Cup triumph seals Scotland double

The Scotland 4

St John Fisher 0

By Richard Pickering

THE Scotland completed a league and cup double on Sunday as they retained the Brook Butler Cup at Littletown.

It took the holders some time to get into their stride but after taking the lead midway through the first half, two goals in as many minutes gave them a comfortable cushion.

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Fisher will be wishing they could have turned their early dominance into goals but despite several good efforts The Scotland kept them out despite lacking their usual fluency early on.

Rob Bordman and Dave Bordman were at the hub of Fisher’s best moves. They combined for Mark Heseldin to stab the ball past goalkeeper Byron Cooper but Ash Burton was back to clear the danger.

Cooper did well to block an Anthony Doran strike while Jordan Midwood also went close but for all their possession they were not able to make their opponents pay.

The Scotland, with Matt Durkin and Joe Hewitt influential in midfield, slowly got a foothold in the game but it took a slice of luck to see them hit the front after 26 minutes. Impressive full-back Garrett Stead whipped in a cross from the left which Fisher captain Richard Burke sliced into his net.

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James Riordan and Rob Bordman went close for Fisher before neat work saw Dave Bordman round the goalkeeper but as he tried to pick out a colleague Cooper stuck out a hand to make a vital block.

The Scotland rallied with Joel Clegg seeing a shot saved by Fisher goalkeeper Andy Scott and Josh Cooke sending a header wide before two quick goals put them in command.

First after 41 minutes, Gareth Saville’s deep cross from the right found Clegg unmarked and he lashed the ball home while soon after Luke Sherman found space on the left edge of the area and his cross-shot looped over the Scott into the net.

After the break Heseldin saw a flick header saved by Cooper while Fisher again went close as Dave Bordman just failed to touch home a teasing free-kick from Rob Boardman.

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The Scotland responded as Clegg drilled a shot just wide but Fisher’s day was summed up as Dave Bordman rose unmarked six yards out but sent his headerwide. Cooper made a great low save to stop a Rob Bordman free-kick while 11 minutes from time The Scotland sealed victory.

Paul Smith made space on the right and crossed for Colin Wood whose header was superbly saved by Scott but from Oliver Fisher’s resulting corner Wood powerfully headed home.

The Scotland: Cooper, Saville, Stead, Griffiths, Burton, Cooke, Hewitt, Durkin (Fisher 72mins), Smith, Sherman (Wood 70mins), Clegg. Subs: Allen, Clapham.

St John Fisher: Scott, Gott (P Riordan 80mins), Henry, J Riordan, Burke, R Bordman, D Bordman, Heseldin (Thornton 74mins), Midwood (Simpson 61mins), Khan, Doran. Subs: A Riordan, Crowther.

Referee: Tom Hewitt. Assitant referees: Craig Hainsworth and Paul Secker. Fourth official: James Ferguson.

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