Greendale Oak beat Sherwood Rangers to retain Worksop Sunday Cup despite three penalty misses

A scintillating second period saw Greendale fight back from a goal down to beat Sherwood Rangers 3-1 and win the cup for a third season – but that was only half of the story.

After scoring five spot-kicks in a semi-final shoot-out win to get to the final, Greendale failed to convert any of the three penalties they were awarded in open play at Harworth.

The game was less than three minutes old when James Mainwaring guessed correctly to keep out Daniel Wiltshire’s penalty and Sherwood used the momentum to take the lead with 17 minutes gone, Greendale failed to clear a long throw and Brad Jones managed to turn the ball beyond Ryan Barson.

Greendale spent most of the first half on the offensive but were unable to break through the hard-working Sherwood defence, including when a second penalty was awarded on 40 minutes but Matty Templeton shot wide.

Greendale made changes at the break and were level within three minutes after break, with captain Carl Lake powerfully heading home a James Cocker corner.

The third unsuccessful penalty arrived on the hour, Mainwaring saving with his feet from Tom Mullen.

Mullen, however, was celebrating soon after, converting a pass from Taylor Thackery on 66 minutes, putting Greendale ahead for the first time.

Three minutes later the lead was extended when Mainwaring could only push Cocker’s free-kick into the top corner, and when Mullen added his second and the club’s fourth on 73 minutes there was no way back for Sherwood.

The final moments were incidental ahead of Greendale collecting the Challenge Cup for a third year in succession and a seventh time overall.

Skipper Lake, the club’s longest serving player, picked up the trophy and leading scorer Thackery picked up the man of the match trophy after his pace caused havoc for Sherwood – he was fouled for all three of the penalty decisions.

FULL PICTURE PAGE ROUND-UP FROM THE FINAL IN THIS WEEK’S WORKSOP GUARDIAN