Copperpot win through to Sunday Trophy Final

Photo: Steve Bateson photography

The Copperpot squad.

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Defending Premier League champions Copperpot progressed through to the final of The Lancashire FA Sunday Trophy with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Blackburn side Station Road on Thursday night (19 February).

Despite injuries to key players Copperpot rarely had to venture out of second gear and goals from Richard Helme, Johnny Lomas and Lance Ogunyade saw them through to the final to play the winners of Littleborough and AFC Lostock Hall.

In the opening stages both sides struggled to settle and Copperpot looked to have suffered an early blow when Davey Luker was the recipient of a rather late and malicious tackle but he soon ran off the injury to the relief of the Pot management team.

Despite both keepers not being tested in the first 30 minutes it was apparent that the Rochdale side had the better quality in the final third and Lance Ogunyade should have done better on 27 minutes with a snapshot but could only find the car park behind the goals after good work by Prescott and Lomas down the right.

Not long after the Station Road keeper made the first meaningful save of the game when Jopson turned and shot inside the area following a goalmouth scramble. His shot lacked power however and didn’t really trouble the man in green.

Lomas was booked for tripping after losing possession on the halfway line and he was followed into referee Corns’ notebook by Davey Luker, who, despite being told to wait for the whistle on the edge of the penalty box, decided to take a quick free-kick and the referee booked him for the offence.

Eventually Copperpot’s quality in the attacking department told on 38 minutes when clever work from Johnny Lomas on the right saw him jink pass 2 defenders and cross expertly to Richard Helme at the far post, who didn’t need a second invitation to head home. It was a goal of real quality.

Three minutes later Station Road could have been back on level terms when their speedy forward appeared to be caught by the trailing leg of Wayne Jopson only for the referee, who had a perfect view of the offence, to point for a goal-kick.

Half-time Copperpot 1-0 Station Road

Within minutes of the restart Station Road had equalised and deservedly so after a bright start to the second period. A corner from the left was cleared back to the taker. His delivery second time wasn’t cleared and when keeper Tyson could only parry the headed effort the number 10 was on-hand to score. The goal sparked jubilant scenes both on and off the pitch.

The goal seemed to wake Copperpot from their second-half slumbers and almost straight away Davey Luker should have restored their lead.

They didn’t have to wait much longer when a pinpoint pass from Luker found Lomas on the right and his first time effort from outside the area deceived the keeper and found its way into the corner of the net. It was a cracking finish from the young number 8 and a fitting goal for his play up to that point.

The goal settled the nerves of the Copperpot side and they started to play more fluent football. Luker was managing to get a stranglehold on the game and down their right-flank Phil Prescott and Johnny Lomas were creating all sorts of problems for their opponents and it was no surprise when the crucial third goal arrived via this combination.

The overlapping Prescott played in Lomas down the right and then continued his run into the box and despite completely missing the resulting cross when under pressure from an opposing defender the ball fell to Lance Ogunyade and he finished with aplomb. Game, set and match Copperpot.

Hodson replaced the tiring Jason Kay with 10 minutes to go as Copperpot looked to add insult to injury but Station Road should have given themselves hope in the dying minutes but a free header was missed following a cross from the right.

Littleborough have the chance to make it an all Rochdale final next Wednesday when they entertain cup holders AFC Lostock Hall at the home of Radcliffe Borough.

Man-of-the-Match – Johnny Lomas, scored one and made two.

Copperpot: Tyson, Presscot, Cooper, Jopson, Mooney, Lomas, Kay, Luker, Helme, Shelmerdine and Ogunyade.