11/05/2024 – REPORT – “THE PETER ANDREWS CHARITY CUP FINAL” – SATURDAY 11th MAY 2024 @ COGGESHALL TOWN FC
CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE
ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER FOOTBALL LEAGUE
THE PETER ANDREWS CHARITY CUP FINAL
GREAT BENTLEY FC. 3. CAVENDISH FC. 0.
Date: Saturday 11th May 2024. Venue: “The Crops”, Coggeshall Town FC.
A scorcher of an afternoon greeted those who attended this Cup Final, a final that had been postponed from last season owing to lack of days on which to play the final and the fact the original trophy for “The Amos Cup” had gone missing! In stepped the ESBFL, President, Lt Col Peter Andrews, OBE, who kindly donated a new trophy, “The Peter Andrews Charity Cup”, so a new competition and inaugural winners.
On a very warm afternoon the appointed referee for this match, was the experienced Carl Pearce who was ably assisted by Simon Lyons and Paul Donaghy with Lewis Earl acting as the Fourth Official. A smaller than expected crowd had made their way to “The Crops”, home of Coggeshall Town FC, but I have to say the pitch looked in excellent condition and is a credit to the Club.
Great Bentley kicked-off with early pressure from McMahon down the right side to Vaughan, keeper, Williamson rushed out but shanked his clearance into touch for a throw-in, at the other end Finch gave chase to a long ball but keeper, Allwood was there first. From the keeper’s clearance, defender Dowding made an error under pressure from Evans, and this, having flat-footed his fellow defenders, allowed RORY WARIN to score when running through. At five minutes, Great Bentley held the balance of possession, Vaughan, a willing runner down the right side, burst forward, moved inside but hit his shot straight at the keeper. In defence, Copeland, defended well near the corner flag when Liskus threatened and from his long clearance, Cavendish were on the back-foot as Warin and Evans looked to capitalise and Great Bentley were beginning to push the ball around with confidence. Another long clearance from Copeland fell to Vaughan, who gained, then took the corner, the ball directed towards the far post where Copeland rose higher than anybody else but was still short of making contact. Despite the warm weather, both teams were committed to a fast start, Warin found space down the left side, finding Evans who forced a corner off Dowding, then a long cross from Baird was gathered over the penalty spot by keeper, Williamson.
Great Bentley increased their lead on fifteen minutes, it might have started from “route one” from keeper, Allwood, Firkins controlled the ball on the edge of the penalty area before striking a goal-bound shot that forced keeper, Williamson, into a fine save, but the parried ball rolled away towards goal where defender Dowding was beaten to it by RORY WARIN, another case of poor defending, clearly nothing was going for Cavendish at this stage. Five minutes later and Cavendish struggled to clear the ball away from their penalty area, Mountenay, slipped the ball through to Vaughan, whose shot was saved by keeper, Williamson with the follow up shot from Firkins being blocked by Wanmer, at the far post. Warin was finding plenty of space down the left side and defender Melia was struggling to contain the lively forward on his return from injury, from his cross Vaughan, set the ball back to Peace, who’s cross was headed back to his keeper, Williamson, by Wanmer. The referee called a halt to proceedings, at the mid-half point, this allowed players to get some water on board as the heat continued. Cavendish did get forward through Childs on twenty-five minutes but Copeland, a new player acquisition for Great Bentley, this season, but the composed central defender, cleared up-field to set another attack going. On twenty-seven minutes, Great Bentley scored their third goal, keeper, Allwood passed out to McMahon and from his raking cross field pass from inside his own half, RORY WARIN controlled the ball in his stride before striking the ball with the outside of his right foot to beat the stranded keeper, a fine strike and a hat-trick completed in the first half.
The Cavendish response to going three goals behind, was immediate, Childs and Huwes linked up down the right side, McMahon cleared the first goal attempt, Liskus followed up to gain a corner off Copeland, taken by Hubbard, who received the ball back from Finch before shooting over the crossbar from thirty yards. Hubbard was then found defending as Vaughan got forward, with Warin getting another corner off Melia, who had stuck to his difficult task. Vaughan took the corner kick, Evans rose to head home, but was adjudged to have fouled the keeper as he jumped, correct decision from where I was standing. A number of crunching tackles had been seen, nothing sinister or dangerous, just full-blooded effort from all players, its called commitment. Vaughan sent in a grubber of a shot that saw keeper, Williamson scramble to save, from his pass out to Melia, his ball forward saw Dye, on the chase, but keeper, Allwood, almost a spectator was alert and cleared the ball, the last chance of the match fell to Liskus, who headed a cross from Childs, over the crossbar.
HALF-TIME: 3 – 0.
From the half-time restart, Cavendish replaced Melia with Mann, and the Suffolk based team needed to raise their game against the usually competitive Great Bentley outfit. Huwes showed some good footwork wide on the left side but there was no end, result, and followed a spate of misplaced passes from his team who had been rushed into making errors in the first half. Vaughan, as usual was in the thick of Great Bentley attacks, his right sided berth found him passing to Warin who played in Evans who thrashed the ball over the crossbar. Best chance for Cavendish came on fifty minutes, Liskus gave chase, he looked up and lobbed the advancing keeper, the ball landing on the top of the net but a better build up involving Hubbard and Childs. Hubbard found Liskus but keeper, Allwood saved easily, Childs won a corner off Copeland, the same player heading clear the corner from Hubbard, at the other end Vaughan gained a corner, took the kick himself finding Evans who set up Copeland who shot wide. Great Bentley picked up their first half dominance as we approached the hour mark, keeper, Allwood easily found Vaughan who set the ball forward to Evans who lobbed the advancing keeper, Williamson, the ball hitting the crossbar.
Williamson was forced into another fine save when Jordan shot goalwards after beings et up by Firkins, Evans was injured in a chase with Wanmer and keeper, Williamson, when trying to get onto a pass from Vaughan. Great Bentley replaced both Baird and Mountenay with Smith and Wright on the hour mark, Hubbard, was the lynchpin of most moves from the Cavendish midfield, from one free-kick, and there had been very few in this match, Huwes failed to control the ball and the chance disappeared. Dye was replaced by McNicholas, and his involvement was to foul Wright mid-half. A quickly taken free kick found Vaughan free on the right side and from his cross the ball was headed out to Smith who shot over the crossbar. This half didn’t have the same thrust and flow as the first half, goalscoring chances were few and far between, perhaps the heat is taking its toll as another breaks break was signalled. When Mann was chased down by Vaughan, he conceded a corner, thus putting more pressure on his overworked team-mates.
On seventy-five minutes more player changes, off went Warin with Britton entering play, Smith forced a corner off Dye from which keeper, Williamson, made a fine save to deny Smith, a promising young player from the “A” team. Great Bentley then introduced Herbert and veteran, player/manager, Murray for Evans, and Firkins, with Cavendish replacing Hubbard with Ditton. Cavendish, keeper, Williamson, made a fine save to deny Vaughan from close range, Wanmer fouled Herbert on the corner of the penalty area, and from the free-kick Smith headed wide, the next two chances both fell to Vaughan but keeper, Williamson was equal to both efforts and keep his goal intact, at least for this half!
FULL TIME: 3 – 0.
This was the inaugural “Peter Andrews Charity Cup” final, played for season 2022/2023 in front of a crowd estimated at eighty-five, this by teams, who were in the old Division One for that season, Cavendish had dropped a division by request, but Great Bentley who remain competitive in all matches have finished mid-table this season in Division One, their ambition is to return to the Premier Division, after an absence of several years, the Clubs set-up and facilities warrant that aspiration.
League Chairman, John Campany assisted by League Secretary, Alison Stanford, and League President, Lt Col Peter Andrews. OBE, handed out mementoes to the four Match Officials, followed by the losing team, Cavendish FC and finally the winners, Great Bentley FC, who celebrated in the style that is now synonymous with cup wins.
Now, let’s turn to my “Star Players”, usually for Cup Finals I chose a player from each team, for Cavendish FC this was a second cup final defeat, having lost to Redgrave Rangers FC in the Suffolk Primary Cup, however, for this match keeper, Williamson, made numerous saves to keep his side in this match, his team mates gave their all but they were beaten by a resilient Great Bentley FC team. For Great Bentley FC, clearly a team effort, every player, be it a First, Reserve or “A” team player gave one-hundred per-cent, Copeland was a leader in defence, Firkins and Jordan starred in midfield, Evans gave them a target player with Vaughan giving his usual whole-hearted display but with a first-half hat-trick it has to be Rory Warin, this was his first match back after injury.
Teams:
GREAT BENTLEY FC:
Colours: Blue & White Shirts, Blue Shorts and Blue Socks.
Team:
Jake Allwood (C)., Ryan McMahon., Alfie Peace., Lewis Mountenay., Max Copeland., Matt Baird., Kurt Firkins., Rafferty Jordan., Gareth Evans., Jake Vaughan., Rory Warin.
Manager: Jack Murray.
Assistant Manager: Greg Taylor.
Used Substitutes: Archie Smith., Toby Britton., James Wright., Oscar Herbert., Jack Murray.
CAVENDISH FC:
Colours: Red & Black Shirts, Black Shorts and Red Socks.
Team:
Tom Williamson., Jordan Melia., Callum Brind., Shane Wanmer., Dave Dowding., Jack Hubbard (C)., Josh Huwes., Connor Dye., Harry Liskus., Lloyd Finch., Harrison Childs.
Manager: Liam Cawtheray.
Used Substitutes: Connor Mann., Oliver Ditton., Liam Cawtheray.
Unused Substitutes: Nathan McNicholas., James Rendell.
Referee: Carl Pearce.
Assistant Referees: Simon Lyons & Paul Donaghy.
4th Official: Lewis Earl.
Star Player: Rory WARIN (GREAT BENTLEY FC)
Tom WILLIAMSON (CAVENDISH FC)
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