Division One Cup Final Sponsored By Darts in Donny

By Jon Preen

Division One Cup Final Sponsored By Darts in Donny

Denaby Utd Academy v Hemsworth Elite

The Darts in Donny Division One cup final took place between 2 of the high flyers in the division with table topping Denaby taking on second placed Hemsworth. It was expected to be a very close high scoring match with Hemsworth winning their 2 previous encounter this season 6-4 and 5-4.

Refereeing the final was Amy Hood who has had a fantastic season in the middle and is the first woman to referee a cup final in the league, congratulations to her and the rest of the officials for getting recognised for their performances over the season.

The match report comes courtesy of James Benfold of Denaby Utd who not only produced a great match day programme for the final but does a great job for them in the media....

Opponents Hemsworth Elite were put to the sword as the team won 5-1 to loft the trophy for a fully deserved victory which might have been more emphatic had it not been for a number of good saves from the Hemsworth keeper Rich Harris.

United took the lead only 4 minutes in when Reggie Kelly beat the offside trap, racing clear at goal before rounding the keeper and slamming to the ball home for a 1-0 lead. Hemsworth responded with shots from Young, King and Pegg though none of these troubled United keeper Ashley Banks. Banks was called upon to make perhaps his only save of the night when he saved well from a Whitehall header. On 26 minutes United went 2-0 up with a goal similar to the first, again Kelly beat the offside trap when racing onto a pass from Nathan Lovell, he rounded the keeper and though 2 defenders had raced back to cover the goal they could not stop Kelly's drive into goal.

Hemsworth again looked to respond but again their efforts were shots off target, firstly from Wilson and then from Young. On 39 minutes United took firm control of the final with a stunning free kick 30 yards out from Nathan Lovell, Lovell fired in a rasping shot which sailed over the defensive wall and clipped the underside of the crossbar before entering the goal to give United a 3-0, lead Connor Pratt almost added a 4th when he put in a firm header from a Lovell cross but saw Hemsworth Keeper make a fine save Half Time Denaby United Academy 3-0 Hemsworth Elite

United tested the opposition keeper with a Lovell shot and Chris Haines forced another fine save with a header from a corner before they did get a 4th goal, yet another good save from Hemsworth keeper Harris produced a corner and Kelly whipped the ball in from the right with Young slicing his clearance at the near post into his own net to make it 4-0. Josh Haines then had the ball in the net which was disallowed for offside but a 5th was not long in coming with a truly stunning strike from Nathan Lovell, taking possession of the ball in midfield, Lovell went forward a couple of paces before unleashing a truly terrific left foot shot which left the keeper rooted to the spot as the ball struck the back of the net.

Reggie Kelly then hit a post and forced another good save from the keeper as United looked as if they might score every time they went forward while Hemsworth though working hard failed to trouble United keeper Ashley Banks. Hemsworth did eventually get themselves a consolation goal near the end but even this had a bit of luck about it, Carl Wilson fired in a free kick which took a wicked deflection off the defensive wall, wrong footing United keeper banks with the ball ending up in the goal.

United might have scored a couple more with a blocked shot from Asa Blake and a good run from Dan Noonan being cleared as the United Academy side won the 2016 Division 1 KO Cup, a trophy the clubs 1st team won back in 2012. Full Time Denaby United Academy 5-1 Hemsworth Elite

Doncaster & District Senior League newsletter

Keep up-to-date with our exclusive email newsletters.

Subscribe