Northside’s hopes of outdoing last year’s quadruple achievement in the Workington Sunday League were in tatters at the weekend.
Despite home advantage they went down 4-1 to Carlisle visitors Scotby, who will go on to meet holders Inter Pirelli in the Sunday County Cup final.
Scotby gave Northside an object lesson in how to take their chances and wrap-up the semi-final tie.
Northside secretary/coach Jamie Moore said: “I’m gutted really. No complaints on the day, the better team won and they were a good bunch of lads.
“But that was our first defeat for over 12 months and after winning the quadruple last season we had really set our sights on winning the County Cup.
“We took the lead to give us a lift but they scored a penalty before half-time and won it with three second-half goals.
“I’d just like to wish both teams, Scotby and Inter Pirelli all the best for the final.”
Jamie Bramley had put Northside in front with a good strike from outside the box but Scotby levelled from the penalty spot through Tom Hill before the break.
They went on to score three more times without reply and book a date with their old rivals Inter Pirelli in a repeat of last year’s final.
Northside weren’t helped by the sending-off after 63 minutes of Kyle Graham but Scotby were worthy winners.
Moore, who started playing for Northside when he was sixteen – 17 years ago – has been the team coach for three and a half seasons.
“We have just been told, too, that we have retained the League title. Apparently Rangers FC have folded and all their points have been deducted.
“After the table was sorted again we can’t be caught. It’s not the way we would want to win the League but now we want to retain the trophies we won last time.”
Because of the amount of games called-off during the winter the clubs will only play each other once so all fixtures are almost complete.
There was only one game in the Workington and District Sunday League in which Dearham Commercial beat Sun Inn Athletic 3-1.
It proved an enjoyable and well contested game with goals from Jack Brown (2) and Jack Taylor winning it for Dearham.
Athletic stayed well in contention with a goal from Mark Campbell.
