Rushcliffe Fly High in RAF Cup

Thursday 01 February 2007By ESFA Office

Last Updated:
10/02/2021 10:49:02

Rushcliffe School, one of Nottinghamshire’s two qualifiers for the English Schools’ FA Royal Air Force Under 16 Cup, reached the last 32 of the competition with a 2-1 First Round win over Trinity School from Leamington, the Warwickshire champions.

One of the longest journeys of Round 1 saw Rushcliffe face a bumpy pitch, long grass and a strong wind but they scored an early goal by the prolific TIM HOPKINSON who cut in from the wing, beat two players and crashed an unstoppable wind assisted shot past the home side’s keeper.

HOPKINSON added a similar goal in the second period, this time cutting in from the left and hitting his shot into the far corner of the net but with the wind behind them, Trinity were having more of the play and had a golden chance to pull a goal back when they were awarded a penalty but the shot from the spot was straight at Richard Bredice in Rushcliffe’s goal. They did reduce the deficit with 6 or 7 minutes to go and this produced a frantic finish. It took a superb last minute intervention from centre back Tom Hodges to knock the ball away from the toe of one of the Trinity forwards as he was about to shoot.

In Round Two, Rushcliffe proved far too strong for their visitors from Grange School (Cheshire), opening the scoring after 5 minutes and increased their lead two minutes later. HOPKINSON was again their danger man and gave the visitors’ keeper no chance with either of his efforts. Rushcliffe also hit the post and missed a ‘sitter’ before adding a third goal before half-time though JOSH MEEK.

To their great credit, the Grange players kept battling throughout a second half despite further goals at regular intervals through HOPKINSOON, a JACOB MELLIS penalty, TOM HODGETT and substitutes OLLIE BURROWS and JOHN BAXTER.

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