High Lane, appearing in their third consecutive Brian Hillson League Cup Final lifted the trophy for a second time with a comprehensive 4-1 victory against Prestbury at Alderley Park.
In a very competitive game Prestbury showed they meant business with referee Paul Worrall forced to speak to Jake McGarry after the first challenge of the game.
Neither side created any meaningful chances until the 21st minute when Jimmy Williamson picked the ball up on the right edge of the penalty area.
Seemingly there was no danger but Williamson let fly and his shot arrowed across Alex Rottenberry and into the top corner to give High Lane the lead.
Prestbury needed to get back in the game and with Jamaine Leveridge kept quiet upfront by Danny Johnson and captain Simon Birch the most likely outlet was McGarry who was showing real commitment to regain possession and set up counter attacks .
Indeed it was a foul on McGarry that ultimately led to to Prestbury’s equaliser on the half hour. Todd Wright could only punch McGarry’s goal bound free kick high into the air and as the ball dropped Jon Slater was first to react to poke the ball home.
The second half proved rather one sided. A superb individual goal from ‘Taxi’ Carl Richardson five minutes into the second half and a Rob Crosby goal ten minutes later broke Prestbury’s resolve with more than half an hour to play.
Richardson’s goal deserves a special mention as, picking possession up inside his own half he beat the whole of the Prestbury defence to fire the ball past Rottenbury from six yards .
The final goal, ten minutes from time, came fittingly from High Lane’s player of the season Jimmy Williamson who took great pleasure in side-footing home from eighteen yards as the ball was pulled back from the byline.
Unlike past seasons when one one team has dominated, this season has proved one of the most competitive for many years in the Trade Mark Collections ECFL with all teams playing their part and three different teams winning silverware. It bodes well for next season.
