Bank Holiday Monday 31st May 2021, Kick-off 12.00
Suffolk Senior Cup Final
The New Croft, Haverhill
Admission: £6.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 300 (estimate)
With hardly any games available locally for me today, and certainly none at a previously unvisited ground, I headed up to Suffolk for a double of cup finals, with this game having the appeal of featuring an underdog from Step 7, who had already defeated last year's winners in their run to the final, up against a team heading up to Step 5 for next season.
Suffolk FA County Cup Finals are usually held at Portman Road, however with Ipswich Town not being able to make their ground available this year, in order to give their pitch adequate recovery time, today's finals took place on the main grass pitch at The New Croft, home of Eastern Counties League Premier Division outfit Haverhill Rovers. Situated about half a mile uphill from Haverhill town centre, The New Croft is part of a large complex consisting of five junior pitches, a 3G caged pitch which hosts Eastern Counties League football as the home ground of Haverhill Borough, and the main grass pitch, on which today's games would be played. A fair sized car park is available along the front of the complex, and entrance to the ground is via a turnstile block which brings spectators into the ground along one length, to a large patio area with many picnic tables spread in front of the complex's main hub which houses, amongst other things, a bar and a hatch to the front where hot and cold food and drinks could be purchased. A modern all-seater stand straddles the half way line on the same side, with just hard standing available around the rest of the ground, save for a small grey metallic stand covering steps to stand on behind one of the goals. The ground has a spacious feel to it, with plenty of grass between the pitchside hard standing and the perimeter fencing along the other length and behind one of the goals. This was an all-ticket fixture, with tickets needing to be bought online and shown at the gate, and rather surprisingly for a prestigious County Cup final, no programmes were produced for today, not even an online version.
Lakenheath had the opportunity to top off what has proved to be a very successful season for them, having recently been awarded promotion to the Eastern Counties League Premier Division for next season, along with three other clubs from Division One North, after three seasons (two of those curtailed) playing at Step 6 level. They were in fourth place when this season was curtailed, having won seven and drawn one of their ten league games. In this competition open to Suffolk based clubs in various Step 6 and 7 leagues, Lakenheath won 0-2 at Felixstowe & Walton Reserves, of the Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division, and then defeated Suffolk & Ipswich Senior Division outfit Haughley United on penalties after a 1-1 draw, Beccles Town, of the Anglian Combination Premier Division, 4-2 at home, and finally fellow Eastern Counties Division One North outfit Framlingham Town 4-1 in the semi-final at the neutral venue of AFC Sudbury. Today would be Lakenheath’s third appearance in the final, having won the competition in the 2014/15 season. Bildeston Rangers have only been playing at Step 7 level for the last two seasons, in the Suffolk & Ipswich League Senior Division, and were in third place when this season was curtailed, following six wins and a draw from their ten league games. In their route to today's cup final appearance, their first three opponents all came from the Suffolk & Ipswich League Senior Division, starting with a 1-0 win at home to Capel Plough, then dispatching Ransomes Sports 2-3 away and Trimley Red Devils 0-2 away, before pulling off what was probably the shock of this season’s competition in the semi-finals, beating Eastern Counties League Division One North outfit and reigning cup holders Ipswich Wanderers 2-0.
On a gloriously warm and sunny early afternoon, the tone for the game was set in the very first minute, when Lakenheath had their first shot on target, a powerful drive gathered by the keeper. In the fourth minute, a curling shot from the edge of the area forced the Bildeston keeper to tip the ball over the bar, and Lakenheath would go on to have most of the possession, and most of the chances, throughout the first half, but just couldn't put the ball in the net, with shots going either off target, straight at the keeper, or forcing the keeper into decent saves. Bildeston battled well though, and certainly looked a threat on the break or with long balls launched forwards, but the scoreline remained goalless at the break, with very much all to play for.
The second half followed a very similar pattern to the first, perhaps unsurprisingly, with Lakenheath creating some really good chances, but still their efforts were either off target, straight at the keeper, hit the crossbar once, or increasingly drawing some good saves from the visiting keeper, Charlie de Lara-Bell, who was having an excellent game in keeping his side in the game. Still Bildeston were looking a threat when they managed to get forward though, and the game really could have gone either way, but finally Lakenheath found the back of the net just a minute from the end of regular time. Substitute Kevin Enaro gathered the ball just in his own half before taking it down the left wing and into the penalty area, evading a couple of defenders before crossing to the far post, for Tom Thurlborn to head home from six yards out. It was a crushing blow for the underdogs, but far from throwing in the towel, they came very close to forcing penalties in the third minute of added on time when a corner was swung in and hit the crossbar, and the loose ball was scrambled clear, and with the Bildeston keeper having come up for the penalty, the ball was worked to Thurlborn, who attempted a flighted shot at goal from the half way line, but the ball dropped onto the roof of the empty net. Lakenheath made absolutely sure of the win in the 95th minute when the ball fell to Enaro who ran clear down the left before calmly slotting the ball low across the keeper and into the net.
This was a highly entertaining and intriguing game to watch, and although Lakenheath certainly deserved to lift the trophy, looking more threatening throughout, Bildeston deserve enormous praise for a battling performance, more than holding their own against very strong and confident opposition who will be playing two steps higher than them next season, and with a bit more luck, the result could well have gone in their favour.
Teams:
Bildeston Rangers: Charlie de-Lara-Bell, Alfie Smith, Sam Sharp, Trev Vinyard (sub Dale Munson, 90+5 mins), Tim Rix, Shane Wanmer, David Lorimer, Daryl Alexander, Chris Cowan (sub Kalum Benham, 86 mins), Lloyd Dodsworth, Nathan Styles (sub George Buxton, 50 mins). Unused subs: Stu Brooks, Ben Goodchild.
Lakenheath: Charlie Beckwith, Finley Logan, Alex McIntosh, Sam Hawley, Casey Underwood, Scott Callaghan, Ryan Weaver (sub Rhys Mazey, 83 mins), Reece Clarke, Shaun Avis, Tom Thulborn, Kaine Manels (sub Kelvin Enaro, 59 mins). Unused subs: Evan Banks, Teddy Webber.
Referee: Chay Hathway.
Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking on the following link
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