Scarborough Athletic battle back to retain North Riding FA Senior Cup

Boro celebrate their NRCFA Senior Cup final win

Despite going a goal behind, the Seadogs came back to win 4-1 to retain the North Riding Senior Cup at York City’s LNER Community Stadium, writes Steve Adamson.

Boro dominated possession throughout, but the Middlesbrough side defended doggedly, whilst also creating a few decent chances on the break, and they contributed to an entertaining game.

Early chances for Boro saw the superb Danny Greenfield send a shot flashing past the far post, a 20-yarder from Lewis Maloney narrowly cleared the bar, Jake Charles curled a shot just over, and Nick Hutton laid off to Maloney, who fired wide of the right-hand post.

Dom Tear taps in the opener for Boro to make it 1-1 Photos by Viking Photography York

Weledji raced onto a through ball from Greenfield and drilled his shot past keeper Jordan Knowles, but an offside flag spoiled his celebrations.

South Park created their first chance, as Josh Larkin passed to Anton Buchan, who fired inches wide, then a Larkin shot was blocked by Kieran Burton.

Boro again went forward, and Hutton had a shot blocked by John Leyshon, a Hutton cross was headed narrowly over by Greenfield, and a superb cross-field ball from skipper Ryan Watson sent Charles through, but he was halted by a great tackle from Mike McLaughlin.

Maloney fired wide from 25 yards, before South Park went ahead on the half-hour when Ryan Qualter passed back to keeper Matt Bancroft, who skied his attempted clearance, and Sean O’Brien pounced to head inside the right-hand post.

Young sub Billy Leach puts Boro 3-1 up with his first touch.

Boro fought back strongly, Watson having a shot blocked by Jordan Waugh, and a Hutton strike was blocked by Michael Stuart, before they equalised when Charles, who had a superb game, sent a low ball across the goalmouth, and Dom Tear tapped home from close range.

Boro keeper Bancroft then atoned for his earlier error, making a terrific one-handed save when Arran Brooksbank sent a through-ball to James Tattersfield who was one-on-one with Bancroft.

Boro then took the lead when Charles skilfully flicked home a low cross from Ash Jackson. Just before the interval a thunderous 35-yarder from Jackson was brilliantly tipped over by South Park keeper Knowles.

The second half followed a similar pattern, Jackson set up Charles, whose shot was pushed round the post by Knowles, Hutton squared to Jackson who fired wide, and both Tear and Charles had strikes blocked by the hard-working South Park defenders, then a Jackson cross was headed just over by Burton at the far post.

Kieran Weledji, left, is congratulated after scoring Boro's fourth goal by teammate Jake Charles, who scored the second goal.

Watson was next to try a long-range shot, with Knowles pulling off another superb diving save, then Will Thornton headed into the area, and Charles swivelled to shoot, but Knowles again made a fine save.

Greenfield had a fierce shot blocked by the keepers’ legs, and Thornton headed wide from a Greenfield cross.

On 65 minutes South Park almost drew level, as O’Brien passed to Matt McQueeny, whose shot was saved by the legs of Bancroft, and two minutes later Boro went 3-1 up, when Greenfield sent a low ball to the far post, and young substitute Billy Leach netted with his first touch of the ball.

Charles flicked the ball forward to Weledji, who lobbed his shot onto the roof of the net, then star man Greenfield sent Weledji through on goal, and he raced round the keeper and fired goalwards, but Robert O’Connor made a fantastic goal-line clearance.

Boro went 4-1 up late on, when a Greenfield corner was cleared to Hutton, who passed forward to Weledji, who drilled his shot past keeper Knowles.

A Burton header from a Leach cross, was saved by Knowles, Jackson fired wide from 20 yards, Hutton had a strike blocked by O’Brien, and in the last minute Watson bent a free-kick round the four-man wall, but the ball came back off the left-hand post.BORO - Bancroft, Weledji, Jackson, Maloney (Glynn 46), Qualter (Thornton 46), Burton, Watson, Tear (Leach 63), Charles, Hutton, Greenfield.

SOUTH PARK RANGERS - Knowles, Stuart, Waugh (Hill 77), Leyshon, McLaughlin, O’Connor, Buchan (Benomran 59), O’Brien, Brookbanks (McQueeny 59), Larkin, Tattersfield.

REFEREE - David Holmes.

GOALS - BORO - Dom Tear 34, Jake Charles 38, Billy Leach 67, Kieran Weledji 84; SOUTH PARK RANGERS - Sean O’Brien 30.

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Danny Greenfield.

ATTENDANCE - 563 (470 Boro).