On one of the hottest days of the year so far, the two most successful teams in the leagues history met at Bramall Lane to do battle for the Bell and Buxton sponsored SDFPL Cup.
Around 1500 people where on hand to offer support and colour to the occasion as both teams came out of the famous tunnel and onto the pitch, which was in much better condition then it had been for a while.

This was the 2nd time in a week that these 2 sides had faced each other. Last weekend it was the league championship that was at stake, Ecclesia went on to win that on goal difference, however this time it was the cup, a competition that until recent years was dominated by Swallownest.
 
As soon as the game got underway it became apparent that the side who could cope with the weather better would have a major advantage and, indeed, as soon as there was any stoppage in play both sets of players made their way to the benches to take on as much water as possible.

It was Swallownest who got the game off and underway and went on the attack with the patient style of football that made them a constant threat in the league.
Ecclesia seemed to be content with letting Swallownest come at them and pick off any lose ball that would be played.
Thee first goal of the game was scored from a lost Bethesda attack which was easily cut out by the Ecclesia defence and enabled them to set off towards the Kop on another attack.
The pace of the break left Swallownest short and it was left for Ecclesia to make their way into the box from the left hand side, drive a ball across the goal which was turned in by Swallownest’s Hopkinson into his own net and beyond the goalkeeper.  Just 14 minutes gone and the league champions had the advantage and one eye on a first league and cup double.

Both sides shared attacks for the rest of the first half but it was Ecclesia who would go into the dressing rooms with the advantage at the break and leave Swallownest to talk about how to turn things around in the 2nd 45.

The 2nd half was 14 minutes old when Ecclesia struck again but not before Swallownest’s stand-in keeper, normal centre back Dale Edwardes had made a string of excellent saves to keep the tie close.
Ecclesia wouldn’t be denied for long and a through ball caught the Bethesda defence out and allowed Topham to beat the keeper and double the advantage.

Unsurprisingly Bethesda then went on the attack, knowing that they had to score the next goal to stand a chance. They threw everything at the Ecclesia back line and finally after 68 minutes they got their reward when goal hero from the last time the sides met at Bramall Lane, Ryan Kitchen gave the game some life and pulled Dave Roscamp’s team back within a goal and within site of levelling the game.

As the weather continued to make an impact, players suffered from cramp and took every chance to take onboard water at every opportunity.

As the game headed towards conclusion, Swallownest tried one last time to get the goal that would send the game to extra-time.
However, the Ecclesia line was not to be breached again and after some 13 minutes of injury time, the referee finally brought proceedings to an end to the joy of the men from Woodburn Road who completed their first ever league and cup double.

Report by J.Chubb