M. A. HART ROBBINS CUP FINAL
M.A. HART ROBBINS CUP FINAL
Thursday 10th April 2025 at Hurn Bridge
RUSHMERE 3 EAST CHRISTCHURCH ATHLETIC 3
Rushmere won 4-2 on penalties
Rushmere emerged 4-2 winners on penalties after Thursday night’s action packed M.A. Hart Robbins Cup Final with East Christchurch Athletic at Hurn Bridge finished all square 3-3.
Athletic undoubtedly had the better of the play but were denied by a combination of excellent saves from Rushmere goalkeeper Luke Horton and the woodwork, which they struck on several occasions.
Rushmere were devastating on the break and their clinical
finishing enabled them to go in at half time with a three goal lead which Athletic managed to nullify with a strong second half come back.
Athletic had an early opportunity when central defender Brad Penhallow ran unopposed to connect with Jamie Morgan’s free kick but his header went wide of the far post.
Rushmere opened the scoring from their very first attack in the 5th minute when Jonathan Watt raced away down the left and crossed for CHARLIE KING to slot the ball past the advancing goalkeeper.
Athletic responded with a chip from Mickey Finch which was narrowly wide before Rushmere doubled their lead in the 11th minute and again it was their lively front man CHARLIE KING who curled a superb effort from the edge of the box over Athletic ‘keeper Joe Coombes and in off the underside of the crossbar.
Athletic thought they had a penalty in the 17th minute when referee Dominic Gillespie initially pointed to the spot after Rushmere ‘keeper Luke Horton had impeded Jamie Morgan but, after consulting his linesman, he indicated that the Athletic forward had been offside.
Joe Roberts struck the post a minute later and, following an excellent passage of build up play, the Athletic front man put a 20 yard effort just wide.
Another great move by Athletic in the 33rd minute resulted in a shot from Ethan Fishlock being blocked while, at the other end, Rushmere won possession high up the pitch to create an opening for Joe Wood whose effort skimmed the top of the Athletic crossbar.
Rushmere defender Alfie Phillips did well to get the ball away when Joe Roberts put Conrad Churchill through in the 38th minute before Rushmere broke away again just before the interval to take a three goal lead with JOE WOOD drilling a low shot just inside the far post.
Athletic went close again in stoppage time at the end of the first half, first with an Ethan Fishlock strike crashing against the upright and then a Ronan Moore free kick brilliantly saved by Luke Horton with Matt Scott unable to capitalise on the rebound.
Ethan Fishlock got in a good strike from a corner at the start of the second half and Luke Horton did well to keep it out at the expense of another corner which resulted in a frantic prolonged scramble in the Rushmere goalmouth after Jamie Morgan’s header came back off the crossbar.
East Christchurch pulled one back in the 56th minute when Ronan Moore’s superb cross from the left was headed over the ‘keeper by ETHAN FISHLOCK.
Jamie Morgan fired in a shot from the edge of the box two minutes later but Luke Horton dived to his right to pull off a brilliant save and somehow managed to claw the ball away before Joe Roberts could capitalise on the rebound.
Athletic produced an incisive move down the left on the hour with Ethan Fishlock bursting through to drill in a shot which brought an excellent save from Luke Horton at his near post.
A free kick into the Rushmere penalty area in the 74th minute was headed away but only as far as RONAN MOORE who met it with a brilliant looping effort into the roof of the net from outside the box.
Athletic piled on the pressure in the closing stages and it paid off in the 85th minute when RONAN MOORE equalised when he headed Conrad Churchill’s cross from the left into the corner of the net.
Joe Wood looked about to settle the issue in the fourth minute of stoppage time as he latched onto the ball in the Athletic penalty area until Brad Penhallow came to the rescue with a timely intervention.
The game had to be decided on penalties and, after both sides had missed the first of their spot kicks, Luke Horton made a crucial save. Then, with all the subsequent attempts being converted, Rushmere came out on top 4-2.
Rushmere goalkeeper Luke Horton was chosen by Bournemouth League President Mike Fowler for the Man of the Match award.
Rushmere : Luke Horton, Dave Sill (Steve Mackay 45 mins), Sean Griffiths, Alfie Phillips, Jon Watt, Joe Wood, Charlie King (Sabian Lawson 72 mins), Isaac Zainuddin (Tom Rowland 90+2 mins), Pedro Nobrega (Jon Lever 57 mins), Kirsty Emeshili (Josh Hill 65 mins), Joe Banwell.
East Christchurch Athletic : Joe Coombes, Jamie Morgan, Matt Scott (Jake Churchill 45 mins), Brad Penhallow, Pat Correia, Joe Roberts, Mickey Finch (Sean Eaton 77 mins), Conrad Churchill, John Zdrava, Ronan Moore, Ethan Fishlock.
Unused substitutes : Dan Knox, Jordan Jones, and Oscar Cluett.
M.A. HART ROBBINS CUP FINAL
Thursday 11th April 2024 at Hurn Bridge
Sponsored by: Connaught Estates
FC HAJDUK 1 EAST CHRISTCHURCH SSC 1
FC Hajduk won 3-2 on penalties.
Goalkeeper Matt Cleere was FC Hajduk’s hero, saving three spot kicks to give them the verdict 3-2 in the penalty shoot out after they finished all square 1-1 with arch rivals East Christchurch SSC in the M.A. HART ROBBINS CUP final.
The Hajduk stopper has a habit of being their trump card in penalty shoot outs on the big occasions. He had also been SSC’s nemesis in last season’s Mark Hart Sunday Senior Cup final, saving two spot kicks as Hajduk won that one 4-3 on penalties and, in the previous season’s Hampshire FA Sunday Trophy semi final, Matt’s two penalty saves enabled Hajduk to get the better of The Meon 3-1 in that penalty shoot out.
Hakduk were missing some of their Wessex League players in Tuesday night’s Mark Hart Sunday Senior Cup final defeat against East Christchurch SSC but they were back for this one.
Kyle Leach won possession in midfield in the 12th minute and charged through the middle but, with the ‘keeper to beat and under pressure from the chasing defenders, he was unbalanced and blazed the ball over the bar.
Alex Hancox was played in at the other end five minutes later and his shot flew past the diving Matt Cleere, struck the inside of the post, and rebounded straight into the arms of the grateful Hajduk ‘keeper.
Alex Hancox tried a speculative shot from outside the penalty area three minutes later but Matt Cleere was well placed to save comfortably.
FC Hajduk took the lead midway through the first half when LEWIS SAINVAL climbed above the East Christchurch defence to meet a corner from the right and head it past ‘keeper Peter Old.
Jack Kinge-Phillips raced down the left in the 37th minute to get in a cross which flew past SSC ‘keeper Pete Old but defender Andrei Munteanu came to the rescue, heading it behind for a corner.
Awwal Abubakar went down the left in the 40th minute to get in a cross which found Lewis Miles twelve yards out but the FC Hajduk midfielder fired wide.
Jack Kinge-Phillips was again prominent out of the left wing for Hajduk five minutes into the second half, getting in a low cross which Peter Old dived to save. Play then switched to the other end with Levi Ridealgh’s crossfield ball from the left arriving at the feet of skipper ALEX WHITEHOUSE who put East Christchurch SSC on terms, swivelling to slot the ball under Matt Cleere and into the back of the net.
While FC Hajduk had the better of the first half, SSC were boosted by their equaliser and the last 40 minutes were evenly contested. Neither side were able to break the deadlock and the game went to penalties
Sam Darlow and Levi Ridealgh both converted their penalties for SSC with Rafa Santos and Awwal Abubakar following suit for Hajduk. Matt Cleere once again demonstrated his prowess at stopping penalties by saving the next three SSC spot kicks while Hajduk put one against the post, had another saved by Pete Old, and, although the SSC ‘keeper managed to get a hand to it, Hajduk’s final penalty by Tyrone Carkeet proved decisive.
FC Hajduk goalkeeper Matt Cleere was chosen for the Man of the match award by BFL President Mike Fowler.
FC Hajduk : Matt Cleere, Eddie Myers, Howard Nhemachena, Lewis Sainval, Tyrone Carkeet, Jack Kinge-Phillips, Kyle Leach (Andy Partridge 82 mins), Awwal Abubakar, Rafa Santos, Lewis Miles, Henry Hodge (Claudio Carvalho 72 mins).
Unused substitutes : Will Hodge, Levi Middlewick, and Mac Rasney.
East Christchurch SSC : Peter Old, Dan Hancock (Callum Horton 90+4 mins), Gavin Haynes, Callum Dickenson, Andrei Munteanu, Darren Orchard (Sam Darlow 70 mins), Jack Smith (Keelan Fudge 90 mins), Sol Bower, Alex Whitehouse (Dan Brown 85 mins), Alex Hancox, Levi Ridealgh.
Unused substitute : Liam Griffin.
M.A. HART ROBBINS CUP FINAL
Thursday 13th April 2023 at Hurn Bridge
WEST HOWE 0 EAST CHRISTCHURCH SSC 1
East Christchurch SSC skipper Alex Whitehouse was chosen for the Man of the Match award by BFL President Mike Fowler.
East Christchurch SSC : Dan Sansom, Andrei Munteanu, Dan Whitehouse, Dan Hancock, Darren Orchard (Jordi Gentle 84 mins), Dan Brown (Alex Hancox 68 mins), Liam Griffin (Alex Catana 74 mins), Levi Ridealgh, Gavin Haynes, Alex Whitehouse (Aidan Blackburn), Dave Midgley.
Unused substitute : Jack Smith.
Thursday 13th April 2023
M.A. HART ROBBINS CUP FINAL
Thursday 21st April 2022 at Hurn Bridge
FC HAJDUK 3 ABBEY 2
FC Hajduk : Jeremy James, Rafael Santos (Jimmy Cooper 56 mins), Lewis Chambers, Lewis Sainval, Lewis Miles, Andy Partridge, Mac Raney, Jack Kinge-Phillips, Henry Hodge, Adam Baxter, Jack Myers (Callum Charlton 15 mins).
Unused substitute : Mitch Cannings
Not Contested in 2020 & 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic & lockdowns.
Tuesday 30th April 2019 at Hurn Bridge, Christchurch
EAST CHRISTCHURCH SSC 2 JP MORGAN 1
East Christchurch SSC : Marc Davies, Jack Smith, Matt Piovan, Dan Whitehouse, Dan Hancock (Tom Harris 82 mins), Jamie Trimble, Darren Orchard, Sam Kennedy (Sol Bower 76 mins), Alex Whitehouse, Jonny King (Andrei Munteanu 90 mins), Mal Thomas (Mitch East 90 mins).
Robbins Cup 2019
EAST CHRISTCHURCH SSC 1 - 4 TALBOT RANGERS
Talbot Rangers : Nathan Clarke, Jamie Morgan (Kieron Arif 59 mins), Brad Aspin, Jake Younger, Mickey Finch, Dominic Falco, Mark Rourke (Rico Wilson 70 mins), Marcus Cullen, Dan Jeffries (Brett Chandler 67 mins), Matty Ings, Sami Garcia.
Robbins Final - Thursday 30th April 2017
PREVIOUS FINALS
Thursday 28th April 2016
PRIORY QUAYS 4-2 THROOP UNITED
Priory Quays : Nick Elliott, Dan Brennan, Manny Ohameje, Ryan O’Reilly (Simon Tao 71 mins), Chris Burden (Rafael Santos 71 mins), Max Wilcock, Ollie Peckham, Steve Flynn, Kev Brennan, Max Crow, Stuart Ellis.
Robbins Cup 2016
Thursday 30th April 2015 at the M. A. Hart Stadium, Hurn Bridge
Pilot 4 Priory Quays 1
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