OAK ALLSTARS 2, DYNAMO LEDBURY 1

LAST Sunday evening saw thesoccersite.co.uk Malvern League's major cup final when Oak Allstars and Dynamo Ledbury met to decide the Norman Simmons Senior Cup at Ledbury Town FC.

Oak Allstars were looking to win this particular trophy, named in honour of the league's late chairman, to add to their previous two successes in the old Senior Cup in what was their fifth consecutive appearance in the final.

Dynamo Ledbury were bidding to win their first ever cup and in the process gain revenge over an Oak Allstars side which knocked them out of the Herefordshire FA Sunday Cup in the quarter-finals.

On a hard, bumpy pitch, which made ball control difficult the game took a while to settle down and the early stages were nervous with Oak Allstars having the advantage of playing down the slope. Defences were on top with some robust challenges from both teams. But after 10 minutes Dynamo Ledbury stole a lead when a testing corner to the back post forced Tim Rutherford to put the ball into his own net.

Dynamo Ledbury continued to pressure and Adam McTear in the Oak Allstars goal was forced into action to push a Joel Skyers effort onto the top of the crossbar, but gradually the Oak Allstars midfield began to assert control.

James Dean hooked a shot over the bar, before Dave Zakotti found space at a corner to fire a header just wide of the left post. Oak Allstar's efforts were rewarded when a clearance charged down by Dave Zakotti fell kindly to James Dean who curled a low shot past Nick Blakeway and into the far corner. Oak Allstars pressed and in the last minute of the half James Dean was fed from midfield and again beat the keeper into the bottom left corner for a 2-1 lead at half-time.

The second -half saw more end to end action and a continuing midfield battle as Neil Gardiner and Adam Thomas came more into the game for Dynamo Ledbury. Adam McTear needed to be alert to save at the feet on an attacker in the 50th minute, and then to make a fine save from a Neil Gardiner free-kick.

As time began to run down, Dynamo Ledbury became more urgent in their efforts to push the game into extra time. But the Oak Allstars defence, marshaled well by Lee Clueit, held firm until the final whistle and completed a cup double as they are also the current holders of the HFA Sunday Cup becoming the second Malvern League side to win this cup in the last four years.

Oak Allstars' Tim Rutherford was made man-of-the-match, before the presentation of the cup by Christine Simmons to captain Lee Clueit and the jubilant Oak team.