The Ashtons Legal Senior Cup Final 2021-22
The Ashtons Legal Senior Cup Final 2021-22
The Ashtons Legal Senior Cup is the oldest County Cup competition in Norfolk. It was first established in the 1881-82 season, with winners Norfolk & Norwich beating Lynn Town 3-2.
This season sees the return of Cup Final action to the home of Norwich City FC, Carrow Road. The Ashtons Legal Senior Cup final sees Mulbarton Wanderers face off against Dereham Town on Monday 23 May. The game kicks off at 7:45pm and tickets are card payment only due to Carrow Road being a cashless stadium.
Mulbarton have had an exciting league campaign this year, enjoying their first bout of Step 5 football, finishing fourth in the Thurlow Nunn League, Premier Division. However, Wanderers are on the hunt for redemption after being defeated in last year’s final by Gorleston in a 3-2 defeat. The club have had a promising cup run this season, starting with a 3-1 win over Thetford Rovers and a 3-0 victory against Easton in the early rounds. Strong quarter-final and semi-final performances saw Mulbarton beat Anglian Combination high-flyers, Heacham 3-1 and a team from their league, Wroxham, 2-0 to earn their spot at Carrow Road.
When asked about the final, Mulbarton Wanderers’ Ben Thompson said: “It’s our second consecutive Norfolk Senior Cup Final but our first at Carrow Road, so it’s a special moment for the club, the players and management that haven’t experienced this before. Win or lose, the experience is another chance to celebrate our progression and for our Ladies team to also play in consecutive Women’s Cup finals this Wednesday, is an incredible achievement for all involved.”
Dereham Town finished their league campaign with a strong mid-table finish in the Isthmian League, North in Step 4 of the National League System. The Magpies will be hopeful they can recreate their 2-1 victory over Thetford Town in the 2018-19 Ashtons Legal Senior Cup Final. However, this season’s cup campaign began with a 2-0 win over Downham Town in the third round and a 2-1 quarter-final win over Norwich CBS. The Magpies earned their place in this year’s final by scoring the only goal of the game against Fakenham Town in the Semi-Finals, Rossi Jarvis was the Goalscorer that day.
When speaking about the final, Dereham Town Manager, Adam Gusterson said: “It’s always nice to get to a Cup Final and given we are here now, and it is the final game of the season it is important we do all we can to win the competition. The playing surface will naturally give us an opportunity to be more confident playing so from that perspective we may approach it slightly differently and be more trusting to our ability to play.”
Match Officials
Referee: Ady George
Assistants: Ashley Tyne & Ollie Sadd
Fourth Official: Ashley Smith
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PROGRAMME
Mulbarton Wanderers Vs Dereham Town
Carrow Road, Norwich City FC
23/05/22
Kick Off 7:45pm
Adults £8; Concessions £5; Under 12s Free