Bill Redfern Memorial Cup Final
Kick-off: 7-30 pm at Osmaston
Bradley will be looking to win their third trophy of the current season and retain the Bill Redfern Memorial Cup when they take on Coach Rangers at Osmaston tomorrow (Saturday) evening in a repeat of last year’s final. Should they be successful, Bradley will become the first side to win back-to-back finals since the competition’s inception in 1995. Twelve months ago they won 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time (winning team pictured).
Opponents Coach Rangers, the current league champions, are contesting the final for the third season but left Osmaston empty-handed in both 2010 and 2011 after suffering the anguish of defeats on penalties to Holly Bush and then Bradley.
In the annual season-opening curtain-raiser, Bradley drew 0-0 with Coach to retain the Challenge Cup and two weeks ago defeated The Bridge 5-0 to win the Peter Young Memorial Cup. Will they win another trophy tomorrow?
Coach Rangers visited Bradley for a league game and returned with a 5-3 defeat. Though Bradley top the table, Coach have several games in hand on the leaders and recorded a 5-0 win at Kirk Langley last (Thursday) night. Bradley also won 5-0 last night against the Wheel Inn.
Bill Redfern Memorial Cup: Previous winners (runners-up)
1995 Bradley (Mayfield)
1996 Coach Rangers (Ostrich Rangers)
1997 Mayfield (Coach Rangers)
1998 Doveridge (Green Man)
1999 Alton (Wheel Inn)
2000 Osmaston (Wheel Inn)
2001 Cancelled due to Foot and Mouth
2002 Alton (Wheel Inn)
2003 Doveridge (Osmaston)
2004 Alton (Brassington)
2005 Bradley (White Swan)
2006 Alton (Osmaston)
2007 White Swan (Bradley)
2008 Osmaston (Coach Rangers)
2009 Doveridge (Holly Bush) - Match Report
2010 Holly Bush (Coach Rangers) - Match Report
2011 Bradley (Coach Rangers) - Match Report
Bradley reached the Final with a 6-2 win over The Bridge in the First Round which was followed up by a 4-1 home victory over Brassington to reach the semi-finals. Bradley then defeated Rose & Crown 3-0 in the semi-finals at Longford to book a trip to Osmaston.
Goals certainly flowed for Coach Rangers on the route to tomorrow’s final. Last month, I saw Callum Woolley score seven goals in a 10-1 First Round win at FC Hulland (pictured right), and the striker also bagged a brace during a 4-1 win at Kirk Langley in the Second Round. Coach’s semi-final also produced goals in a 5-1 victory over Osmaston at Mappleton.
Full results from the 2012 Bill Redfern Memorial Cup
First Round (17th May)
Weston 2 Kirk Langley 5
George & Dragon 0 Doveridge 4
The Bridge 2 Bradley 6
Rose & Crown 6 Wheel 3
Brassington 3 Biggin 1
FC Hulland 1 Coach Rangers 10
Byes for Osmaston and Red Lion
Second Round (28th May)
Kirk Langley 1 Coach Rangers 4
Bradley 4 Brassington 1
Rose & Crown 3 Doveridge 0
Red Lion 3 Osmaston 9
Semi-Finals (6th June)
Rose & Crown 0 Bradley 3
Played at Red Lion (Longford)
Osmaston 1 Coach Rangers 5
Played at Mappleton
So tomorrow evening, will Bradley achieve a Summer League first or can Coach end their luckless run in the Bill Redfern Final? Who says that the final won’t be settled by penalties again.
