CUPS

  

THE SENIOR CUP

FINAL

Croydon Ath  2 v 2  Hendon         
Hendon won 1-3 on penalties
 

HENDON END FORTY YEARS OF HURT
 
Hendon FC last lifted the London Senior Cup in 1969, with three subsequent appearances in the Final all ending in defeat. That losing sequence was ended in the 2009 Final, played at the plush surroundings of AFC Wimbledon, when the Greens overcome Croydon Athletic FC in an exciting game.

The South London side started the game well but the North London team gradually began to impose itself, with a James Bent shot hitting the post in the 48th minute. The Rams took advantage of that reprieve a minute later however when, following an excellent advantage played by the referee, Sam Clayton scored from a Michael Gordon cross.

With 20 minutes of normal time still to play, Hendon equalised when man-of-the-match Bent shot home following a goalmouth scramble. An end-to-end encounter developed, which either side could have won, and credit should be given to goalkeepers, Ross Flitney and William Viner, both of whom pulled off excellent saves in the second half and in extra time.

The Greens looked the stronger side in the early part of extra time and, after a flowing move in the 95th minute, took the lead when Glenn Garner slid the ball home. They were however pegged back with six minutes of the game remaining, when Richard Blackwell slammed home an equaliser for the Rams.

And so the winner had to be decided by kicks from the penalty mark. Viner saved Clayton’s kick and Danny Dyer scored to put Hendon ahead 1-0; Serge Makofo scored for Athletic, as did Marc Leach for Hendon, maintaining the North London’s side advantage at 2-1; Viner saved from Shabazz Baidoo and Bent increased the lead to 3-1, which turned out to be the final outcome as Viner’s third penalty save, this time from Robbie Ryan, enabled Hendon to lift the Cup.

Croydon Athletic: 1 Ross Flitney, 2 Romaulu Bouadji (sub: Tom Bolarinwa, 97 mins), 3 Robbie Ryan, 4 Michael Gordon, 5 Richard Blackwell, 6 Bradley Duke (sub: 12 Jeremy Williams, 83 mins), 7 Ian Selley (sub: Shabazz Baidoo, 87 mins), 8 Daniel Waldren, 9 Ben Godfrey, 10 Sam Clayton, 11 Serge Makofo; subs not used: 16 Neil Smith and 17 Danny Moody.

Hendon: 1 William Viner, 2 James Burgess, 3 Craig Vargas, 4 Mark Kirby, 5 James Parker (sub: Danny Dyer, 73 mins), 6 James Bent, 7 Kevin Maclaren, 8 Glenn Garner (sub: Marc Leach, 112 mins), 9 Peter Dean, 10 Harry Hunt (sub: 12 Brian Haule, 88 mins), 11 Sam Collins; subs not used: 14 Casey Maclaren and 17 Lubomir Guentchev.

Match Officials: John Rowbury (referee), James Kelly (assistant referee), Ahcene Yahiaoui (assistant referee) and Tony Goddard (fourth official).

Attendance: 291.
 

The Senior Cup

Sponsored by Hillman Contractors
 
 

FIRST ROUND
 

To be played by Sat 11 Oct
 

(Unless otherwise stated)
  1 VCD Athletic 2 v 3 Welling Utd
  2 Cockfosters 5 v 0 Haringey Borough
  3  Croydon 3 v 0 Kingbury London Tigers
  4  Mauritius Sports Assoc UK 4 v 1 Barking
  5 Thamesmead Town 1 v 0 Hanwell Town
  6 Colliers Wood Utd 4 v 2 Clapton
7 AFC Wimbledon 0 v 3 Erith Town
8 Beckenham Town W v L Barkingside (Withdrawn)
9 Hoddesdon Town 3 v 4 Erith & Belvedere
10 Lewisham Borough 1 v 0 Brimsdown Rovers
 
 

SECOND ROUND
 

To be played by Sat 8 Nov
 

(Unless otherwise stated)
  11 Welling Utd 2 v 1  Mauritius Sports Assoc UK
  12 Wingate & Finchley 3 v 0 Corinthian Casuals
  13  Beckenham Town 2 v 3 Dulwich Hamlet
  14 Kingstonian 6 v 0 Leyton
  15  Thamesmead Town 0 v 2 Redbridge
  16  Colliers Wood Utd 2 v 4 Cockfosters
  17  Lewisham Borough 2 v 1 Erith Town
  18  Croydon 2 v 3 Erith & Belvedere
 
 

THIRD ROUND
 

To be played by Sat 6 Dec
 

(Unless otherwise stated)
  19 Fisher Athletic (London) 3 v 0 Lewisham Borough
  20 Harrow Borough 1 v 0 Metropolitan Police
  21  Cray Wanderers 3 v 0 Cockfosters
  22  Croydon Athletic W v L Welling Utd  (Removed)
23  Dulwich Hamlet 0 v 1 Erith & Belvedere
24  Kingstonian 2 v 1 Wingate & Finchley
25 Bromley 2 aet 2 Hendon

Hendon won 5-6 on penalties
26 Redbridge 0 v 6 Tooting & Mitcham Utd
 
 

QUARTER - FINALS
 

To be played by Sat 10 Jan
 

(Unless otherwise stated)
  27 Erith & Belvedere 0 v 4 Hendon
  28  Croydon Athletic 3 v 1 Kingstonian
29 Tooting & Mitcham Utd 5 v 1 Cray Wanderers  
30 Fisher Athletic (London) 2 aet 2 Harrow Borough

Harrow won 4-5 on penalties
 
 

SEMI - FINALS
 

To be played by Mon 6 April
  31 Harrow Borough 0 v 5 Croydon Athletic
 

To be played by Mon 6 April
  32 Tooting & Mitcham Utd 0 v 4 Hendon
 
 

FINAL
 

To be played Wed 29 April 2009

at AFC Wimbledon  7.30pm k.o
33

CROYDON ATHLETIC

 2 aet 2 HENDON

Hendon won 1-3 on penalties
 

 

 

  

 
 

 
Perhaps the most magnificent active trophy of the LFA is that of the Senior Cup. Dating from 1882 when it was first won by Upton Park, many famous names, including Arsenal, Chelsea and Dulwich Hamlet grace this trophy which is topped by an intricate representation of the dragon which makes up the LFA crest. The Senior Cup is the oldest of the London Cups, first contested as the Amateur Senior Cup two centuries ago!