UCL Review 2015 16

COUNTY CUPS REVIEW : THREE TAKE SILVER

The league enjoyed widespread success in county cup football with nine teams reaching finals in six different counties with only Bedfordshire lacking a finalist.

Three were successful in their finals with one final being held over to the new season.

Pride of place went to Leicester Nirvana who carried off the Leicestershire Challenge Cup for the first time, beating step 3 Barwell 3-0 in the final at the King Power home of newly crowned Premier League champions Leicester City. Nirvana had to survive first half pressure from the Northern Premier side but grabbed the lead in first half added time through Jordan Nelson and after the break it was Nirvana who took charge with two Pearson Mwanyongo goals, the second a penalty, securing a famous victory. Peterborough Sports were in sparkling form as they beat city rivals Netherton 5-0 at Peterborough United’s ABAX Stadium to lift the Northants Junior Cup. Netherton had claimed four UCL scalps on route to the final but found Sports far too good on the day. Avelino Vieira put Sports on their way and goals from Josh Sanders and Josh Moreman late in the first half all but settled the contest by the break. Dan Bucciero and Dan Clements completed the nap hand in the second half. There was a double dose of disappointment in Berks & Bucks. Newport Pagnell set a record by competing in their fifth Senior Trophy final, but they missed out on a third win as Flackwell Heath ran out 2-0 winners in the process avenging a 2012 final defeat by the Swans. In the Intermediate Cup final Olney lost 2-1 against Risborough after taking the lead through Jack Weeden. James Tammaro’s own goal in first half added time levelled the scores and Risborough won the contest late in extra time. Oakham made history as the first Rutland side to ever reach the Leicestershire Senior Cup final but they were well beaten 5-1 by Hinckley AFC at Holmes Park. Trailing by three goals at the interval, Oakham replied through Lewis Leckie on resumption but fightback hopes were quickly extinguished. Blackstones suffered the heartache of a penalty shootout defeat in the Lincolnshire Senior Trophy final at Sincil Bank. Stones opened up a two goal interval lead over Winterton with goals from Scott Ginty and Ben Porter, but were pegged back after the interval as the contest finished 2-2. Stones lost 7-6 on penalties after Carl Griffiths’ effort was saved. The only reserve team to reach a final was the Rushden & Higham second string who overcame Wellingborough Rising Sun in the Dog & Duck final of the Northants Lower Junior Cup. Ryan Kalla gave the Lankies the lead on the stroke of half time and after Sun squared the game, goals from Kris Hall and Kevin Dobson in the space of seven minutes took the trophy to Hayden Road. The Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup final will be played in the 2016-17 season after the Abbey Stadium meeting of Wisbech and Cambridge City was twice called off due to other commitments of the two clubs. The Fenmen had beaten Soham and Hardwick to reach the final. There were some other noteworthy performances from our clubs. In the Northants Hillier Senior Cup Rothwell Corinthians reached the last four for the first time and gave Kettering a run for their money in the semi bowing out 2-0. Potton were semi finalists in the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy before making a shock exit at Kempston Town and Bedford College while Raunds reached the last four of the Northants Junior Cup before coming unstuck on Netherton’s artificial surface. In the Northants Lower Junior Cup there were quarter final places for the Raunds, Bugbrooke and Rothwell Corinthians second strings and Kettering Elite Under 21 side while Eynesbury Under 21s were semi finalists in the Huntingdonshire Scott-Gatty Intermediate Cup, losing a penalty shootout to Warboys. Eynesbury lost 2-0 to higher grade St Ives in the Huntingdonshire Senior Cup final at St Neots, having earlier demolished holders Godmanchester 4-0 on their own ground in the semis.

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