Newbury Sunday League: Diamond win Knockout Cup in emphatic fashion
Diamond FC sealed Newbury Sunday League’s Knockout Cup in emphatic fashion.
They faced AFC Aldermaston at Lambourn Sports Club on Sunday morning.
Diamond were looking for redemption, having lost the Lambourn Cup to NWX on the same pitch seven days prior.
The hunger to put things right was clear to see from the first whistle, as they took the game to Aldermaston.
Marcus Gainall made the breakthrough, helping to bundle in for an early breakthrough.
Shortly afterwards, MJ Godfrey controlled a long ball to the edge of the box and turned well under pressure.
His shot from the left side of the area was enough to beat the keeper at his near post to give his side a 2-0 lead.
Diamond continued to pile on the pressure as the half rolled on.
A vicious left-footed corner from the right hand side went sailing to the far-post, where Byron O'Regan rose to head in powerfully for 3-0.
Aldermaston would pull one back to make the score 3-1, but they could do little to disrupt Diamond’s momentum.
Captain and midfield conductor Journey Waters made his mark just before half-time, as he picked up the ball in the Adlermaston half following a poor clearance.
He looked up in search of an opportunity, before releasing a dangerous shot with his left.
This was parried by the keeper, before being fired in by Tom Young on the rebound to make it 4-1.
Aldermaston bagged another before the break to make it 4-2 at the interval, showing remarkable determination to keep the contest alive.
Diamond would extend their advantage in the second-half however, as Ben Blackmon was on hand to scuff home a low cross from the right side of the box.
Waters would get his well deserved goal, as his lofted through-ball ended up bouncing into the net following a misjudgement by the keeper.
A 6-2 victory was a statement from Diamond, who will feel that a cup final win is the least they deserve from an impressive season.
They finished 18 points behind champions NWX in the league, but didn’t do much wrong, winning ten and losing six to finish third.
They collected their medals from Newbury Weekly News sports reporter, Oliver Haines, and league chairman, Bill Fry, before Waters lifted the cup and kicked off the celebrations.
The final capped a tumultuous year for the league, which had just five sides last summer and faced an uncertain future.
New joiners have helped to give the league new life, with Plough on the Green, The Crickets AFC, Frilsham, AFC Aldermaston and Aldbourne Royals all joining this season.
Three of those sides reached finals, giving hope that another year of progress awaits next season.
