2007-2008 Season Reports

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2007-2008 Season of the National Christian Cup & Trophy

So here we go into a new era of Christian-based Football, the 16th Season of the National Christian Cup and the first ever National Christian Trophy. Sponsors, Verit Creative Media remain for a second season and hopefully many more to come and we have an equal record 81 teams entering! We very much hope for numbers like that and more in the years to come after introducing another level of Competition! There are an amazing 24 new teams entering both competitions for the first time ever and we warmly welcome them! The current NCC holders, St Albans Romans FC have again entered, along with all but 3 of the teams that made the 06/07 season s last 16! The Cup, of 44 entries, seems to be wide open and it is difficult to predict who will go close this year with many teams very willing to oust the holders! The Trophy, containing 16 of the new teams, is very difficult to predict but we think it will be very close as the standard of the teams are much more on the same level, so it will be down to the team that seizes their moment and takes their chances on the day!!

1st Round Reports - National Christian Cup - National Section

Breckfield Crusaders, Liverpool, hosted Emmanuel, Cardiff, in an entertaining game played between two good footballing teams. It started with the home team very much on top and by half time, a headed goal and a close range tap in had given Breckfield what looked like a comfortable lead. However after 15 second half minutes, the scores were level. Two excellent deliveries into the box from Emmanuel caused confusion in Breckfield s defence and some good opportunism saw the away team back on level terms. At this point it could have gone either way but the game went into extra time. Emmanuel did go close when a superb free kick crashed off the bar and bounced away to safety but by half time the home team were back in front thanks to a cheeky back-heel after a goalmouth scramble! As Emmanuel pushed forward for an equaliser, Breckfield took advantage of the holes left to score 2 well taken goals and give a slightly flattering look 5-2 score line. A very enjoyable game with no really bad challenges to be seen.

Morley BSC, Leeds made the journey south to Stevenage to play FC Cornerstone and were pleased to see a big, flat playing surface which suited both team s style. Cornerstone had the opening chances and hit the post as well as the Morley keeper making a great save. However, against the run of play, a dreadful defensive mistake allowed Morley to take the lead. They got a second goal after breaking the offside trap and then a third from a pin point corner. Morley always looked confident of holding on despite Cornerstone's second half dominance in territory and possession and rapped it up late on to win 4-0. It was just not Cornerstone's day as the Morley keeper made a penalty save in the last minute. Credit must be given to both teams for a very competitive game played in the right spirit.

Osset Logos travelled across the Pennines to play St Bridgets, Liverpool and in a very hard fought first half, with both teams having plenty of possession, Ossett took the lead when St. Bridgets lost the ball at the back. Ossett seemed on the up until a corner led to a St Bridgets equalizer just before half time. As the second half went on, St Bridget s became stronger and stronger, taking the lead with a well worked goal from the left. However, Ossett had some clear chances when they hit the post and then had a man brought down when through on goal, with the defender remaining on the pitch! Another goal from Bridgets saw Logos push men forward only to leave gaps at the back which were exposed by a late fourth for Bridgets. Perhaps an unfair 4-1 scoreline but Bridgets did have the lions share of possession the second half.

One of the ties of the round saw Bolton Ambassadors take on FC Bootle, with Bolton starting the game strongly, hitting the bar in the first minutes. They took a deserved lead after 14 minutes but this only signalled a bombardment from Bootle, who profited from their direct game plan! The Bootle fight back meant they began to get a grip of the game but then conceded a second just before half time, as Bolton scored from a breakaway goal. However, there was a dramatic turnaround in the second half, which saw Bootle clearly in the ascendancy and looking like the only winners! They turned the game around with four goals, to win 2-4. It was a tough physical game, played in a good spirit, with the referee having an excellent game.

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National Christian Cup - Regional Section (South)

United Churches Chelmsford, visiting Selsdon Baptist Church, started very strongly in a game played in a very good spirit. UCC began to get on top, playing good football and after 25 minutes, a decisive through ball found a UCC forward take the ball in his stride and beat the keeper well. UCC extended their lead when the same forward was rewarded for his ambition as he found space in the box to beat the keeper from 10 yards. The second half saw Selsdon come out determined to get back in the game and although UCC looked most threatening for a while, it was Selsdon who found the net against the run of play. Selsdon then benefited from a UCC momentary lack of concentration, allowing the Selsdon striker to run unmarked and finish well. With 10 minutes to go and both teams pressing, it was Selsdon who got the winner, to crown an impressive comeback, to win 3-2. UCC pressed hard for an equaliser but would eventually finish in bewilderment at somehow letting an excellent performance end in defeat!

Lewin Sports, Streatham, back in the competition after a number of years absent, travelled to play Westside, Wandsworth. Lewin came in as under dogs, knowing Westside to be one of the top Christian teams around. Westside proved this with a great start, playing some good expansive football and went 1 up after 10 minutes with a good free kick which was headed in at the far post. Despite a lot of pressure Westside failed to add to their score and Lewin levelled with a well worked equaliser and began to take control for a while, pinning Westside back into their half. Then Westside broke free to regain the lead with a shot from a sharp angle. After the break and a re-shuffle, Lewin came out with all-guns blazing to equalise early on. It had become a midfield battle and looked like it may go to extra time when Lewin made another change, which paid dividends, scoring within a few minutes. As Westside pushed players on, Lewin scored a break-away goal to settle the game with 10 minutes left, winning 4-2. This was an excellent, well fought game with both sides battling until the end.

Two new teams fought out a local derby with Everlasting Arms, SE London playing local neighbours, Penge Family Church. Early pressure from Penge, saw them take an early lead when a shot thundered in off the crossbar. Everlasting Arms were trying to get back in the game and after 40 minutes were awarded a penalty but the Penge keeper saved well. Everlasting Arms came out strongly in the second half but the Penge back four repelled their attacks and then scored 3 quick goals to effectively seal the game. As Everlasting Arms wilted, Penge scored more goals to win 9-0!

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National Christian Cup - Regional Section (North & Midlands)

Bentley Baptist, made their NCC debut at home to Ecclesia, Sheffield and started off a little nervously, taking 10 minutes to settle into the game. They then dominated the opening spell, pushing Ecclesia back and creating one early chance that the keeper saved well. Having weathered the earlier storm, Ecclesia came out fighting in the second half upping their effort to a level that Bentley struggled to keep up with, dominating the midfield. It was difficult for Bentley to play the ball on the ground, resulting in high balls being played back to Ecclesia. After a few efforts on goal, Ecclesia finally broke the deadlock when a forward won a 50:50 challenge with the keeper and he picked himself up to slot the ball into an empty net. Bentley pushed for an equaliser and despite a last minute free kick giving Ecclesia a scare, they held on for a deserved 1-0 victory.

Focus FC, Liverpool entertained Derby City Church in a game played in an excellent spirit throughout. Focus were far too strong for a spirited Derby side as their Manager commented, we got battered and thoroughly outclassed in every department . The fast passing and movement allowed Focus to almost score at will and indeed they scored 5 times. Derby came out with more fight after the break and showed more pride, adapting better to the Focus style of play. However Focus scored again but to Derby s credit, they never stopped battling throughout and indeed scored a cracking 25 yard goal near the end but lost 6-1.

Newcomers Billingham Crusaders, Teeside played at home to Leeds Uni CU, finalists in 2006. In a somewhat scrappy first half, the students should have been well ahead, as they dominated proceedings, playing attractive football. Billingham had to work hard to stay level and the CU had 2 very strong shouts for penalties refused! Billingham rallied a bit in the second period and the game was a bit more evenly matched although Leeds still had more of the possession but still unable to put the ball in the back of the net! However, in extra time disaster struck for the CU, after an attempted clearance from a corner, cannoned off a Billingham player and back into the danger zone, before being tucked into the corner to give them an undeserved lead. Moments later, the lead had been doubled. An aimless ball over the top of the CU defence was put into his own goal by a CU defender trying to clear, for Billingham to win 2-0, somewhat against the run of play!

Another new team, Littleover Christians, Derby hosted South Parade, Liverpool but it was the Merseysiders that started the brighter and took the game to Littleover from the start, hitting the woodwork twice early on. It took Littleover 20 minutes to build an attack and remarkably they scored from it. South Parade came back strongly and soon equalised with a volley at the far post. However the earlier goal gave the home side confidence, regaining the lead with a rare attack. To go behind a second time after controlling possession seemed to knock South Parade s confidence and the game became a more even affair. However there was a second equaliser before half time and then South Parade took the lead in the second half from a counter attack and appeared to be comfortably heading for victory until a free kick on the halfway line was pumped into the box and a firm header went into the top corner. Extra-time saw both sides looking tired but South Parade were clearly the fitter and dominated, although Littleover rode their luck but the breakthrough for South Parade came with just 8 minutes left, from a 30 yard shot. The scoring was completed with another long range strike in the dying minutes. South Parade won 5-3 and were a credit to a hard working Manager and there was a lot of good banter between both sides after the game!

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1st Round Reports - National Christian Trophy - National Section

Molesey Community Church entertained St Boniface, Birmingham and it was the Midlanders that dominated the first 20 minutes but without scoring. As so often happens, the team under pressure opened the scoring and Molesey then went 2 up by half-time. Boniface worked hard to get back in the game and again mainly dominated possession but Molesey wouldn t lie down and amazingly scored a third! From this point on, they always held the upper hand despite having less possession. In a real seesaw second half, six goals were scored but Molesey were always 2 goals to the better and despite Boniface scoring with the last kick of the game, Molesey won 5-3, in a game played in an excellent spirit.

Newcomers, Christ Church Ware made the relatively short journey across the county to play Adeyfield Free Church, Hemel. Right from the beginning they were generally in the ascendancy and after 15 minutes took the lead but Adeyfield were able to weather the Ware pressure for some time. However Christ Church scored the goal of the game to break the deadlock after the ball was played into a Ware forward. A clever interchange found the player clear to sweep the ball into the bottom corner. This broke the back of any resistance and Ware scored twice more for a convincing 4-0 victory.

National Christian Trophy - Regional Section (South)

Regional Section (South) Hazlemere Sports, Wycombe played host to Duke Street Baptist, Richmond and the game started fairly even with both teams having several opportunities to take the lead. However, Duke Street began to find their feet and were more dominant, eventually punishing the Hazlemere defence with an outstanding one touch passing move to create the first goal. This was then followed swiftly by a second goal, just before half-time, when a striker broke away from the defence to slot past the keeper. Hazlemere fought back after the half time interval looking bright and pushed for a goal and their best opportunity came from a well placed shot by a home forward. Hazlemere never gave in and came close to a consolation in the dying minutes but Duke Street were always the stronger side throughout a game played in a fair spirit.

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