The first Spalding and District Sunday Football League trophy is up for grabs this weekend as Pinchbeck United Sunday and Brennans Sports go head-to-head in the John Chappell Shield final.
Spalding United’s Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field plays host to the Sunday showdown (11am), with holders Pinchbeck going into the game as heavy favourites.
It’s the first of three finals in a month for Tom Roberts’ side, with the League KO Cup (April 12) and Lincs Sunday Cup (April 26) still to come.
Pinchbeck are hot favourites to retain the league title too, having won all ten of their games so far this season. Indeed, Roberts has steered his side to an amazing 22 wins from as many matches this term – leaving them odds-on to land an unprecedented quadruple.
But the player/boss has warned his side that they’ll have to match the work-rate and desire of a battling Brennans outfit that go into Sunday’s final in sixth place in the league.
“They are a very hard-working side and really do play for each other,” said Roberts. “There will be no lack of effort or desire from them, that’s a given.
“For any team at any level that is all you can really ask as manager – and we respect that.
“For us, we’ve got to match their effort and desire. If we can do that, I’d hope that our extra bit of skill and talent will shine through on the day.
“Obviously we’re the holders of this competition and we want to hold onto our crown.
“It may not be the biggest final we’ve got coming up, but we want to offer a glimpse of what we’re capable of – and maybe that’ll get a few more people on board to come and watch our county cup final.”
For Brennans, it is almost a no-lose situation. Nobody is really expecting them to walk away from the Sir Halley with the trophy, despite an 8-1 win over Spalding Seas End Wanderers last time out.
But you don’t have to look back too far to find a seed of hope for the Spalding side. Just last season, when playing under the name Fenway, they held Pinchbeck to a 0-0 draw.
A repeat of that this weekend would earn them a penalty shoot-out – and Sports ace Ant Murphy is hoping he and his team-mates will simply want to win the game more than their opponents.
Murphy said: “I think everyone knows we are massive underdogs for the game, but we have proven before that we can get something from them – being the only team to take points from them last season (when we were Fenway).
“This is our biggest game of the season, one which we are really up for, whereas they have the county cup and league to focus on. I think desire could possibly be a leveller.
“Ultimately it is Sunday football, but the majority of both team’s players play Saturdays. It is all about enjoying the day, putting in a performance to be proud of and having a few beers after.”
There will be no shortage of top South Holland talent in action on Sunday, with the likes of Jamie Stevens, Josh Ford, John Fairweather, Adam Jackson, Luke Wilson, Matt Warfield and Dan Woods all potentially available.
Pinchbeck beat Punchbowl Panthers 3-0 in last year’s final.
