The drama of Newark’s oldest football cup competition
An outstanding performance saw Barnby Road A team narrowly lose the Newark Schools’ Cup Final 3-2 to Lowes Wong on Wednesday evening. The match swung backwards and forwards with both teams having the lead at different stages of the game. Lowes Wong went in front early on only for Brady McGuigan to equalise from the penalty spot before half time, after Max Oldfield had been taken out in a re-enactment of the Harold Schumacher - Patrick Batiston incident from 1982. On this occasion the referee was brave and awarded the spot kick.
The game really could have gone either way in the second half; Finlay Young headed Barnby Road ahead after showing bravery when again confronted by the opposition ‘keeper. Barnby were unfortunately unable to hold onto their lead, with Lowes Wong equalising from the re-start. Barnby then suffered the heartbreak of conceding the winning goal in the final seconds of the match.
Every member of the team was outstanding and this was a fitting end to a season of great improvement; Lowes Wong had previously beaten Barnby Road heavily in the league but there was nothing between the teams on this occasion.
[The photo shows the boys deservedly proud of their medals, alongside former Premier League and FA Cup referee Phil Joslin.]
back row l-r:Sam Barbuti, Brady McGuigan, Finlay Young, Jaden Ridyard, Joel Allen
front row l-r:Matas Lukjanovas, Max Oldfield, Hugh Fox Goddard, Luis Pessoa, Phil Joslin (referee)