Ken Clarke Memorial 6 A-Side Trophy Results Last update 15 August 2008

Final

Semi-Final

Ken Clarke Memorial Plate Results 

Final

Semi-Final

6 A-Side 2007 Report by Mr. M Schneider - Publications Secretary

Corsham Centre’s five-year dominance as Ken Clarke Memorial six-a-side champions came to an abrupt end at sodden Sandfield in West Lavington on Sunday. The event which is now in it’s ninth season almost didn’t happen as torrential rain prevented the marking out of any pitches on the day prior to the tournament and only the efforts of League Secretary Frank Harvey and Referee’s Appointments Secretary Gary Stonham saved the day as they managed at a second attempt to get the lines down in time for a 9.30 start time. The curtain raiser to the Robson Taylor, Chippenham Sunday League which kicks off on Sunday 31 August once again will have raised over £1000 for the Air Ambulance Fund even though the entries were down on last season, as for the first time ever the event received sponsorship from CDP Supply of Westbury.

After producing a winning team for the last five seasons Corsham Centre were expected to do well once again but their reign as six-a-side experts was ended by Shaun Percival’s Trowbridge based Ship A outfit who themselves are showing signs of grandeur having won the Rowde Sixes back in July. Ship defeated the Centre at the semi-final stage before going on to beat local rivals Carpenters Arms in the final. On a day of appalling weather conditions that at times saw glimpses of great football Melksham based Cooper Avon B picked up the trophy for winning the Plate Competition after they beat Holt on penalties. 32 teams descended on West Lavington, but with the late withdrawal of AFC Melksham C 31 actually kicked off which was a minor setback but with everything almost running on time until the later stages when the heavy rain meant that the pitches were having to remarked, the tournament organizers hailed the event as another massive success.

Eventual Ken Clarke Memorial Trophy winners The Ship A were impressive from the off as they finished top of group F winning all three of their matches which gave them a tie in the second round against Trowbridge Wanderers B who they defeated 3-0 with Shaun Percival, Dave Percival and Aaron Billett sharing the goals. Other second round matches in the main competition saw losing finalists Carpenters Arms beat Bremhill View Social Club A 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Dan Shanley. Goals from Simon Gray and Stuart Tutty earned Corsham Centre a 2-1 victory over Holt A. Leigh Rowles-Hitchcock scored the goal that earned Foresters Arms B their 1-0 triumph against FC Bradford A. The Ship B also beat Cooper Avon A 1-0 thanks to a Matt Minnis goal. Eastlands defeated Blue Circle B to make the quarter-final stage thanks to their 2-0 penalty success. Luke Hodder’s goal separated White Hart Combe B and Old Road Tavern B with Combe progressing. AFC Melksham A were stunned by Blue Circle A who won 1-0 courtesy of a Dean Osment goal.

In the quarter-finals Corsham Centre ended The Ship B’s interest in the event as Simon Gray’s goal was the only difference between the sides that saw them book a semi-final berth. Carpenters Arms saw off Foresters B thanks to a penalty from Dan Shanley. Ollie Fox scored Eastlands goals as they booked their place in the final four with a 1-0 win over Blue Circle A. The fourth quarterfinal match also ended in a one-nil scoreline with Aaron Billett scoring the Ship A’s winner against White Hart Combe B

The Ship A booked their place in the final courtesy of golden goal win over the defending champions Corsham Centre in at what at times was an ill tempered affair and it was a surprise that both teams finished the contest with six players on the field as both Nick Gingell (Centre) and Kieren Baggs (Ship) were lucky not too get sent off. Aaron Billett who was the Ship’s goal scoring hero in the quarter-finals also did the damage against a Centre side which included both Scott and Ross Lye who will now sign contracts at Chippenham Town. The other semi-final saw Carpenters Arms lock horns with Eastlands for whom it was one match too many as the Carpenters ran out easy 3-0 victors. Ricky Hulbert’s stunning close range thunderbolt put Carpenters ahead and further goals from Dan Shanley and Stuart Greener booked them their place in the final.

The Ken Clarke Memorial Trophy final was very open and keenly contested as both The Ship A and Carpenters Arms sides battled for supremacy, their were chances at both ends in the first half with Carpenters keeper Ashley Haines who was carrying a hand injury denied both Matthew Sharpe and Aaron Billett. Liam Richards was also denied by a smart block from Haines who kept his fiercely struck effort out with his legs. Carpenters best chance came from Ricky Hulbert who should have done better from close range on the stroke of half time. The second half was very much the same as the first with Richards and Billett again going close for the Ship and Dan Shanley and Nathan Flower missing Carpenters best chances. With no goals in normal time or extra time the match went to the dreaded penalty shoot out. Nathan Flower powered home the first for Carpenters despite the best efforts of keeper Lewis Porter to keep his effort out. Ashley Haines then saved Shaun Percival’s penalty. Keeper Porter produced a fantastic save to deny Dan Shanley. Aaron Billett’s spot kick for the Ship was saved by Haines and if Jamie Batstone could find away past Porter, Carpenters Arms would take the cup, however it was not to be as Porter won the battle and saved again to keep his team in the contest and Dave Percival stepped up to square things up at one-one for the Ship. Ricky Hulbert (Carpenters) and Liam Richards traded successful penalties as did Stuart Greener (Carpenters) and Matt Sharpe to make it three each leaving it to keepers Haines or Porter to shine from the spot, Haines put his effort wide of the goal and Porter made no mistake as he drilled his effort past his opposite number to give the Ship the first piece of silverware of the season.

Having finished third in their respective group, eventual Plate winners Cooper Avon B began their second bite of the cherry for glory in the Plate competition with a 2-0 win over Old Road Tavern A, Mickey Harrison and Jamie Oliver scoring the goals. Losing Finalists Holt B defeated Chippenham United RAOB 3-2 on penalties. Two other matches in the second round saw sides progress after penalty shoot out victories, Hullavington B beating Foresters Arms A 3-2, but this was after a thrilling match had ended two apiece. Bremhill View Social Club B had drawn 0-0 with Lavington but they won their shoot out 2-0. Goals from Tim Knight (two) and Ralph Plummer earned Miller Sports a 3-0 voctory over FC Bradford C and a place in the quarter-finals. White Hart Combe ended AFC Melksham B’s interest in the competition, goals from Craig Fullham and Shane Bell seeing them through 2-0. Steve Bryant’s goal was all that was needed for FC Bradford B to see off Trowbridge Wanderers A 1-0. Hullavington A had the easiest route to the last eight as they received a bye following the withdrawal of Foresters C.

Cooper Avon B destroyed Hullavington B 4-0 to reach the semi-finals, Simon Gillatt bagged a treble with Paul Walker completing the quartet. Having watched their B team depart the competition Hullavington A kept the villagers flag flying as they beat Miller Sports 2-0, Jif Wilkins netting both goals. Rob O’Harrow scored the goal that took Holt B into the semi finals courtesy of their 1-0 win over Bremhill View Social Club B. A very good White Hart Combe A side suffered a 1-0 loss at the hands of FC Bradford B with Jason Povey scoring the winner

Steve Rose was outstanding for FC Bradford B in their semi-final match against Cooper Avon B but his heroics counted for nothing as his team were beaten 2-1 by the tyre men. Simon Harvey scored for the losers with Josh Robinson and Simon Gillatt (penalty) grabbing the goals that took Cooper into the final. Holt’s goalkeeper Nick Corbett was also their hero in their penalty win over Hullavington A. Corbett and his opposite number James Nation were in fine form between the posts throughout the game but when it came to the penalty shoot out Corbett was suburb saving from Jif Wilkins and James Nation which meant that Rob O’Harrow’s successful kick for Holt set up a final with Cooper Avon.

Like the Ken Clarke Memorial final, the final of the Plate competition may not have produced a goal fest, and had to be decided on the dreaded penalty shoot out, but before it arrived at that stage both teams had chances to win the match and had both keeper Nick Corbett (Holt) and Ben Aldridge (Cooper) not been on top of their game the match may well have been won in normal time. Corbett was outstanding as he kept out Simon Gillatt, Tom Robinson and Josh Robinson. Aldridge came to the tyre men’s rescue as he denied Rob O’Harrow on more than one occasion. In the shoot off, Josh Robinson missed the target with his first kick for Cooper, but his blushes were spared as his keeper Aldridge saved well to deny Nick Corbett. Simon Gillatt made no mistake with Cooper’s second kick, but Holt were back level as Rob O’Harrow fired home for one each. James Ponsford held his nerve to fire Cooper Avon into a 2-1 lead and it was left to Alan Fodder to take the final to sudden death, but Fodder’s struck his effort about six yards over the bar to hand the final to Cooper Avon.

Following both finals, the trophies, which were kindly donated by Ken Clarke from Westernsport Trophies of Chippenham, were presented to the players by competition sponsor Colin Earp from CDP Supply. Presentations began with Holt’s goalkeeper Nick Corbett receiving the player of final trophy for efforts despite being on the losing side in the Plate final. Holt then received their mementoes ahead of Cooper Avon collecting the winners trophy. The Ship’s Shaun Percival was named player of the memorial cup final. Ahead of Ship collecting their trophies losing finalists Carpenters Arms received their awards. League Chairman Ken Clarke said that “they were again very grateful to everyone for their support and help on the day, especially the match officials, Neil Fautley, Chris Morris, Neil Hickton, Oliver Ballinger, Frank Harvey, Steve Higgins, Pete Lowe and Roger Smith and to people who worked behind the scenes to get the event up and running” Clarke also thanked sponsors CDP Supply, presstoprint, The Churchill Arms and other companies Sainsbury’s Morrison’s Somerfield and Reeves The Baker for providing support on the day.

Tournament organiser Tim Cross was pleased with the way the day had gone, and believed that despite as times what was atrocious conditions all the players, officials and supporters had stuck with it to make the event another one to remember and more importantly help raise funds for the Air Ambulance fund and once again it is hoped that we will be able to present them with a cheque for over £1,000 at our November SGM.
 

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