Berwick Charities Cup Final

Saturday 27th July 2024

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

Crusaders 1 The Angel Alkis 4, attendance 230

13’ 0-1

44’ 0-2

47’ 1-2

72’ 1-3

77’ 1-4

@ The Stanks

Parade

Berwick-upon-Tweed

TD15 1DG

No Admission (raffle tickets/donations collected) or Programme.

Ever since seeing photographs of The Stanks it has been on my ‘to do list’ for a football match. There is just about enough room to squeeze a pitch into an area beneath the old defensive ramparts of Berwick-upon-Tweed and each summer it hosts the Berwick Charities Cup. Teams are basically pub teams/groups of mates that form teams just for this competition. Things like all team players not wearing matching kit doesn’t seem to be a problem and it does appear to be very much ‘Sunday League’ as far as stupid team names being used goes. You cant ever guarantee that games will take place either, making it a bit of a risk to travel especially for a game. However, as I was already up in the area and the fact it was the final of the competition, it was worth the effort to give it a go and it was only an hour and twenty minutes drive back from Edinburgh, arriving almost an hour before the scheduled start. Thankfully, not only did the game take place, it was of a far higher standard than I’d been expecting, between two excellent teams.

Angel Alkis took an early lead and having looked the better side for long periods, added a second just before halftime. When Crusaders pulled one back just two minutes into the second half it set the game up perfectly. It was end to end stuff, played with full commitment from both teams and although Crusaders pushed hard for an equaliser, it just wouldn’t come and when Angel Alkis made it 1-3 with eighteen minutes left, the cup was secured and they even added a fourth five minutes later. Hero of the night for them was Craig Bell, who scored all four of their goals, although two or three of their back line were also outstanding.

East of Scotland League

Division 3

Saturday 27th July 2024

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.28!

Edinburgh Community 1 Edinburgh United 5, attendance 57

16’ 1-0

18’ 1-1

26’ 1-2

52’ 1-3

76’ 1-4

77’ 1-5

@ St. Mark’s Park

Warriston Road

Edinburgh

EH7 4HN

£6 Admission

No Programme.

I intended doing the Berwick Charities Cup Final in Berwick upon Tweed tonight at 18.30, so was rather limited in picking a competitive game this afternoon within easy reach of there. This game fitted the bill perfectly, situated in the north of Edinburgh, about two and a half hours north of last night’s game in Washington and only an hour and a quarter drive back south across the border to Berwick and it would leave me with just Linton Hotspur to complete this division now. The ground consists of a railed pitch (set well back from the pitch) with a pair of dugouts on the left hand touchline and raised grass banking running behind the entrance goal end, continuing round to the far corner. Both the changing rooms and tea bar are outside the perimeter fencing and although there is a car park, it is very small, so street parking about 50 yards away did the job. There was a very heavy downpour in the half hour leading up to kick off, but no problem with the pitch, which was in superb condition.

Edinburgh United had been relegated last season, finishing second bottom, after a nine point deduction (they’d still have gone down without it) and life one level down didn’t get off to a very good start for them today, going behind after just sixteen minutes. They equalised a couple of minutes later though, with a cracking 25 yarder into the top corner and midway through the half they were in front, finishing a ball over the top that looked suspiciously offside. Early in the second half it was 1-3, when a corner from the left was headed downwards and cleared off the line, although the well placed Referee judged it was over the line before being booted away. With fourteen minutes left they made it 1-4, when a ball over the top was finished with a scuffed shot into the far corner and they made it 1-5 a minute later, when a mishit cross fell perfectly for a fellow striker following in. They could have added another couple late on, but saw a shot that came back off the crossbar tipped round the post on the rebound, before they hit the post with another chance having been played through one on one with the ‘keeper.