THE RESCHEDULED LANDLORD’S TROPHY FINAL SAW THE "AFC ROYAL" LIFT THEIR SECOND SILVERWARE OF THE SEASON AND KEEP THEIR QUADRUPLE HOPES INTACT.

WAKEFIELD & DISTRICT SUNDAY FOOTBALL LEAGUE - THURSDAY 2ND MAY

LANDLORD’S TROPHY FINAL: AFC ROYAL VS DALE CLUB FC (2-0)

A GOAL IN EACH HALF FROM ADRIAN PARKER AND JOSHUA GILLIES HELPED AFC ROYAL SECURE THEIR SECOND TROPHY OF THE SEASON IN THEIR HARD FOUGHT WIN OVER DALE CLUB FC AT THE NOSTELL MW COMPLEX UNDER-FLOODLIGHTS IN THURSDAY NIGHT.

BOTH SIDES POSTED EARLY WARNINGS WITH JACK TOOMER OF THE ROYAL GOING CLOSE WITH A SNAP SHOT IN THE 4TH MINUTE WHILST AT THE OTHER END, A CALLUM GELDART’S RASPING FREE-KICK FORCED A PARRIED STOP FROM GOALKEEPER LEE MAYBERRY ONLY TO SEE THE LOOSE BALL BUNDLED OVER THE BAR FROM CLOSE-RANGE BY DALE CLUB’S SKIPPER JACK SMITH WITH 10 MINUTES ON THE CLOCK.

BOTH SIDES WITH THE PHYSICALITY PRESENCE IN THEIR MAKE-UP MADE FLOWING FOOTBALL DIFFICULT WITH RELIANCE ON THE LONG BALL PLAY.

A TIT FOR TAT PROBING CONTINUED AT BOTH ENDS WITH DALE STRIKER JACK SMITH SEEING HIS STRIKE FROM THE LEFT BLOCKED ON THE LINE AND AT THE OTHER END, A LONG PUNT FROM THE ROYAL FULL-BACK SENT FLYING WINGER BRACHAN STEEL CLEAR BEFORE SEEING HIS WELL-JUDGED LOB OVER THE ADVANCING KEEPER JUSTIN TAYLOR SAIL AGONISEDLY OVER THE BAR.

HOWEVER, THE DEADLINE WAS BROKEN IN THE 33RD MINUTE BUT NEEDED A SET-PIECE GOAL TO GIVE ROYAL A 1-0 LEAD WHEN A RASH CHALLENGE IN THE BOX SAW THE RESULTANT AWARDED SPOT-KICK STEERED HOME BY LEADING MARKSMAN ADRIAN PARKER.

DALE CLUB FOUGHT BACK AND CONTINUED TO POISE ISOLATED THREATS AND SAW A JAMES CHIODO’S DISGUISED FREE-KICK FIND JACK WOODS WIDE WHOSE PASS INSIDE FOUND CALLUM GELDART WHO SHOT NARROWLY WIDE BEFORE COLE BARRETT WENT CLOSE IN THE DYING MINUTE OF THE FIRST-HALF.

THE SECOND PERIOD CONTINUED TO BE A COMPETITIVE AFFAIR WITH THE DALE CLUB POSING MORE OF A THREAT AS THEY STRIVED FOR THE EQUALISER AND SAW COLE BARRETT GOING CLOSE BEFORE A CALLUM GELDART'S FREE-KICK THUNDERED AGAINST THE ROYAL CROSSBAR TO SAFETY IN THE 58TH MINUTE.

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ROYAL WAS EVIDENT IN THEIR CONTROLLED COUNTER-ATTACK AND APPROACH PLAY WHICH SAW THEM DOUBLE THEIR LEAD AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY IN THE 73RD MINUTE WHEN A CORNER-KICK FROM THE RIGHT FLANK BY CONNOR EVANS WAS HEADED AGAINST THE DALE CROSSBAR BY DANNY BELL AND SAW THE REBOUND DRILLED HOME WITH THE REACTIVE EFFORT FROM JOSHUA GILLIES TO MAKE IT 2-0.

THE ROYAL HELD ON THE SEE THE GAME OUT AGAINST THE HARD-WORKING DALE CLUB IN FRONT OF A BIG CROWD.

~ THE MAN OF THE MATCH AWARD SPONSORED BY PENNINES TROPHIES (HECKMONDWIKE) WAS WON BY JUSHUA GILLIES OF AFC ROYAL.

~ THE MATCH BALLS WERE SPONSORED BY LIGHTWAVES LEISUER & COMMUNITY CENTRE (WAKEFIELD).