Birkdale Trophies Challenge Cup Final

Bovingdon AFC clinched the Challenge Cup after a narrow 1-0 win over Bushey Grove on Sunday.

Unlike the previous week's President’s Cup Final this was an all together different style of game with both sides cancelling each other out for long periods.

Bushey had the slight advantage in the first half, as Bovingdon seemed content to try and smother their opponents, and missed the opening period's two best chances.

After 12 minutes David Smith should have done better from close range when he fired wide when put clear, while just before the half hour mark Robert Ladmore saw a shot scrambled away from the line. However, Bovingdon’s defence was being well marshalled by Darren Keen, who gave a man-of-the-match performance at the back.

Bovingdon had far more of the play after the break and it seemed likely that one goal was going to be the difference. And so it proved when Bovingdon scored what turned out to be the winner after 68 minutes.

Bushey failed to clear an attack and Harry Woods saw his low shot parried by goalkeeper Steve Fabray straight into the path of Ollie Hammond, who couldn’t miss.

Chris Truman and Woods missed golden opportunities to seal the victory, with both firing over with the goal at their mercy when they should have at least hit the target, but in the final scheme of things the misses didn’t prove costly.

Bovingdon deserved the win based on their second-half display and now need Bushey to do them a favour in the final Premier Division game of the season on Monday when a Bushey win over Old Danes would give Bovingdon the runners-up spot ahead of Old Danes.

Bovingdon AFC: Baxter, Davies, Keen, Banks, Truman, McMahon (McNicholas 45, Strivens 84)), Hammond (Woods 75), Tebbs (Greatorex 38), McNicholas (Davis 34), Gray (Buttleman 75), Woods (McMahon 50). Not Used: Wright.

Bushey Grove: Fabray, Anderson (S.Shinkwin 86), Lynch (Mulvihill 75) Smith, Grant, Shavlts, Foley (King 64), Kenwright, Ladmore, S.Shinkwin (C.Shinkwin 71), Jones.

Division One

Champions United ended the season with a nine-goal romp against Roundbush, who only started the game with just nine men.

It did take United nearly 20 minutes to make the breakthrough but once they did the floodgates opened.

Chris Bryne struck a hat-trick, Steven Ward a brace, with the other goals coming from George Mundy, Leon Krol, Chris Palmer and Ron Simmons.