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Lighthouse win dramatic NFCL Under 16 cup final 

Lighthouse Sheringham Under 16s football team won the Norfolk Christian League U16 cup final at the Nest in Norwich on Saturday morning (April  23), beating their close rivals Salhouse Rovers 3-1.

Runaway U16 league winners Salhouse Rovers FC were the favourites to do the double over league runners-up Lighthouse. But Lighthouse started well and took an early lead through a sensational Jude Philpott overhead kick from captain Harry Crain’s free kick delivery into the box.
 
Salhouse began to grow in possession and got a deserved equaliser before half time from Ryan Turner.
 
With the match in the balance and chances at both ends, Lighthouse got the crucial next goal. Jude Philpott crossing from the right hand side, after a good advantage played by the referee and Ned Vigor racing to meet the cross and steer it into the bottom corner.
 
This was a proper end-to-end cup tie and there was to be more late drama. A long Salhouse throw-in into the box, saw the ball bounce around as if in a pinball machine before being turned goalwards, only a great reaction save from goalkeeper Cameron Cook preventing it from crossing the line. His quick thinking to get the ball forward, suddenly resulted in four Lighthouse players bearing down on the Salhouse goal. Jude Philpott unselfishly squared it to Ned Vigor to roll in the winning goal and cue raucous celebrations in the Sheringham end! A great team performance and another very competitive match against a talented Salhouse team.
 
Lighthouse team: Cameron Cook, Theo Knowles, Harry Crain, Cameron Skivington, Harrison Hannant, Jude Philpott, Vincent Regan, Freddie Winstanley, Kristian Richards, Josh Pratt, Addy Bignold, Ned Vigor.
 
After presenting the cup to Lighthouse and the league trophy to Salhouse, League secretary, Alan Barnes, said: “It was great to be able to use The Nest venue for three important matches in the NCFL calendar.
 
“An U14 cup quarter final and the finals of the U16 and adult cup provided some excellent competitive football where the results were not certain until the final moments. A great celebration of faith and football!”
 
Adult final pictures and report to follow.

Pictures by Phil Dove.

To see a picture gallery of the final see below or click here

NCFL U16 Cup Final April 2022

Keith Morris, 25/04/2022

Published: 25/04/2022
Keith Morris

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