Defending champions win quadruple

Rochdale & District Sunday Football League President Eddie Melvin presents Copperpot captain Davey Luker with the Chris Shyne Trophy

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Copperpot 5 - 2 Catholic Club

A devastating display of finishing from striker Lance Ogunyode was the catalyst behind Copperpot winning The Chris Shyne trophy for the third year running.

The trophy, added to those already won in the form of the Lancashire FA Sunday Trophy, The Alan Haughton Trophy and The Premier Division title, means that once again Copperpot are Rochdale's top amateur football side.

Striker Ogunyode is the club’s leading goalscorer and for a 20 minute spell in the second-half of this game he was unplayable. Ultimately he finished proceedings with four goals to his name, all neat and accomplished finishes, as his side fought back from 2-0 down to ensure yet another trophy laden season for the retiring management duo of Barry and Anthony Luker.

Whilst the final score may suggest this game was one-way traffic, it was far from it. Rochdale Catholic Club Celtic more than matched their opponents for long periods of the game and can be proud of the part they played in proceedings.

It was Club that started the match on the front foot with their midfield harrying their opponents at all times and in forwards Michael Kearney and Thomas Bradburn they had a front two that were causing endless problems.

At the other end the pace of brothers Chris and Lance Ogunyode was also causing concern for opposing defenders and too many times a routine ball over the top resulted in a shot on goal. It was perhaps a good job the majority of the early chances fell the way of the off colour Chris Ogunyode, who had clearly given his shooting boots to his brother.

The game burst into life in the 16th minute when Catholic Club took a deserved lead. Michael Kearney evaded a challenge on the edge of the penalty area before drawing the keeper and coolly slotting the ball into the back of the net. It was a typically composed finish from Kearney and it was no more than his side deserved.

Copperpot didn’t seem themselves in the early stages. Passes were uncharacteristically going astray, the usual driving force from the centre of midfield was being nullified and in defence they looked unusually vulnerable. It was most unlike the champions.

The goal buoyed the confidence of Club even more and they continued to dictate the game until half-time.

Copperpot emerged the stronger side after the break and finally they were able to put Club under some concerted pressure but not before Lee Leonard had converted a penalty to put his side two goals ahead after Sunday League referee of the year Ian Muncaster ruled that keeper Tony Tompos had fouled Thomas Bradburn.

By now Pot had introduced Johnny Lomas for James Mooney but it was the arrival of Nick Hodson that really allowed them to get a stranglehold on proceedings. The big midfielder managed to get hold of the ball in the middle of the park and quell the enthusiastic Club midfield. His arrival allowed Davey Luker to move into a central striking role and suddenly Copperpot's threat was increased dramatically.

Luker had been strangely quiet, with his Saturday side Bacup Borough being forced to play four games during the previous five days perhaps taking its toll on him, but it is not often see him play 90 minutes at this level of football without making an impact of some sort and sure enough his partnership in attack with Lance Ogunyode would have a decisive impact on the game.

Clever play on the edge of the box saw Ogunyode wriggle free into the area to reduce the arrears on 65 minutes and then on 74 minutes Ogunyode once again showed composure in the box to fire the ball past Jay O’Donovan in the Club goal to square things up. The Club management team argued that a foul had been committed on one of their players in the build-up to the goal but whilst they may have had a case it did not excuse the statuesque defending that followed.

Club were now looking vulnerable and Copperpot sensed blood and they poured forward at every opportunity. Jermain and Lester Peters in the heart of the Club defence were proving sturdy opponents but the crucial goal arrived on 79 minutes when Michael Barker, returning to the side after injury, gave his team the lead for the first time in the match.

Club were visibly shell-shocked by the turnaround but Lee Leonard nearly equalised with a fierce left-footed shot that sailed narrowly over.

The Club defence was now being over-run with Luker and Ogunyode looking likely to score at every opportunity. Ogunyode completed his hat-trick on 84 minutes, coolly passing the ball into the back of the net, and the understanding with his new strike partner was evident on 86 minutes when his excellently timed run saw him picked out by Luker and again he gave O’Donovan no chance to conclude the scoring.

Club had given so much to the game but in the end the final whistle could not come soon enough. Despite the defeat they emerged from proceedings with a great deal of credit and Michael Kearney confirmed why he was chosen in the Divisional Select XI.

Copperpot simply go from strength to strength but they face an uncertain summer with the news that their management team are to stand down. For many years they have been the standard bearers of Sunday League football and the league's Management Committee have thanked both Barry and Anthony Luker for their efforts over the years.