Hetton Lyons extended their
own record-breaking run of success in the FA Sunday Cup, as they claimed their fourth title when they steamrollered Canada at a very wet Stadium of Light, Sunderland.
Hetton were dominant
throughout and the score line completely does justice to the way they
dismantled a very disappointing Canada side, who just failed to perform on the
day.
Despite being champions of
the highly regarded Liverpool & District Sunday league and having beaten
Sunday Cup holders Oyster Martyrs three times this season, Canada went in to
this game as underdogs, bearing in mind Hetton’s incredible record in
the competition and the fact that they clearly had an advantage in playing the
game in their native North East.
Hetton opened the scoring in
the third minute, when they took the direct route to the Canada goal. Lyons
keeper, Keith Finch, launched a huge free kick from ten yards outside of his
penalty area, which was headed on by rangy striker Mark Davison in to the path
of prolific goal scorer Warren Byrne, who just managed to beat the advancing
Canada goalkeeper, Ryan Brookfield, to the loose ball and give the Lyons the
lead.
Byrne doubled the Hetton
lead on 17 minutes, when he slid in at the far post to convert right back
Kallum Griffiths cross, to leave Canada rocking at 2-0 down.
Canada’s own hot shot Steven
Tames found himself with an ideal opportunity to drag his team back in to the
game on the half hour mark, as he bore down on goal, following a run from the
half way line. Unfortunately for him, he drilled his shot just wide of the
post.
Half time score: Hetton
Lyons 2 Canada 0
Things went from bad to
worse for Canada, as they found themselves 3-0 down in the 51st
minute, when a daisy cutter of a free kick was somewhat fortuitously swept home
at the near post by Hetton captain, Daniel Moore.
It was nearly 4-0 a minute
later, when Warren Byrne was presented with his hat-trick chance, which he only
just failed to take.
A mazy run from the half way
line from Stephen Capper, set up Mark Davison in the 59th minute, and
he was unlucky to see his effort rebound off the post. However, the loose ball
fell straight to the unmarked Capper, whose superb left foot finish evaded
Brookfield’s despairing lunge.
Capper is no stranger to big
match football and already has two Sunday Cup winner’s medals, prior to today’s
final. He also captained the Republic of Ireland in the FIFA World Youth
Championships in 2003 and the following year, he came on as a 13th
minute substitute for Scarborough in their glamorous fourth round FA
Cup tie against Chelsea.
There was to be no hat trick
for Hetton’s Warren Byrne, as he was substituted in the 66th minute.
Canada then pulled a goal back three minutes later, when Joe Fargan headed home
from a corner.
However, this proved to be
just a mere consolation and with Canada unable to reduce the arrears further,
it was left to Hetton sub Daniel Craggs to complete the scoring in stoppage
time, when he sprung the Canada offside trap and rounded Brookfield to score
from close range.
Craggs has another big day
to look forward to shortly, as he is a member of the Dunston side who have
reached the FA Vase final. No doubt he will look to join Sandor Gyalog who
lifted the Sunday Cup and Vase in the same season, back in 1995.
So, in the end, a very easy
final game for Hetton and the big challenge they face for next season is
retaining the Sunday Cup, which, despite all the success they have enjoyed over
the last decade or so, is the one honour they have been so far unable to
achieve.
