Meads Triumph in Final

Amateur Football Alliance Senior Cup Old Meadonians 2 Nottsborough 0

The Amateur Football Alliance Senior Cup will once more grace the Old Meadonians’ trophy cabinet after a year’s absence following a tense and hard fought match at the Civil Service ground Chiswick on Saturday.

Opponents Nottsborough, from the Southern Amateur League, a combination of graduates from Nottingham University and Loughborough College, are renowned for their fitness and boast twin strikers who have notched up fifty goals between them. Thus it was a matter of whether Meads’ Colin Hawkins and Ed Glover could outgun them on the day.

As it was the gusting wind made it hard for either set of strikers to use space to run at defenders and there ensued a war of attrition, which was absorbing and never lacked incident. As expected the graduates came at Meads very strongly from the start but were readily repulsed by Meads’ back four who snuffed out attacks to the extent that Kris Sayers did not have a shot to save until the last five minutes.

Meads have prided themselves on the combative tackling of their midfield and Saturday was no exception and although Nottsborough had a slight benefit from the elements after thirty minutes they had expended a lot of energy for no gain. It was Meads who almost went ahead when in quick succession Hawkins had a twenty-yard shot well saved and Dwain Rhone broke through on the right only to see his shot shave the far post.

The second half saw Meads with the wind at their back gradually wearing down the Nottsborough defence and Hawkins and Glover beginning to stretch their legs on the wings. Skipper Jack Costello was unlucky with an ambitious volley from twenty- five yards and it was a simple goal which broke the deadlock. With just fifteen minutes to go Costello headed a half clearance back across the goal and Kevin Quinn gleefully jabbed home from five yards. Five minutes later doubt was removed by a goal fitting for the occasion. Rhone was played in on the left and laid the ball back to Hawkins ,who from just outside the area cushioned a splendid volley into the top right hand corner.

Team: Kris Sayers, Dan Salanson, Dave Butler, Ian Williamson, Barry McGuinness, (Rupert Cope), Jack Costello, Kevin Quinn, Danny Bond, Dwain Rhone, (Steve Kearney), Ed Glover, (Steve Bowring), Colin Hawkins.

April 5, 2004