| Gadeside Rangers booked their place in the final of the Birkdale Challenge Cup for the third successive season after a narrow, but ultimately comfortable 1-0 win over Division Three side Riverside Athletic. Tariq Khan scored the games only goal just before the break when he capitalised on a mistake by the Riverside keeper. |
| Gadeside started well and pushed the visitors back into their own half with a series of half chances; Tariq Khan firing just wide after a quick counter-attack and Tom Shurville's fierce strike being well held by the keeper. Riverside did start to come into the game and themselves had a couple of half-chances but rarely troubled Tom Oliver in the Gadeside goal. Another pacey attack down the right hand side saw Tariq Khan square to Tom Mitchell with just the keeper to beat but Gadeside's top-scorer was woefully off target and fired high and wide. The bobbly pitch was not helping either side play any decent football and it perhaps not a suprise that when the goal came, it came from route one. |
| Riverside wastefully lost possession from a free-kick and Tom Oliver's huge clearance allowed Dan Campbell to chase through on goal. The Riverside keeper came rushing out but made a mess of his clearance and Tariq Khan was on hand to guide the ball into an empty net. The half-time whistle blew shortly afterwards and Gadeside went in with a single goal lead. The second was a similar story. It was in truth a scrappy game devoid of much quality and wish Riverside starting to push men forward in search of an equaliser, it left Gadeside always looking dangerous on the counter attack. Tom Mitchell was just off target with a 30 yard chip though he should have played in either Campbell or the returning Ivanz Mani who would have had a free run on goal and Campbell himself was guilty of missing a sitter when played through with just the keeper to beat. |
| Riverside had not looked like scoring all game but had claims for a penalty when Akinlawon's cross appeared to be handled by Matt Evans but the referee waved away the protests. The final few minutes of game passed without any major incident; Gadeside's defence marshalled by the available again James Bridges were always in control but all too often Gadeside's final delivery at the business end of the pitch was all too predictable. Nevertheless, they march on to defend their title against Leavesden Green who defeated Colne Valley Blues on penalties in the other semi-final. Next week Gadeside return to league action with a crucial game against fellow title-challengers Old Danes. |
| Tom Oliver, Ian Freeman (Danny Everritt), Justyn Walcott, Matt Evans, James Bridges, Tom Shurville, Tariq Khan, Kevin Putman, Dan Campbell, Tom Mitchell (Ivanz Mani), Russ Popplewell |