Kitcheners deserve Sunday cup victory
KITCHENER Taverners eased to a deserved victory in the Suffolk Sunday Cup against Mellis.
The Ipswich Sunday Football League won 4-1 in Sunday’s final at Bloomfields, home of Needham Market FC, to win the cup for a second time.
Zhen Young and Ryan Wardley gave them a 2-0 lead at the interval and although Mellis pulled one back via Tom Green four minutes after the restart, further strikes from Ethan Clarke and Byron Ingham underlined their superiority.
It meant more Sunday Cup Final heartache for Bury & District Sunday League side Mellis, who finished runners-up for the second season running and have now lost all four finals they have appeared in.
Kitcheners gave notice of their goal threat as early as the 12th minute when Young clipped the top of the crossbar with a shot on the turn after Danny Cunningham’s corner had not been properly cleared.
It was Young who fired the Ipswich side ahead after 19 minutes, Ethan Clarke’s cross from the left reaching Young at the far post and he sidefooted home inside the opposite corner.
It was 2-0 after 28 minutes, Cunningham’s inswinging corner from the right was volleyed into the net from inside the six-yard box by Wardley as the ball was allowed to drop waist high.
Such was Kitchener’s dominance that it was a surprise when Mellis reduced the arrears four minutes into the second period.
Tom Green showed good control to turn smartly and despatch a right-foot shot from Jack Stevenson’s deep free-kick beneath Joshua Hender.
It took Kitcheners 13 minutes to restore their two-goal advantage, Brendan Head failed to cut out Jerome Ingham’s diagonal crossfield pass and Ethan Clarke slotted home past Lewis Riches.
A drinks break in either half in the searing heat plus the setting off of a red flare which temporarily suspended play and the use or roll-on, roll-off substitutions meant there was plenty of time added on.
Sanchez Hamilton saw a powerful drive beaten away by Riches, but then a swift break down the right in the 94th minute saw Byron Ingham and Lloyd Clarke exchange passes before Ingham swept home inside the far post.
In the sixth minute of added time Jack Payne saw red after receiving a second yellow card for a foul to compound Mellis’ misery.
The cup and medals were presented by Suffolk FA Chief Executive Richard Neal.
The Teams
Kitchener Taverners: Joshua Hender, Ivan Buxton, Danny Cunningham, Lloyd Clarke, Zhen Young, Anton Clarke, Remuel Codrington, Jack Baker, Ethan Clarke, Asa Millard, Ryan Wardley. Used subs: Jerome Ingham, Sanchez Hamilton, Taurean Hamilton, Byron Ingham. Unused sub: Lee Leparvlo.
Mellis: Lewis Riches, Brendan Head, Matty Anderson, Ben Hugman, James Denney, Marcus Rolingson, Hayden Wilby, Jack Payne, Will Goulding, Harry Rolingson, Jake McDowell. Used subs: Jack Stevenson, Clark Field, Rob Payne, Tom Green, Nathan Styles.
Referee: Mark Potkins.
Attendance: 177.
