THE MAD OX FC (PONTEFRACT) NEEDED A PENALTY SHOOTOUT TO OVERCOME PREVIOUSLY UNBEATEN EGGBOROUGH EAGLES FC TO LIFT THE CHAMPIONSHIP TWO LEAGUE CUP. MATCH REPORT BELOW.

Wakefield & District Sunday Football League - Sunday 31st March 2024

Championship Two League Cup final

Eggborough Eagles vs The Mad Ox (1-1 full time - The Mad Ox won 4-2 on penalties)

The Mad Ox saw Tom Potter head in an equaliser five minutes from time to force the tie into a penalty shootout which saw his side cone up trumps with a 4-2 success over previously unbeaten Eggborough Eagles to lift the first silverware of the Wakefield Sunday League played at the Nostell MW complex.

The Eggborough outfit made a flying start and saw both Matty Mcminn and Danny Trainor force The Mad Ox goalkeeper Matthew Davis into parried saves. However, in the 14th minute of the final, the Eagles took the lead when an in-swinging corner from the right by Stephen Lumb was forced over the line through a forest of bodies and credited to Stephen Campbell.

Minutes later, the Eggborough Eagles almost doubled their lead when a Matty Clayton effort was spilled by The Mad Ox goalkeeper Davis before he redeemed himself by clawing the ball off the line from a back-heeled effort. Both sides adopted a different style of football - The Mad Ox playing possession football with the Eagles proving effective with clever crossffield long balls.

The second-half saw The Mad Ox make a positive start and saw Matthew Jenkins force the Eagles goalkeeper Henk into full length save. However, at the other end, in the 66th minute, it was the Eagles Callum Woodward who saw his rasping effort hit The Mad Ox crossbar and bounce downwards but just in the wrong side of the goal line before being cleared to safety.

The missed chances was to prove costly for the Eagles and saw them concede a goal in the 86th minute with a close-range headed goal by Tom Potter following a left flank corner to force the game to a penalty shootout which saw The Mad Ox score four consecutive penalties to win 4-2 with The Mad Ox goalkeeper Matthew Davis the hero with two penalty saves. The penalty shootout scorers for the winners were Danny Thompson, Josh Thomas, Beau Lyman and Marshall Daines.

~ The man of the match award sponsored by Pennines Trophies (Heckmondwike) was won by Matty Clayton of The Mad Ox.

~ The match balls were sponsored by Lightwaves Leisure & Community Centre.
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