Edgehill, Trafalgar and Newlands secure places in North Riding Challenge Cup finals

Edgehill beat Tockwith 4-1 to make it to the NRCFA Saturday Challenge Cup final, but hopes of an all-Scarborough final was dashed as Itis Itis Rovers suffered an agonising 5-4 penalty shoot-out loss against North Riding League side TIBS after the scores were locked at 2-2 after 90 minutes. The final is scheduled for Wednesday April 19 at Stokesley

Then the following morning, Newlands defeated Fox Covert 3-1 and Traf beat Skelton Athletic 5-2 in their respective NRCFA Sunday Challenge Cup semi-finals, an excellent achievement considering that neither side have a league to play in since the Scarborough Sunday League folded last year.

Edgehill boss Alec Coulson said: “I am really pleased for all the lads to reach the final, we’ve had a committed squad and it getting to the business end of the season. Fingers crossed we can bring the cup back to Scarborough.

“A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes over the years, I want to thank Steve Clegg for all his work and now with the young lads in the reserves. We want to get some of them involved with the first team when possible.”

After hitting the woodwork a couple of times Edgehill took the lead on 15 minutes as skipper Joe Gallagher turned the defender and from 25 yards out bent the ball into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later left winger Tommy Wilson made it 2-0, capitalising on a mix-up and slotting home from close range. Wilson made it 3-0 after 25 minutes poking home from close range following a long ball into the box. Tockwith smashed a penalty over the bar on the stroke of half-time.

Edgehill, who were in full control of the game, made it 4-0 on the hour. Gallagher got his second heading home from a throw in.

Marshall Nock was man of the match for a first-class display from right-back.

Itis Itis Rovers were 2-0 up at TIBS thanks to goals from Sam Pickard and Luke Jones, but two home efforts in the final half-hour took the game to extra-time.

Jones, Pickard, Connor Avison and Alistair Jennings scored their penalties, while man of the match Callum Gravestock and Andy Afiyere were the unlucky players to miss from the spot.

In the NRCFA Sunday Challenge Cup, Rob Whitehead scored all three goals in a superb 3-1 home win for Newlands against Fox Covert.

Newlands opened the scoring with an excellent strike from Whitehead, the ball was whipped into the box and the forward held it up well before firing a shot into the bottom corner of the net.

He doubled Newlands’ lead when Tommy Day played a pass over the top and Whitehead lifted his shot over the keeper. The visitors made it 2-1 before half-time to make sure they stayed in the tie.

The win was sealed as Whitehead completing his hat-trick, he tackled the keeper on the halfway line, knocked it past the centre-half and tapped it in, celebrating before it went in.

Newlands boss Dan Sheader said: “I had to play again as two lads let us down. Credit to the ten other lads who turned up and put in a great performance and stepped up. I’m very disappointed with the players who let me down by not turning up.

“It’s us versus Traf in final now which is some achievement when neither of us play in a league.”

Trafalgar fought back from 2-1 down to win 5-2 at home against Skelton Athletic.

Traf went 1-0 up through a great solo effort from Lloyd Henderson, but Athletic then went 2-1 up just after half-time.

Veteran Joel Ramm equalised then put Traf 3-2 with a free-kick.

Lewis Taylor added a fourth with a superb left-footed strike, and Ramm finished things off from the spot to complete his hat-trick.

Traf player-boss Jamie Patterson said: “Man of the match was Lloyd Henderson but it was a great team effort from everyone involved and can't wait for the final once again.”

*The Scarborough & District Football League is holding a special meeting on March 20 at the Railway Club, 7.30pm, with all current and former clubs invited to attend in order to discuss the future of the league.

North Riding FA officials will attend the meeting, as the league aims to ease fears for the future of the competition.