Townhill FC survived a second half fightback from a spirited AM Soccer side to clinch the 2016 League Cup at Denfield Park on Sunday. First half goals from Regan Lumsden and Damon Kenny had put Townhill in control at the break; but Liam McWatt’s strike set up a tense finale to an enthralling encounter.
There were early chances for both sides, with Aedan Brown snuffing out a quick Townhill counter attack, before Kieran Fox played Jason Burns in behind the Townhill defence, but he could only slice his effort wide.
Alex Chingwalu then released Kenny whose low cross was turned behind for a corner, and it was this corner that brought the game its first goal. The cross was delivered deep into the area, and when the ball was headed back across goal, Lumsden reacted quickest to prod the ball home.
There was almost a second for Townhill moments later, when Kenny showed good strength to hold the ball up, before spinning his marker and dragging a shot agonisingly wide of the post.
AM Soccer were looking to bounce back from the early set back, and a long free kick from Brown brought Owain Stark scuttling off his line to punch the ball clear, before the ‘keeper was again called into action; this time denying Errol Vella, whose shot took a nasty deflection on its way through a crowded defence.
Despite AM’s efforts to claw their way back into the game, they were soon two down thanks to a wonderful team goal from Townhill. After some slick passing through midfield, Chingwalu found Kenny with a pin point pass which the forward was able to control on his chest before rifling home on the volley, sending the ball fizzing into the top corner.
Stark was called into action once more before the interval, as he rushed off his line to intercept a pass as Burns looked to sneak in on goal; and there was even a chance for a third goal moments before half time as Mackenzie Roe took aim from a free kick which whistled just past the post.