Hackney Wednesday FC captured the Camden Sunday League Challenge Cup on the same day that they were crowned Division One champions

THE reach and appeal of playing in the Camden Sunday League was clear for all to see at the weekend when its showpiece cup final was held at Hackney Marshes.

Teams made up of talent from, of course, Camden, and neigh­bouring boroughs such as Islington and Westminster have always been part of the league’s rich history. But the distance that players are willing to travel to be part of the action certainly can’t be underestimated – as the league’s eagerly awaited Challenge Cup final on the South Marsh show pitch proved.

At the end of a free-flowing match it was serial winners Hackney Wednesday celebrating with the silverware following a clinical display in front of goal against Clapham Phoenix.

Martyn Davies opened the scoring early on, racing onto a defence-splitting pass from man of the match Simon Murray and slipping the ball beyond the goalkeeper.

Fergus McIntosh doubled Wednesday’s lead from the penalty spot, before substitute Leigh Stevens, who only arrived at half-time, made his late appearance felt by finding the back of the net from close range. McIntosh then added the finishing touches to Alex Whiteman’s through ball to grab his second of the game and wrap up an impressive 4-0 victory.

Wednesday goal-getters Leigh Stevens, Fergus McIntosh and Martyn Davies

Manager and team captain Rob Lupton piled the praise on his players after seeing them land the one trophy that – until around 12.30pm on Sunday – had evaded them.

“We’re delighted to get our hands on the Challenge Cup, especially after losing in the final last year,” he said. “It was the only major Camden Sunday League cup that we hadn’t won, so it’s great to complete the set. I’m incredibly proud of the way the lads played, they were absolutely brilliant, as they have been all season.”

As if lifting the trophy aloft under a shower of bubbly wasn’t enough, the Wednesday players were given further cause to cheer from the results on nearby pitches.

Title rivals Wildwood Rangers lost 2-0 to The Auld Shillelagh, confirming what often seemed inevitable this season: Wednesday being crowned Division One champions.

Wednesday wing-back Matthew Rankin on the ball

Lupton added: “Finding out that we had won the league on the same day made the celebrations even longer!”

Wednesday’s honours list since joining the Camden Sunday League now includes a hat-trick of Division One titles, the Challenge Cup, two Senior Cups, the Division Two championship and the Junior Cup.

And they aren’t finished yet, as they return to the South Marsh show pitch this Sunday, where they will be looking to make their double a treble by beating Sherfield Town to win yet another Senior Cup.