DIVISION THREE LEAGUE CUP FINAL MATCH REPORT

Blackmore Royals 2 Leigh Ramblers 1

This match was decided in a two minute spell midway through the first half. With both sides trying to knock the ball around on the wet but grassy pitch at Maldon and Tiptree FC  and neither side giving their opponents much time on the ball the match was proving to be a lively encounter both for the good sized crowd to watch and for the match officials to keep moving. With defences tight there were few openings until the twentieth minute when a tight offside call was turned down and Blackmore Royals made swift progress down the right flank and when the ball was pushed across the area Lee Varellas stole in from the left to slip the ball past the helpless Leigh Ramblers keeper.

Within two minutes the scoreline was 2-0 as Wayne Jarvis was fed a pass and from a good distance out hit a shot that skipped of the greasy surface and nestled in the net.  With their heads down slightly neutral spectators expected Leigh Ramblers to concede more goals but they rallied to deny Blackmore Royals anymore opportunities and went in at half-time with the scoreline 2-0.

The second half was once more a case of no quarter being given by either side and a couple of incidents resulted in Referee Martin Berry showing the yellow card but on the whole he kept the game flowing well. Gradually Leigh Ramblers had more of the upper hand but stout defending by Blackmore Royals restricted their chances. Onlookers felt the pressure had to pay but it was only in the eighty-fifth minute that a cross was misjudged by a Blackmore Royals defender who skimmed a header into the far corner of his own goal. That led to a frantic last few minutes but Blackmore Royals hung on to take the Trophy and winners medals presented after the final whistle by League Chairman Bob Brimacombe

Teams:

Blackmore Royals: Jon Mitchell, Sam Bicknell, Simon Warren, Matthew Sheehan, Ian Prince, Matthew Prince, Simon Moore, Gary Minns, Wayne Jarvis, Paul Cole, Lee Varellas Subs: Stev Shaw, Matt Chandler, Jared Hennesey, Niel Tenter, Aitch Page

Leigh Ramblers: Steve Green, Danny Flint, Jim Davis, Martin Duce, Greg Matthews, Trevor Kernott, Pat McKay, Scott Dowman, Gareth Ackery, John Selby, Howard Mackler Subs: Simon Macconville, Jeff Carr, Sinclair Walton, Paul Scmid

Referee: Martin Berry

Assistant Referees Martin Smith & Sam Everitt

Fourth Official: Joe Wrigley