Journey’s end after a long season
The season’s last final for the Montgomery Cup, the League’s highest ranking challenge cup competition, saw Rotherfield and holders Peacehaven United go right to the wire before its destination was determined. Goals from Rotherfield’s David Kilby and their opponent’s Curtis Ford and a penalty miss by Rotherfield a few minutes from normal time conspired to take the tie to extra time and ultimately a penalty shoot -out, in which Peacehaven managed to take the the trophy 3-2 in the seventh round of penaly kicks!
Earlier in the week two further cup competitions were decided at Leylands Park. At the first last Tuesday (6 May) the League was delighted to welcome Mathew Major, the recently elected Chairman of the Sussex County Football Association, who at the end of the match presented the Mid Sussex Junior Charity Cup to AFC Haywards, who ran out 5-1 victors over Crawley-based Sporting Elite, together with medals to both teams, the match officials and the man of the match AFC’s Shamen Blythe.
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Hide AdThe following evening (Wednesday 7 May) saw local side Burgess Hill Albion taking on Balcombe in the final of the Mid Sussex Senior Charity Cup and, when it looked inevitable that extra time would ensue, Balcombe’s George Evans stepped up to convert a free kick just outside the penalty area with a superb strike to gain his side the trophy by a solitary goal and, for his performance throughout the 90 minutes, Balcombe’s Ryan Davidson receiving the man-of-the match award.
As a result of its two charity cup competitions the League’s Management Committtee at a meeting on Monday awarded a total of £700 to three Sussex-based charities.