CSKA Emneth lift the Sunday Senior Cup
CSKA Emneth Vs Acle Rangers – The Norfolk Sunday Senior Cup Final, in association with One Broker
FDC Field of Dreams, 20.05.21, KO 7:45pm
Final Score: CSKA Emneth* 2 – 2 Acle Rangers
*CSKA Emneth win 4-3 on penalties
CSKA EMNETH LIFT THE SUNDAY SENIOR CUP
With less than a minute on the clock, Jake Miller opened the scoring for Emneth with a sweetly hit volley into the top corner from 20 yards out after two poor defensive clearances from the Acle Rangers’ back four.
Continuing the fast-paced start to the game, Acle came close to equalising moments later when Tom Cullumbine had a shot from close range. The strike goal-wards was met by a great block as multiple CSKA defenders put their bodies on the line. Sam Ellis could only blast the rebound high above the crossbar from a tight angle.
In the 17th minute Acle had their best chance of the game when Cullumbine rounded Luke Pearson after a well-weighted through ball from a mass of bodies in the centre circle. His low shot from a tight angle on the right was only blocked thanks to some brilliant last ditch defending resulting in a corner. From the corner Pearson was made to work when the ball bobbled loose at the far post and a powerful shot was hit low down the centre of the goal.
Long throw-ins from Wiley in the 32nd and 33rd minutes caused problems for the Emneth defence with Acle’s Perry Kelf firing just to the left of Pearson’s goal. Kelf had another chance from a similar distance five minutes later that ended with the same result, this time just going wide of the right post.
On the stroke of half-time, the CSKA Emneth high line was undone when Callum Alpin beat the offside trap and squared the ball to Cullumbine for an easy tap-in from 3 yards out. The teams headed into the break all square.
Half time – CSKA Emneth 1– 1 Acle Rangers
Rangers started the second half as the finished the first, on the front foot. More chances fell their way, but they were unable to convert any with Cullumbine having a header blocked on the line.
Against the run of play, CSKA Emneth regained the lead when Ben Jimson directed a very powerful header into the back of the net from a whipped free-kick, on the right hand side from Danny Setchell. A goal at the start of each half for the west Norfolk outfit.
On the hour mark, Pearson maintained CSKA’s slender lead with a brilliant double save. First from Alpin on the right and then from Ashley Baxter on the rebound as he was just able to tip the ball over the crossbar at full stretch.
With less than 15 minutes to go, some fancy footwork from Alpin left defenders on the floor in the Emneth box and he flashed the ball across the face of goal only to be headed clear by Jake Ogden.
Into the second minute of the seven added on, Acle Rangers equalised through Tom Cullumbine as he smashed home from close distance at the far post after a good ball across the face of goal.
With the scores level, the match headed to penalty kicks where the hero was the CSKA number 1, Luke Pearson, who not only scored from the spot but saved the fifth Acle Rangers penalty to win his side the cup.
Final Score: CSKA Emneth* 2 – 2 Acle Rangers
*CSKA Emneth win 4-3 on penalties
Line ups:
CSKA Emneth: Luke Pearson, Dale Palmer, Jake Ogden, Ryan Dennis, Joel Matthews, Oliver Williams, Ben Jimson, Danny Setchell, Jake Miller, Joe Reed and Toby Allen.
Subs: Callum Elsey, Aaron McKenna, Kieron Hamilton and Alex Forth.
Acle Rangers: Joe McGloghlin, Callum Wiley, Sam Ellis, Ashley Baxter, Danile Foreman ©, Jake Humphries, Callum Alpin, Elliot Altay, Tom Cullumbine, Perry Kelf and Nathan Page.
Subs: Sam Whiting, Shaun Dunthorne, Shaun Sandell, Matthew Fulcher and Harrison Tooley
Referee: Ashley Smith
Assistants: Louis Lofts and Stuart Jessop
Fourth Official: Mark Swaby
Attendance: 149
Player of the Match: Luke Pearson