AK 11 add cup to the league title
FLETTON UNITED 3, AK 11 4 (PFA Sunday Afternoon Cup Final) IT may have been third time unlucky for Fletton but it was double delight for AK 11 at Chestnut Avenue yesterday afternoon.
FLETTON UNITED 3, AK 11 4
(PFA Sunday Afternoon Cup Final)
IT may have been third time unlucky for Fletton but it was double delight for AK 11 at Chestnut Avenue yesterday afternoon.
The holders had been hoping to become the first team to win the trophy three times in a row while the recently-crowned league champions sought to add the PFA Cup to their impressive stash of silverware.
And despite having to come from behind three times, it was Arif Aziz's side who came out on top with two-goal man-of-the-match Mohammed Sohail, Younis Tager and Murjab Akbar the men on target.
But after being outplayed and outmuscled in the first half, it was a big gamble by AK player-manager Aziz which decided the game.
Early in the second half Aziz took himself off to sling on an extra attacker – a move which ultimately swung the balance of power the way of his team
Aziz said: "We had come up a bit short in the first half and I just thought we could get at them a bit more so we went three up front and got the rewards.
"They say fortune favours the brave and that was the case out there, that is for sure.
"Fletton were excellent but we were much better after the break and deservedly got the win which means we have both league and cup which is a great season for us.
"The team have been superb all season and they have justly got the rewards for their efforts."
But in the first half it was the holders making most of the effort and after Kevin Brisley had bulldozed his way through for the opener, Fletton had a decent penalty shout turned down in a half they dominated.
Immediately after the break however, they were made to rue chances missed in the first half when Sohail nipped in at the back post with a swooping header to put AK back on terms.
The league champions were not allowed to enjoy the moment for long though as just a few minutes later James McDonough's looping half volley flew into the top corner to restore Fletton's one-goal advantage.
But with Akbar and Tajer both causing mayhem in their opponents rearguard it was only a matter of time before AK grabbed another, and it was the two substitutes who made it.
First the powerfully built Tajer worked himself some space amidst all the hectic midfield bustle to release a through ball at the feet of Akbar who slotted his low shot past Richard Roberts into the bottom corner to make it 2-2.
But back came Fletton when Joe Duffy lashed in an unstoppable free-kick from the corner of the penalty box which almost ripped a whole in the back of Tony Leadbitter's net.
After such a hectic opening to the second half, Fletton then managed to hold their lead for the next 20 minutes in the face of constant pressure, but Sohail's second of the match lit the touchpaper again.
And with five minutes to go AK got the rewards their adventurous second half approach deserved when Tajer burst down the right before cutting inside to smash home the winner.
Squads
Fletton: Richard Roberts, Matthew Salmon, Adam Spouse, Martyn Fox, Luke Madden, Dan Dunning, James McDonough, Lee Defraine, Terry Green, Kevin Bisley, Ashley Liddie, Ross Liddie, Robert Ames, Joe Duffy.
AK 11: Tony Leadbitter, Bilal Javed, Hamad Javed, Rifyaz Shabir, Safraz Ali, Arif Aziz, Nasarat Mahmood, Luisana Zando, Kamran Kahn Anderson Silva, Rizwan Ali Praz Adhikar, Mohammed Sohail, Marcio Neves, Younis Tajer, Murjab Akbar.
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Tuesday 16 March 2010
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