Cuxton 91 3 v 0 Ide Hill

Saturday 20th May 2023, Kick-off 16.00

Kent County League Inter Regional Challenge Cup Final
Larkfield & New Hythe Sports Club, New Hythe
Admission including Programme: £5.00

Attendance: 400 (estimate)

Following my morning game at the Gallagher Stadium in Maidstone, I then made my way five miles westwards for this cup final at a ground I had visited earlier this season, as part of the Southern Counties East League groundhop event.

This was quite an intriguing final, with Cuxton playing in the division below Ide Hill, but who have had a much more successful season. Cuxton finished top of Division One Central & East, whereas Ide Hill finished in tenth place in the Premier Division, following twelve wins and seven draws from 30 league games. To reach today's final, both clubs have had to negotiate five rounds with Cuxton defeating Otford United 0-4, Greenways Acres 0-1 and K Sports Reserves 0-1, all away, before beating Guru Nanak 3-1 at home and then Bromleians 0-5 away. Ide Hill had beaten Equinoctial at home on penalties, Crayford Arrows 2-0 at home. Snodland Town Reserves 1-2 away, Peckham Town 2-3 away and finally Kent County League champions Borden Village 1-3 away.

On an afternoon which was warm and sunny, but decidedly chilly in the shade and in the stiff breeze blowing across the ground, Ide Hill dominated most of their first half, roared on by a sizeable and vociferous contingent, and it seemed like only a matter of time until they would open the scoring. And so it was something of a surprise that the first goal did not arrive until the 38th minute, and that it would be scored by Cuxton, when Jim Alderman ran into the ball in the penalty area, took a touch to put the ball into his other foot before driving it low past the keeper. And they doubled their lead three minutes later, when a low curling shot was parried by the keeper, but the ball ran to the feet of Tommy Davey, who tapped the ball home.

So a surprising scoreline at the break, as Ide Hill would be kicking themselves for failing to make the most of their early dominance. But they never really looked like getting back into the game in the second half as the game seemed to meander on, and Cuxton made absolutely sure of the win when they scored their third on 67 minutes, when the ball was threaded through the defence, before Caleb Bearman-Dyce slotted inside the far post. A disappointing day for Ide Hil was compounded when they were reduced to ten men in the 89th minute for a second yellow card. And so it was Cuxton who completed a league a cup double, lifting the trophy on the pitch shortly after the final whistle in front of loud support. But there is much for Ide Hill to look forward to, as they commence their groundshare with National League outfit Tonbridge Angels next season, which presumably signals intentions to climb into the National League System in the not distant future.