South Midlands Floodlit Cup Final Saffron Walden Town 2 Eynesbury Rovers 1 STUART Harper s goal just before half-time wasn t enough for Eynesbury to end their season on a high. A coin toss meant that Rovers faced the long trip to Essex for this final, and
South Midlands Floodlit Cup Final
Saffron Walden Town 2 Eynesbury Rovers 1
STUART Harper's goal just before half-time wasn't enough for Eynesbury to end their season on a high.
A coin toss meant that Rovers faced the long trip to Essex for this final, and, buoyed by a strong travelling support, Eynesbury shaded the first period.
However, a physical Saffron Walden side capitalised on two second half defensive errors from Rovers to lift the Floodlit Cup, despite being reduced to 10 men at 1-1.
Harper had given Eynesbury the lead from a well-worked corner routine on 43 minutes but goals from Michael Parker on 54 minutes and Spike Bell on 73 minutes proved Rovers' undoing and left the St Neots club with a flat end-of-season sensation.
Eynesbury boss Dean Shipp admitted that ending a disappointing league campaign with defeat in his first cup final as manager was frustrating.
He said: "We didn't perform as we know we can in the league campaign but this cup run was a cherry on top for us.
"Both teams were quite nervous and the game never really settled into a pattern. We pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages but couldn't really create any clear-cut opportunities."
Eynesbury finished in 10th position in the United Counties League first division this season.
The team enjoyed some highs and lows across the season with a 6-1 thrashing of neighbours Huntingdon on Boxing Day a highlight.
However a woeful run of league form in 2007 - Eynesbury won just once - proved to be their undoing.
Shipp said: "We are all looking forward to a few weeks away before the new season.
"We are close to having a very strong team and it just needs a little bit of work before we get there.
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