Two second half goals
were enough for Sungate Reserves to complete an Essex Alliance League Division
Four League and Cup double after victory over Loughton Lions at Dagenham &
Redbridge’s Victoria Road.
Sungate came into this one heavy favourites, they had won Division
Four whilst Loughton had finished third bottom in the division, some 27 points
behind their opponents, and with Sungate having netted 14 goals in their two league
games this season it was always going to be difficult for Loughton.
Cup finals can throw up surprises though, but Sungate so
nearly took an early lead when heading against the bar from close range, and
they hit the woodwork for a second time inside five minutes when striking an
effort against the post.
Sungate then saw a close-range effort blocked before another
chance was well saved by the keeper, they could have easily been four up inside
ten minutes but had nothing to show for their early attacking play.
Loughton then had their first chance of the contest but
could strike an effort wide, before Sungate then curled a free kick over the
bar, and the favourites missed another opportunity when a header looped over
the bar.
Loughton then almost took a shock lead when a free kick
deflected inches wide, before the resulting corner was punched away for another
corner by the keeper before that corner saw a header go over the bar as the
underdogs made sure the favourites knew they were there.
A ball over the top of the Loughton defence saw Sungate in
the clear, but the effort was scuffed straight at the keeper, before Loughton
had a golden chance to take the lead when the ball of the ball deceived a
defender, allowing them in, but the finish was way off target.
Sungate then hit the woodwork for a third time in the half, striking
the post from an angle, before Loughton sent a cross into the box, and after it
fell to the edge of the box, the effort was volleyed way over the bar.
Sungate had one more chance to take a lead into the break,
but saw a header glanced wide of the post, and it meant this game remained
goalless, somehow, at the half.
Half Time Loughton
Lions 0 Sungate Reserves 0
The second half was just four minutes old when Sungate
finally found the back of the net with a fine finish thumped into the bottom
corner, and they nearly doubled this when a good move ended with a header back
across goal looping just wide of the far post.
Another good Sungate move almost saw them get in on goal,
that was until a great last-ditch tackle thwarted them, but midway through the
second period they did double their advantage when a corner was flicked into
the six-yard box and headed home from close range, giving them some breathing
space in this contest.
Loughton then almost gifted Sungate a third, playing an
awful pass across the pitch and seeing it intercepted, but the final effort was
well saved at the near post, before Sungate sent a long-range effort wide. They were cruising to victory though with the
game entering its final phase.
Loughton did fire a decent effort from long range just over
the bar, before Sungate sent a powerful header from eighteen yards straight at
the keeper, and it was almost three for the favourites when they saw an effort
blocked on the line before the loose ball was scooped wide.
Sungate then pounced on a poor goal kick but could only curl
an eventual effort wide, before Loughton had a great chance to give them late
hope when going clean through, but the keeper came to save the effort and with
that any faint hopes of a comeback.
Sungate then had another chance to make it three, but shot
straight at the keeper, before Loughton had one final effort on goal, but soon
after the whistle went and Sungate could celebrate their league and cup double.
Full Time Loughton
Lions 0 Sungate Reserves 2
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