Cup Final Div 1 Cup (Newport Pagnell)
Won 4-2
(H/T 2-2)
Moulton FC travelled over to Newport Pagnell to take on Sileby Rangers in the final of the Spartan South Midlands Division 1 KO Cup having already qualified for the end of season League play offs as had their opponents and near neighbours. The Magpies got off to a dream start and took the lead after only 3 minutes LUCA IACIOFANO flicked the ball on to Nat Ansu and when he returned it the Moulton wide man finished from 10 yards. Remarkably within 2 minutes the lead was doubled when JOSH MELLING towered above the Sileby defence to head in a Josh Adams corner. The game continued at a pace and Sileby pulled a goal back with 13 minutes on the clock when Nathan Burrows scored from close range, but the Magpies continued to have more of the ball and Ansu shot over after beating 3 men and Archie Elmore also had a shot blocked as they looked to consolidate the lead. Things took a dramatic turn after 39 minutes when Sileby keeper Dean Love saw red for deliberate handball outside the box, John Bowers taking over in goal, and although down to 10 men the delay that ensued played in to their hands as 4 minutes in to added time Ian Blaikie scored from close in to level the scores.
HALF TIME SILEBY RANGERS 2 MOULTON 2
Moulton with the extra man were straight out of the blocks as the game resumed and Ansu was desperately unlucky to hit the post after being set up by Cole Mason and Justin Mensah saw his follow up shot saved by the keeper. The Magpies continued to dominate and Ansu again saw another shot blocked and following a succession of corners Iaciofano shot over and Melling had a shot saved but so far the domination wasn’t paying dividends, and chances came and went as the game progressed. Sileby were offering little in attack, and eventually the breakthrough came with 84 minutes on the clock, Iaciofano won a corner after twisting and turning in the box and seeing his shot deflected over. From the Adams corner the ball was cleared to Aaron Dickins who saw his shot parried away by the keeper but only to Mason who returned it to the back post to MELLING who headed his second goal of the game in his 50th game for the club. This knocked the stuffing out of the Sileby side and Dickins was unlucky to see a long range effort cannon back off the crossbar before the Magpies sealed the game with 2 minutes of normal time left. Albert Mensah played a lovely ball inside the full back to Adams and he had a fierce shot beaten away by the keeper but only to Iaciofano who crossed back into the box to ANSU who finished from 8 yards.
FINAL SCORE SILEBY RANGERS 2 MOULTON 4
ATTENDANCE 129
TEAM Durrant, Mason, Dickins, White, Melling, Boateng, Iaciofano, J Mensah (Ashman 80) Ansu, Elmore (A Mensah 59) Adams (Preston 90+1) Subs not used Bell, Koffi