Wimborne Town FC played host to the Dorset Premier League Cup Final on Saturday, it was a fiercely contested, if not a classic, game between Cobham Sports and Westland Sports, there was a good crowd in attendance especially considering it was FA Cup Final day, Westland travelled from Yeovil and brought plenty of support with them on the two coaches that made the trip but there was a decent turnout from Cobham also which added to the atmosphere. With the game locked at a goal apiece after the ninety minutes, Cobham taking the lead in the first half through an own goal after good work from Asa Phillips but they were pegged back in the 79th minute, Phil Ormrod netting a deserved equaliser with 15 minutes remaining. There were some tired legs on both sides that had to manage the added on 30 minutes and it took an opportunists strike of some class by Amechi Eze-Sunday to clinched the cup for Cobham Sports by 2-1.
Both sides started cautiously but Cobham were the first to have a sight at goal, Lee Wilkins header in the 14th minute just clearing the bar but in an even enough first half hour Westland had a couple of efforts on goal, Jamie Green’s effort was comfortably collected by Luke Beale in the 27th minute and then just two minutes later a Thomas Frampton header cleared the bar. Cobham struck back and Callum Clarke couldn’t quite get a touch on a superb cross from Sam Lench in the 33rd minute. Cobham took the lead in the 38th minute, Asa Phillips squeezed the Westland defence in the right hand corner of the field, he dispossessed the defender and his crisp low delivery was diverted into his own net by Fred Chorley but the quality of the delivery made life difficult for him. Cobham should have extended their lead just three minutes later, Callum Clarke beating his man and his crisp right footed drive was well saved by Harrison Wallis. Cobham finished the half well and Wilkins went close with another header right on half time.
Westland came out of the blocks quickly and nearly equalised in the 46th minute, the stretching Phil Ormrod saw his effort rebound off the upright. Westland grabbed the initiative and held it for the majority of the second half but Cobham would look dangerous on the counter and Harry Wright would have been disappointed in a fairly tame effort being easily collected by Wallis in the 61st minute. Sam Lench should have been more selfish in the 69th minute when put away down the right but he chose to square a pass and the chance went begging. Westland’s pressure paid off in the 79th minute, Cobham were asleep at the back and Westland took full advantage, Phil Ormrod smartly converting an excellent cross from the left. Frampton came up with another strong header in the 84th minute but Beale saved comfortably and as the game drifted into added on time Lench forced a save out of Wallis in the 90+1st minute and Eze-Sunday was just wide of the mark in the 90+3rd minute.
The game had become scrappy with tired legs on both sides going into extra time, Steve Ormrod had a strong header saved by Beale in the 98th minute but chances were few and far between for both sides, however, Cobham did look more dangerous on the counter. With the game appearing to be heading for penalties a speculative ball forward at pace found Dan Brown, he flicked the ball into space behind the Westland defence and the on running Eze-Sunday expertly fired home on the volley from 14 yards to give Wallis no chance and Cobham found themselves in front again with minutes remaining. Cobham had two more chances to put the game to bed before the final whistle, Eze-Sunday was foiled with a last ditch tackle and in the 123rd minute Joe Wood probably should have done better from 20 yards with Wallis out of position but his shot went too high then the referee, Nick Clegg, who had a decent game blew the final whistle to see Cobham claim the Cup by 2-1.
It was a scrappy affair, I thought Cobham created the better chances throughout but Westland had the upper hand in the second half. Rafa Santos and Lee Wilkins both had strong games for Cobham but an outstanding, solid defensive display from Connor Cocklin earned him the man of the match.
Ian Gilmartin