Although for many the season had already ended, in Hertfordshire there was still the small matter of the County Senior League Premier Division to decide on Saturday. Two teams were still in with a shout of taking the title, the reigning champions, Chipperfield Corinthians, and Hinton who last won the title in 2011. Chipperfield led the way with a one point advantage and a superior goal difference. Consequently, the day's objectives were clear for both teams. If Chipperfield won, it didn't matter what Hinton did. If Chipperfield lost or drew, Hinton needed to win to take the title. Hinton were away at last season's Division One champions, Westmill, who started the day in fifth. Chipperfield were also on the road, taking on Cuffley who started the day in fourth. These two were also the top two last season.
My game choice was Cuffley v Chipperfield. The reverse fixture, on the opening day, had ended in a 1-1 draw. Last season's meetings had both ended in away wins, Corinthians winning 2-0 at Cuffley but losing 2-1 at home.
A big thank you to the match officials who shared the team sheets with me before kick-off, especially as I had to go back for a second shot after managing to cut off the shirt numbers from one of the sheets.
My game choice was Cuffley v Chipperfield. The reverse fixture, on the opening day, had ended in a 1-1 draw. Last season's meetings had both ended in away wins, Corinthians winning 2-0 at Cuffley but losing 2-1 at home.
A big thank you to the match officials who shared the team sheets with me before kick-off, especially as I had to go back for a second shot after managing to cut off the shirt numbers from one of the sheets.
Davis puts Cuffley ahead As you would expect between two top teams, with so much at stake, it was a fairly cagey start. Chipperfield's Bobby Lowe struck the first effort on target in the sixth minute, but it was a very comfortable stop for Steve Georgiou. Play continued to be focussed largely on the midfield third, as both teams battled to establish some kind of advantage. If anything it was the visitors who looked the more dangerous, with Lowe' space on the right a big threat.
However, it was Cuffley who took the lead in the 19th minute when Sam Rogers weaved into the penalty area and was clipped. Devante Davis stepped up, sending Zak Green the wrong way. 1-0
Chipperfield responded well and when Lewis Toomey met a low cross from the right, his effort wasn't too far wide. A few minutes later Lowe stung Georgiou's hands with a good strike, but the keeper recovered well to get a hand to the loose ball ahead of Toomey. Then, just before the half-hour mark, the visitors drew level. A long throw from the right was controlled well by Sam Hutchings. He flicked the ball inside to Lewis Toomey, who sent a first-time volley spiralling into the far corner. 1-1
Despite the fact that Cuffley were not in the title race themselves, they were not going to go down without a fight in this game. Four minutes after the equaliser the home side really should have been back in front when a deep cross from the left was knocked back across goal to Davis who, with the goal gaping in front of him, seemed to hesitate for a second, just enough time for a Chipperfield defender to get across and hack the ball clear. A big let-off for Corinthians.
The game once again fell back into a hard-fought midfield battle for a while, before bursting back into life with four minutes of the first-half remaining. Cuffley again were first to show, a long ball down the right finding captain Joe Willis who, under pressure from a defender, could only find the side-netting. Responding in kind, Chipperfield went straight up the other end. A delightful through ball on the right sent Bobbly Lower clear. The speedy winger just about caught the ball and sent over a perfect first time cross for Lewis Toomey to power a header past Georgiou from close range. 1-2
The visitors had their noses in front and it could easily have been a bigger margin when Cuffley gifted them the ball inside their own box in the final minute of the half. Toomey's snapshot looped up and could have been dropping in before Georgiou palmed it over the bar.
HT Cuffley 1 Chipperfield Corinthians 2. A good response from Chipperfield after going a goal down. News had also reached the ground that Hinton were a goal down to Westmill at half-time. SO, as it stood, Chipperfield were well on track to take the title.
However, it was Cuffley who took the lead in the 19th minute when Sam Rogers weaved into the penalty area and was clipped. Devante Davis stepped up, sending Zak Green the wrong way. 1-0
Chipperfield responded well and when Lewis Toomey met a low cross from the right, his effort wasn't too far wide. A few minutes later Lowe stung Georgiou's hands with a good strike, but the keeper recovered well to get a hand to the loose ball ahead of Toomey. Then, just before the half-hour mark, the visitors drew level. A long throw from the right was controlled well by Sam Hutchings. He flicked the ball inside to Lewis Toomey, who sent a first-time volley spiralling into the far corner. 1-1
Despite the fact that Cuffley were not in the title race themselves, they were not going to go down without a fight in this game. Four minutes after the equaliser the home side really should have been back in front when a deep cross from the left was knocked back across goal to Davis who, with the goal gaping in front of him, seemed to hesitate for a second, just enough time for a Chipperfield defender to get across and hack the ball clear. A big let-off for Corinthians.
The game once again fell back into a hard-fought midfield battle for a while, before bursting back into life with four minutes of the first-half remaining. Cuffley again were first to show, a long ball down the right finding captain Joe Willis who, under pressure from a defender, could only find the side-netting. Responding in kind, Chipperfield went straight up the other end. A delightful through ball on the right sent Bobbly Lower clear. The speedy winger just about caught the ball and sent over a perfect first time cross for Lewis Toomey to power a header past Georgiou from close range. 1-2
The visitors had their noses in front and it could easily have been a bigger margin when Cuffley gifted them the ball inside their own box in the final minute of the half. Toomey's snapshot looped up and could have been dropping in before Georgiou palmed it over the bar.
HT Cuffley 1 Chipperfield Corinthians 2. A good response from Chipperfield after going a goal down. News had also reached the ground that Hinton were a goal down to Westmill at half-time. SO, as it stood, Chipperfield were well on track to take the title.
Zak Green looking for a winner The visitors were back out early, ready to go for the second half and were on the offensive from the first whistle. Only a minute had gone when Toomey intercepted a loose pass, looked up to see Georgiou off his line, and sent a lob narrowly over the Cuffley bar. The visitors were clearly keen to sew things up. However, football is never that straight-forward, that's why we all love it so much.
There minutes into the second half, things changed around. A Cuffley through ball, straight down the middle, gave Joe Willis something to chase. The home captain got there a split second ahead of Zak Green, who had sprinted off his line. Both players ended in a heap but, crucially, the Cuffley captain had managed to poke the ball under the keeper and into the net. 2-2. As if that wasn't bad enough for Chipperfield, news was filtering through that Hinton were on the comeback trail over at Puckeridge.
The visitors knew they needed to get another goal to make Hinton's efforts inconsequential and they came within a whisker of getting it just past the hour. Bobby Lowe, who had been a thorn in the Cuffley side all game, cut in from the right and unleashed a stunning left foot strike that beat Georgiou but crashed against the crossbar.
With Hinton now leading at Westmill a further Corinthians goal had gone from being a safety cushion to a necessity.
With just over twenty minutes remaining, Cuffley's Drew Tyler sent a 20-yard freekick sailing over the Corinthians bar, just to warn them that they couldn't throw everyone forward.
The game was becoming more stretched as players tired and the visitors tried to increase their efforts for a third goal. Dan Griggs dragged a low shot wide of Georgiou's far post before Green was again called into action for Chipperfield, diving to his right to push away an acrobatic effort from Dan Jones.
Bobby Lowe then flashed a shot across the face of the Cuffley goal and Griggs fired straight at Georgiou before, with three minutes remaining, Chipperfield thought they had snatched a winner but, despite having the ball in the net, the referee had already blown for a foul on the goalkeeper.
Into added time and the two Hinton supporters who had come to watch this game, were now next to the Cuffley bench, ready to celebrate with the home team. Hinton were 3-1 up and minutes away from the league title. However, their nerves were being tested when Lower fizzed a freekick just too high and wide. Nails were then being bitten when Chipperfield were awarded a corner in the 96th minute. Goalkeeper Zak Green was sent forward, but couldn't get on the end of it. The ball was cleared out for a throw-in to Chipperfield. Green stayed up in anticipation. The throw was delivered towards the near post and flicked on towards the back post where Lewis Smith was lurking to send a header into the home net. 2-3. Absolute scenes amongst the Chipperfield players and bench, they'd snatched the win with the last action of the game.
FT Cuffley 2 Chipperfield Corinthians 3. What a game to end the season. Massive congratulations to Chipperfield Corinthians, who never gave the game up and go their rewards in the final seconds of a long season. They take the title for a second consecutive season. Not only that, but the team also completed an amazing quadruple, winning the league, the Norman Appleby Cup, The Anagram Records Trophy and the Centenary Cup. That's a fantastic achievement at any level of the game.
Thanks must go to Cuffley for playing their part in a brilliant afternoon of football. Despite not having much to play for themselves, they pushed Chipperfield all the way and could easily have won the game themselves. Commiserations must also go to Hinton, who must have thought they had the title in the bag, only to be denied at the very death.
Cuffley: 1.Georgiou, 18.Gubb, 3.Cooper, 4.Norton, 5.McKenzie, 6.Bostock, 7.Willis(c), 8. Tyler, 14.Davis, 10.Rogers, 11.Jones. Subs: 12.Lasku, 17.Oxley-Fricker, 9.Robinson, 15.Buckingham, 16.Evans
Chipperfield Corinthians: 1.Green, 22.F.Lowe, 23.Forkin, 24.Hutchings, 32.Wallace(c), 33.Smith, 27.B.Lowe, 28.Slade, 30.Toomey, 20.Hobbs, 21.Griggs. Subs: 25.Nicholls, 26.Hoar, 29.Yallop, 31.Colgan, 34.Lesslie
There minutes into the second half, things changed around. A Cuffley through ball, straight down the middle, gave Joe Willis something to chase. The home captain got there a split second ahead of Zak Green, who had sprinted off his line. Both players ended in a heap but, crucially, the Cuffley captain had managed to poke the ball under the keeper and into the net. 2-2. As if that wasn't bad enough for Chipperfield, news was filtering through that Hinton were on the comeback trail over at Puckeridge.
The visitors knew they needed to get another goal to make Hinton's efforts inconsequential and they came within a whisker of getting it just past the hour. Bobby Lowe, who had been a thorn in the Cuffley side all game, cut in from the right and unleashed a stunning left foot strike that beat Georgiou but crashed against the crossbar.
With Hinton now leading at Westmill a further Corinthians goal had gone from being a safety cushion to a necessity.
With just over twenty minutes remaining, Cuffley's Drew Tyler sent a 20-yard freekick sailing over the Corinthians bar, just to warn them that they couldn't throw everyone forward.
The game was becoming more stretched as players tired and the visitors tried to increase their efforts for a third goal. Dan Griggs dragged a low shot wide of Georgiou's far post before Green was again called into action for Chipperfield, diving to his right to push away an acrobatic effort from Dan Jones.
Bobby Lowe then flashed a shot across the face of the Cuffley goal and Griggs fired straight at Georgiou before, with three minutes remaining, Chipperfield thought they had snatched a winner but, despite having the ball in the net, the referee had already blown for a foul on the goalkeeper.
Into added time and the two Hinton supporters who had come to watch this game, were now next to the Cuffley bench, ready to celebrate with the home team. Hinton were 3-1 up and minutes away from the league title. However, their nerves were being tested when Lower fizzed a freekick just too high and wide. Nails were then being bitten when Chipperfield were awarded a corner in the 96th minute. Goalkeeper Zak Green was sent forward, but couldn't get on the end of it. The ball was cleared out for a throw-in to Chipperfield. Green stayed up in anticipation. The throw was delivered towards the near post and flicked on towards the back post where Lewis Smith was lurking to send a header into the home net. 2-3. Absolute scenes amongst the Chipperfield players and bench, they'd snatched the win with the last action of the game.
FT Cuffley 2 Chipperfield Corinthians 3. What a game to end the season. Massive congratulations to Chipperfield Corinthians, who never gave the game up and go their rewards in the final seconds of a long season. They take the title for a second consecutive season. Not only that, but the team also completed an amazing quadruple, winning the league, the Norman Appleby Cup, The Anagram Records Trophy and the Centenary Cup. That's a fantastic achievement at any level of the game.
Thanks must go to Cuffley for playing their part in a brilliant afternoon of football. Despite not having much to play for themselves, they pushed Chipperfield all the way and could easily have won the game themselves. Commiserations must also go to Hinton, who must have thought they had the title in the bag, only to be denied at the very death.
Cuffley: 1.Georgiou, 18.Gubb, 3.Cooper, 4.Norton, 5.McKenzie, 6.Bostock, 7.Willis(c), 8. Tyler, 14.Davis, 10.Rogers, 11.Jones. Subs: 12.Lasku, 17.Oxley-Fricker, 9.Robinson, 15.Buckingham, 16.Evans
Chipperfield Corinthians: 1.Green, 22.F.Lowe, 23.Forkin, 24.Hutchings, 32.Wallace(c), 33.Smith, 27.B.Lowe, 28.Slade, 30.Toomey, 20.Hobbs, 21.Griggs. Subs: 25.Nicholls, 26.Hoar, 29.Yallop, 31.Colgan, 34.Lesslie
Cuffley FC
The Ground
The village of Cuffley is approximately midway between Potters Bar and Cheshunt, just outside the M25. Cuffley Football Club is located on the southern edge of the village at the King George V Playing Field, and shares a community recreation complex with cricket, bowls and tennis. There is a fair sized car park, but beware, it's a tight squeeze in places. There are two main parking areas, one just off the main road and another behind the recently refurbished clubhouse. All of the facilities, for spectators, players and officials, are within the clubhouse building, which looks out over the main pitch. There are also a number of small-sided pitches around the playing field. It seems that Cuffley has a thriving youth section.
The main pitch is surrounded (almost) by a metal rail fence and has portable dugouts that can be wheeled out on match days. There's no spectator cover, although you could possibly get a decent view from parts of the clubhouse.
Ground Number:487
Att:
Entrance:
Programme:
The village of Cuffley is approximately midway between Potters Bar and Cheshunt, just outside the M25. Cuffley Football Club is located on the southern edge of the village at the King George V Playing Field, and shares a community recreation complex with cricket, bowls and tennis. There is a fair sized car park, but beware, it's a tight squeeze in places. There are two main parking areas, one just off the main road and another behind the recently refurbished clubhouse. All of the facilities, for spectators, players and officials, are within the clubhouse building, which looks out over the main pitch. There are also a number of small-sided pitches around the playing field. It seems that Cuffley has a thriving youth section.
The main pitch is surrounded (almost) by a metal rail fence and has portable dugouts that can be wheeled out on match days. There's no spectator cover, although you could possibly get a decent view from parts of the clubhouse.
Ground Number:487
Att:
Entrance:
Programme:
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