MATCH REPORT: Cup final joy for the Cuckoos

The Cuckoos and Premier Division rivals Wisbech were expected to deliver a decent game at Peterborough Sports FC and they didn’t disappoint.

In the end it was Yaxley who prevailed 2-1 thanks to goals from Dan Cotton and Ross Watson. The latter scored the winner eight minutes from time after both teams had been reduced to 10 men.

It was a slow burner of a contest until a flurry of action - some good, some bad - just before the break.

There was a lengthy stoppage when Yaxley’s Matt Sparrow crashed into an advertising board which necessitated a trip to hospital (he’s not thought to be badly hurt), but in added time his team-mates took the lead through top scorer Cotton who claimed his 47th goal of an excellent personal season.

That was the catalyst for a period of Wisbech domination which saw Billy Smith fire over, Michael Frew almost score with a 30-yard lob and Yaxley ‘keeper Aaron Butcher make a couple of fine saves.

But the equaliser the Fenmen deserved arrived on the hour when Liam Adams unleashed a thunderbolt from just outside the penalty area.

Butcher immediately thwarted Adams in a one-on-one situation before the tie appeared to swing firmly in favour of Wisbech when Wayne Morris of Cuckoos was sent off for a stamping offence.

But Wisbech, who had won their previous seven leagie matches, wasted their numerical advantage within minutes as striker Frew, formerly of Yaxley and Peterborough United, also saw red after collecting two cautions.

And that was a decisive moment as Yaxley seized the initiative and the victory when Watson turned the ball home from close range.

It completed a superb few days for manager Brett Whaley’s men who had sealed a club-best third-place finish in the Premier Division on Saturday (April 29).