Chairmans Cup

CHAIRMANS CUP 2006/07 PATH TO THE FINAL PRELIMINARY ROUND SEPTEMBER 24TH It was goals galore as the four ties produced a massive thirty-two goals. Cassiobury Rangers came back from two goals down to crush Inter 9-2. Roundbush, who had reached the semi-finals last season, saw their hopes of repeating the feat ended by Reed Rangers with a comfortable 6-1 win. TOTAL swept past The Vic 7-3, due in most part to four goals from Rob Young. Oxhey Estates needed four second half goals to get past T&F Motors. The game hinged on a penalty decision mid way through the second half with the score at 0-0. T&Fs Ryan Smith was sent off and Oxhey made the extra man count as they coasted to a 4-0 victory. QUARTER-FINALS NOVEMBER 12TH Holders AFC Rangers made it into the semi-finals after the first game of their defence of the trophy but were made to fight all the way by Reed Rangers. AFC Rangers hold on the Trophy was looking shaky at half time as they trailed to a Ross Coniam goal but James Hill equalised from the penalty spot before he headed them ahead. Reed pushed the holders all the way to the end and only a last minute penalty save from Stuart Hills prevented extra-time. There was another close, hard fought tie as MK Ginder (beaten finalists in last seasons Ken Simmons Memorial Cup) won 2-1 against Oxhey Estates. Martin Fleming put Ginder ahead after twenty-two minutes before Robert Fordham levelled on the stroke of half time. The second half saw a dour midfield battle before Micky Haynes struck a free kick on seventy minutes and, despite some heavy Oxhey pressure, held on for a place in the last four. TOTAL reached their first semi-final in their fourth season with the League with a 3-1 victory over Kings Head. TOTAL had a two-goal advantage by the break thanks to an own goal and another from Rob Young, and it was he who put the game beyond the reach of the visitors five minutes into the second half. A late consolation goal from Jamie McKay was too little, too late. Cassiobury Rangers sailed into the semi-final with a 6-1 hammering of struggling Jarman Park. SEMI-FINALS JANUARY 14TH The first of the double-header semi-finals saw Cassiobury reach the final with a 3-1 win over TOTAL. It was a straightforward victory as Cassiobury effectively ended the game as a contest by the twenty-fourth minute as they raced into a three-goal lead. Rob Young pulled a goal back just before half time, his seventh in just three games in the competition. The second half saw an improved performance from TOTAL but they were unable to break down the Cassiobury defence. The second game was a lot closer as defending holders AFC Rangers made it back to Kings Langley but were made to fight all the way by MK Ginder at Waterfields. With the score locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes, Rangers won the shoot-out 5-3. Both sides had chances in the first half with James Hill hitting a post for Rangers while at the other end, Rangers twice had to clear off the line but it was Ginder who took the lead eight minutes before the break when Micky Haynes fired home. The second half saw Rangers impose themselves as Hill struck the cross bar with a looping shot just after the hour mark but it was the same player who levelled the scores on 74 minutes with a diving header to take the game into extra-time. Again both sides had chances in extra-time with James Hill hitting the woodwork for a third time but the deadlock could not be broken and so it was to be a penalty shoot-out. Each side converted their spot kicks until Steven Straffords was blocked by Rangers Stuart Hills. Joint player-manager, Tommy Burns, scored to take Rangers into the Final. CHAIRMANS CUP FINAL 2007 Sunday March 25th 2007 AFC RANGERS 0 CASSIOBURY RANGERS 1 (HT 0-1) Cassiobury Rangers clinched the Chairmans Cup with a 1-0 victory over the Holders AFC Rangers at Kings Langley FC. The Division One League Cup Final between the Divisions top two sides produced a lively game but only a single goal in front of 165 supporters. AFC Rangers, hoping to clinch the first part of a League and Cup double, were caught out early on by a determined Cassiobury Rangers side who started the game with a high tempo and scored what turned out to be the winner after just ten minutes, when Darren Coombs broke through the Rangers defence from the left wing and fired home past Stuart Hills. Rangers looked sluggish and well below their normal game whilst Cassiobury were dictating the game in midfield. Slowly, Rangers worked their way back into the match but when they did create good scoring chances they were dealt with by goal keeper Ian Dougan who produced a Man of the Match performance. One such save came on the thirty fifth minute when he tipped a James Hill free kick over the cross bar from twenty five yards. The second half saw Cassiobury being pushed slowly back as Tommy Burns struck the outside of the post with twenty minutes left. With the dangerous Darren Coombs and Matt Godfrey, Cassiobury were causing problems on the break. Deep into injury time, Dougan again saved his team when he tipped a James Hill shot up onto the cross bar for the second time before the ball was scrambled away. This proved to be the last action of the game as Cassiobury collected the Trophy. Teams: AFC Rangers: Hills, Keen, McCarthy, Schofield, Hossack (Dommett 54 mins), Brooks (Saponaro 75 mins), Hitchcock, Smith, Burns, J.Hill, G.Hill (Alsop 79 mins). Cassiobury Rangers: Dougan, Franks (B. Robson 79 mins), Mortimer, Coombs (Hutchinson 88 mins), Burch, J. Robson, Hobson, Hill, Godfrey, Tomkinson, Henley. Subs Not Used: Tracey, Davis, Wright. Goal: Coombs (10 mins). Referee: Steve Chambers. Att: 165.