Bungay’s long wait for a trophy is finally over
Bungay Town enjoy the moment after lifting the Anglian Combinations Junior Knock-out Cup on Tuesday evening. - Credit: Archant
Cyril Ballyn Cup Final
Bungay Town 3 Waveney 0
Bungay Town won their first trophy in 26 years as they lifted the Anglian Combination Junior Knock-out Cup at the FDC at Bowthorpe on Tuesday evening.
The clear-cut victory brought them some compensation three days after they missed out on their season’s main objective, having been pipped for promotion to Division One by Mulbarton Wanderers in a heart-breaking 1-0 defeat on Saturday.
Despite that they went into the game fully motivated and with energy and urgency to see off the Division Three champions, and end the season on a high, cheered on by another large away following.
The last time they won a trophy was in 1988 when they won the Anglian Combination Division One championship and promotion to the Premier Division.
On Tuesday every player was superb and up for the challenge from the first minute, with Dan Andrews’ pace causing Waveney all sorts of problems. Early on he got to the byline to cut the ball back for Shaun Flint, who saw his shot blocked by the defence.
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Waveney also had speed down the flank and Rob Howes did well to cut out a low cross from the left, but it was a rare threat. After John Riches had seen a speculative long range effort go wide, Bungay moved ahead in the 23rd minute as a great ball over the defence from man-of-the-match Kevin Riches put Flint away and he netted at the second attempt after the keeper had blocked his first shot.
Another fine ball over the top by Paul Hunter found Kevin Riches run and his angled lob was only just reached by the keeper.
Shaun Whiteman had to make a great saving tackle to cut out a dangerous low cross before the interval, but Bungay continued to push forward after the break and threaten the overworked Waveney defence. Flint and Andrews continued to worry them, and the key second goal finally came in the 69th minute as Howes launched the ball forward to send Flint away down the left and a defender turned his low cross past his own keeper under challenge form Andrews.
The third came six minutes later as Whiteman got up to thump a header into the net form Hunter’s corner. Waveney were well beaten, and it was fitting that captain Craig Hunting should receive the Cyril Ballyn Cup to great applause on his 420th appearance for the club.
Team: R Howes, P Hunter, C Hunting, S Whiteman, N Causton, T Halliwell, K Riches (A Hammersley), J Riches, A Mutimer, S Flint (J Mirner), D Andrews (M Holmes).
