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UEA win Bishop's Cup in unbeaten season double 

UEA Rovers sealed a Norfolk Christian Football league and cup double with a convincing win over Kings Palace in the final of the Bishop Maurice Wood Cup at the Norfolk FA’s Field of Dreams venue at Bowthorpe near Norwich on Saturday (May 9). Keith Morris reports.

UEACupWinnersMay15x450UEA Rovers won the league title without losing a game all season, and drawing only one, to cup final opponents Kings Palace.
 
Appearing in their seventh Bishop’s Cup final in a row, UEA were strong favourites, backed by the majority of a crowd of around 80 people at Norfolk FA’s Football Development Centre.
 
UEA were first out of the blocs and took the lead within the first couple of minutes with a goal from Isaac Cook. A second followed in the seventh minute with a deflected shot not far from the half-way line from Beau Spree which curled over the keeper into the top corner. A third came two minutes later, scored again by Cook, who completed a fine first half hat-trick after 37 minutes to send UEA into the break well in command.
 
Kings were still fighting hard but were being out-passed and out-fought and UEA added a fifth goal after 47 minutes from Marques Maria and Cook scored his fourth in the 64th minute. King’s hinted at an unlikely comeback a minute later when they were awarded a penalty kick by referee Keith Morris, which was converted by Matt Buxton.
 
Five minutes later UEA were back on the scoresheet with goals first from Jack Cracknell and then a second from Spree. With Kings flagging, UEA finished like they started with late goals from Tom Buttery, Alfie Draper and Connor Kavanagh to make the final score 11-1.
 
The cup was presented by Rob Varley from NCBC
 
ShieldFinalMay15x450Earlier in the day Heartsease Sewell won the Wroxham Road Shield in a very close and keenly fought contest at the same venue. After an even first period, Heartsease striker Daniel Bruce scored with a close-range header at a corner after 40 minutes.
 
Watched by a crowd of around 60 people, Soul went close on several occasions in the second half with captain and striker Lee Daniels unable to convert any of a hat-trick of chances.
 
The match was refereed by Reece Page and the Shield was presented to Heartsease captain Kyle Appleton by Rev Robert Roberts from Heartsease Lane Methodist Church.
 
League vice chairman, Jim Green, said: “The whole of cup finals day was a splendid occasion played throughout in the right spirit, helped by good sized crowds, the match officials and the staff at the Football Development Centre.”
 
Pictured top, cup and league winners UEA Rovers and, above, action from the Wroxham Road Shield final, Heartsease v Soul.
 


Published: 13/05/2015


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