Deer Orchard retained the President’s Cup last night with a penalty shoot out win in the final at the Fibrus Community Stadium in Workington.
The game with Northside had finished 1-1 and straight to penalties where the Cockermouth side, the oldest Sunday league team in the county – if not the country – won 5-4.
Orchard had done the double last season by winning the West Cumberland Sunday League Premier Division title and the President’s Cup.
They had already lost the league title to Northside this season, so were particularly pleased to hang onto the President’s Cup.
In the final both teams had chances to win it inside the 90-minutes but they shared two goals with one apiece.
Northside had shaded the first-half and took the lead on 30 minutes.
A ball into the box saw Chad Grisdale get there just ahead of an Orchard defender to steer the ball goalwards.
Although it was subsequently cleared a referee’s assistant had a clear view to award the goal, ruling the ball had crossed the line.
Deer Orchard were the stronger side as the game developed and deserved their equaliser on 60 minutes from 17-year-old Oscar Pickering, who rifled in a snap shot from just inside the area.
The first eight penalties were successful but then Max Pickering, the Orchard keeper produced the all-important save. It left another of Orchard’s teenagers Troy Patterson to step up and score the winning penalty.
Orchard were a real band of brothers on the night with three Pickerings – Max, Louis and Oscar all starting while Sam Wright was also in the starting line-up and his brother Ben came on as a substitute.
Louis is also the captain of Workington Reds’ successful Under-23s side while Oscar is a promising member of the Reds Under-18s side, who are also going very well this season.
