deserved it. We played well in the second half especially."
" When they scored their second nerves set in and it was a relief to see Matt Green stick the final goal in. The whole team did well but Will Steadman and Ross Casey were exceptional and Chris Davis was a constant thorn in their side.”
The Chairmans Reserves Challenge Cup - 5th May 2008
Headington Amateurs 0 – 2 Shrivenham FC
This match was a close fought affair with Reserve One club Headington Amateurs, who won the Oxfordshire FA Intermediate Cup against Kidlington Reserves last month looking to make it a Cup double with a Reserve Section Challenge Cup win against Two West side Shrivenham in front of an excellent May Bank Holiday crowd of 202.
Both sides looked rather tentative in the first half and it took nearly thirty minutes for the best chance of the half to fall to Shrivenham’s Chris Cox, firstly, he headed against the post after Amat’s keeper Steve Skyrme slipped. The keeper somehow managed to pull off two good saves to further deny Cox before the break.
Half Time: 0 – 0
Headington attacked from the start of the second but completely failed in their efforts to break down an extremely tight and organised Shrivenham defence. On the hour that man Cox crossed from the Shrivenham right wing from a quick break and Paul Sanders struck the ball into the net for the lead. Ten minutes later Sanders provided the cross for Craig Whitebread to double Shrivenham’s lead. Despite their endeavour Headington were unable to find a way through the opponents defence and Shrivenham ran out worthy winners.
Sport Italia Hellenic Chairman Bob Dalling, sponsor of the Reserve Challenge Cup presented the momento’s to the match officials and players. Shrivenham Chairman Rob Forty was presented with a voucher for a new kit from the associate sponsor of all main Hellenic Cups this season SoccerKits Plus.
