YAXLEY LIFT THE CUP AFTER TIGHT BATTLE WITH WISBECH TOWN

YAXLEY 2 WISBECH TOWN 1
UCL KNOCK OUT LEAGUE CUP FINAL AT PETERBOROUGH SPORTS
1 MAY 2017 --- 3PM

YAXLEY UCL LEAGUE CUP WINNERS 2017

A goal 8 minutes from time thanks to Ross Watson settled the route the League cup would take back to Leading Drove and Yaxley Fc.  Three goals including the highlight of the game a superb strike from Liam Adams for Wisbech, 2 red cards and a lengthy injury delay you would have expected a thriller.  Sadly this was far from it but as so often happens in finals the day took over for these two excellently matched teams who once again it cannot be denied gave this encounter their all, but from a neutral point of view it was very similar to yesterday's CMFL League Cup final.
So another day and another cup final having witnessed the UCL final staged at Yaxley 3 years ago which saw AFC Rushden and Diamonds lift the cup I decided to make a trip south to Peterborough Sports who were hosting the final.  Having visited the club at the start of what had been a successful season once again for the club that now sees them move into step 4 I was quite looking forward to the re visit.

NICE NEW SHINY TIP UP SEATS

The calling of Bank Holiday Monday had thankfully not heard by too many in the way of the East Midlands Trains service heading towards Norwich and after just over an hour and a half the blog was departing at Peterborough station.  It had been a quiet and spacious journey an absolute luxury, for a change.  As a northerner you know you are further south than you ought to be when your first sighting is a Waitrose and to add to that it is promoting its new Sushi bar, don't these people do chips and mushy peas!
Returning along Bourges Boulevard towards todays Lincoln Rd venue luncheon was taken at the big yellow M's and although packed was at a very smart take away.  Arriving at Peterborough Sports just short of 2pm the build up was already starting with quite a few people lingering around and I guess a healthy gate of around 350 was achieved with like yesterdays game the bulk supporting one side, Wisbech in this case.

A NEW ADDITION AT SPORTS IN TIME FOR PROMOTION TO STEP 4

The ground was described in the visit in August for the game v Gorleston in the FA Cup but has had some nice new additions all on the club house side including new blue tip up seats in the stand, with credit here to the club officials who were cleaning down all the seats something many league clubs could take note of.  A new toilet block within a modern type of port a cabin had been added to this side and this will be an advantage, the only down side is that the business side is very tight when there is a big attendance.  A near neighbour to the new cabin is a smart covered terracing which nicely approaches the goal mouth but not right behind so as to be blocked by the goals, a good touch.  So some nice changes and once again for a UCL final the hosting club did a good job on the day.

FENNY HAD MADE THE LONG WALK FROM WISBECH FOR TODAYS GAME

Not much separate's these two sides in the league and on the final day of the season they both secured 5-0 victories and with many connections in staff this was sure to be a close game.  With their semi final routes to the final being equally tight Yaxleys a 1-0 win over Olney and Wisbech a penalty shootout victory against Desborough the tone was set.

GOALMOUTH ACTION FOR YAXLEY

So it turned out with the first period  showing very little in the extent of goal mouth action and with a close encounter predicted this is just what we got.  Five minutes before the break with every inch of ground being challenged for Yaxley saw Matt Sparrow and a Wisbech player challenge for a ball near the touchline and the former ended up crashing into the barrier and attached boarding as he remained still on the floor the referee called a halt to proceedings while Cuckoos physio Lauren Wood attended to the player.  At this point it should be made clear I didn't not see any intent to foul the Yaxley player and it looked to been just one of those unfortunate things.

MATT SPARROW AWAITS TREATMENT

With Sparrow still not moving and on his stomach the players were taken off the pitch and thankfully the ambulance arrived within 10 minutes otherwise I believe we could have had an abandoned game but the thorough attention of the medical staff and paramedics allowed the player to be moved around 4.30pm.  With 5 minutes to play to half time this was a difficult period and so it proved when Yaxley caught Wisbech flat footed with Dan Cotton pouncing to fire home the ball from 10 yards out.

EVERY BALL BATTLED FOR

After a truncated break we were underway again the game remained tight and Sam Spencer brought out a good save from Wisbech keeper Sam Vince while at the other end a lob from Michael Frew saw Aaron Butcher get back to save well.  The best goal of the game came on 62 minutes when The Fenmen levelled thanks to a wonderful 25 yard strike from Cotton.

A LITTLE TENSION CREEPS INTO PROCEEDINGS

The closeness had the game had started to show a few boiling points and with a few cards already shown it looked a cert that a red may follow and indeed it did on 71 minutes a simple trip on a Wisbech player concluded in a mini altercation between a selection of players resulting in Wayne Morris receiving red for Yaxley and Jonathan Fairweather a yellow for Wisbech.

RED CARD FOR YAXLEY

Then just 4 minutes later former Cuckoos front man Frew ran in for a high ball with the keeper and a Yaxley defender and cleaned both up.  After a quick consultation with his assistant referee Bright showed a second yellow with an upgrade to red and both sides were down to ten men.
This dismissal seemed to take the small head of steam Wisbech were starting to develop away from them as both sides levelled up the number count.  The winner coming 8 minutes from time a free kick off the left for Yaxley saw Wisbech fail to clear their box and Watson was on hand to guide the ball home to seal the victory.
The final as ever in cup finals saw one side jubilant and the other sadly desolate but as per yesterdays cup final this saw both sides give everything with everything left on the pitch, not a cracker entertainment wise but you could not question the effort.

THE JOYOUS SIDE AT THE END OF THE FINAL

The blog send best wishes to Matt Sparrow and hopefully he will recover quickly and enjoy his sides UCL League Cup victory.  With a finish around 5.30pm and a look at the presentation there was just under an hour to get back to catch the return train to base arriving just before 8.15pm.