TWO teams from the same club will make JFA Combination history next month, when they meet in a cup final at Springfield.
St Peter Reserves will take on St Peter C in the JFA Bowl showdown on 18 April, after both sides got the better of a pair of St Clement teams in the semi-finals.
The Reserves defeated St Clement C 1-0, while their C-team colleagues were involved in a shootout thriller with St Clement Reserves, after they were deadlocked at 3-3 after 90 minutes, 4-4 at 105 minutes and 5-5 at the end of extra-time.
The westerners were reduced to ten men early in the second period of overtime, as Liam Spencer was sent packing.
When Jack Best fired the eastern outfit ahead with moments to go, all looked lost for an all St Peter final, but Jared Trevor fired home from a corner to ensure spot kicks.
St Peter then subbed in Sam Creavy to face the penalties, which proved vital.
C team co-manager, Chris Gill, said: ‘I think it really shows how much of a force St Peter is throughout the ranks.
‘To have a first-team side that is competitive is difficult enough, but we have great reserves and C-team sides which are challenging for trophies, as well as a brilliant under-18 team to bleed players into the senior sides from.’
Many might suspect an easy-going final, in which neither team would mind losing, but Gill insists that will not be the case.
‘We have fought all season long to get to where we are, and I can assure you that the final will be as competitive as it would be playing another club,’ he explained.
‘The team from the semi-finals was comprised all of C-team players and we got past a St Clements Reserves team that had a couple first team players drop down.
‘We know we are a good side and the final should be a spectacle.’
When the JFA took charge of Combination football in 2019 the competition, formerly known as the Willis Cup, was reorganised to allow all non-first teams to participate.
The Bowl, now for all teams in the Championship and below, is drawn in such a way that sides from the same club avoid each other until the point where a clash is unavoidable.
