LIVE BLOG: Football Cuppers Final

Robinson have won the Cuppers Final 4-2 (AET) on a remarkably dramatic evening, beating Pembroke – who were 2-0 up with under ten minutes of normal time to go – to win the oldest cup competition in Britain for the very first time.

21.52 So I’ll sign off there. Ifere and Donega are my ‘Men of the Match’. A wonderful competition has been rounded up in the greatest style imaginable. At times the most remarkable drama. Until next year!

21.48 It has been an absolute pleasure folks. We have witnessed the greatest Cuppers comeback of all time. And the electric atmosphere, particularly from the Robinson crowd once they clawed one back shortly after eighty minutes, has kept us warm in literally freezing conditions.

21.45 John Harrison the Robinson keeper – speaking to the CamFM team next to me – says his side knew Pembroke would become nervous having lost their last two finals.

21.41 ROBINSON LIFT THE CUP HAVING WON 4-2

21.39 The cup is about to be presented.

INCREDIBLE SCENES at the final whistle.

21.34 FT AET Robinson 4-2 Pembroke

21.33 Procter sprints down the left – as he has consistently for the last hour – but can’t reach the ball. The ball is loose in the box.

21.32 TWO MINUTES of added time…

21.29 Robinson are really enjoying themselves now. Their crowd cannot be contained. Pembroke look deflated – having been 2-0 up, this third final defeat in a row will hurt. Lots of play in the middle of the park with few chances.

21.27 Five minutes left. Every time Harrison gets the ball the Robinson crowd cheers. Robinson’s passage to the final by penalties looks as though it will not be needed tonight.

21.25 Ball comes off Francis for an own goal from Procter’s cross. Berenson-Barros shoots at the keeper almost immediately from the kick off.

GOAL 21.24 Robinson 4-2 Pembroke

21.23 Procter charges down the left wing…

21.22 Robinson’s crowd spill onto the pitch. Both teams still fighting with ten minutes left.

21.20 Sibley off for Dworschak. Pembroke free kick just wide of the post.

21.19 Donega’s corner kick comes to nothing as we’re back in play.

21.16 The come back has happened. Pembroke were two up with ten to go. Undoubtedly the greatest Cuppers comeback of all time. Robinson crowd the twelfth man carrying the team.

21.14 Half Time in Extra Time: Robinson 3-2 Pembroke

21.13 Amjad heads in after Fanelli fails to get his hands on Donega’s ball.

21.13 GOAL Robinson 3-2 Pembroke PITCH INVASION

21.11 After a Pembroke corner Robinson break with Sibley and Procter. Free kick in Donega’s favourite territory.

21.08 Another Robinson free kick comes in but Marino’s header is saved. Burdett incidentally has gone of for Mellor.

21.06 Both teams take successive goes at charging at the other, but Robinson seem to be more confident. Justo is booked for a cynical challenge but the resulting free kick is wasted.

21.04 The players look to be tiring now. Bougeard is the first booking of the night with a bad challenge. Adebayo comes back on with a great cheer.

21.02 A slight pause for Adebayo to deal with what looks like a nose bleed. Pembroke have a throw which Allan launches.

21.00 Amjad clears the ball well for a throw with the resulting ball in dealt with by John Harrison in the Robinson goal.

We’ve kicked off for EXTRA TIME with the scores level at 2-2.

20.56 Robinson are coming back out. Quite honestly, those final moments were as gripping as any you will ever see.

20.54 Robinson pump up their crowd who happily oblige. Pembroke have an on-pitch team talk hopefully dealing with their dodgy defending of the last ten minutes.

FULL TIME 2-2: 30 mins of EXTRA TIME to come.

20.50 From a free kick in their own half Robinson’s Procter shoots at the keeper. A goal kick is the last action before the whistle.

20.49 Allan clears really well as Robinson’s efforts come to a corner. Absolutely electric here. Shot on goal but Fanelli saves well. Two minutes away from unbelievable extra time.

20.47 Increased urgency as FIVE added minutes are shown. All Robinson…

20.45 Oldfield gathers the ball in midfield but cannot beat the first man. Corner produces more pinball and the ball ends up over the bar. Soon going to be in Fergie time…

20.43 Pembroke go forward with Berenson-Barros but it is saved well. Pembroke then charge in again but the keeper has his hands on it.

20.42 Pitch invasion. Can’t quite believe this. Donega’s free kick goes in all way this time. Fanelli nowhere.

20.40 GOAL Pembroke 2-2 Robinson

20.39 Donega dummies on a free kick, passing to Procter, who scores. Pinball. Donega thunders in again.

20.39 GOAL Pembroke 2-1 Robinson

20.37 Procter strides with the ball to the left corner flag. Throw in is wasted and Pembroke then gain a free kick after a challenge by Adebayo.

20.36 A little stoppage for general cramppage…

20.34 The Pembroke crowd show their appreciation as Justo Lopez Regana comes on. Donega whips in another ball but the keeper deals with it well.

20.32 Ifere finally is substituted after an off target free kick from Donega.

20.30 Ogier attempts a Fabregas pass in one of several attacks but Robinson clear. Both teams are convincing. Procter shots and the keeper tips it over the bar from thirty-five yards.

20.28 Robinson sense that time is short. Ifere is down with cramp but still remains on the field.

20.27 Ball is well won by Ogier and results in a free kick which Harrison fails to gather. End to end stuff.

20.26 Allan cannot keep the attacking in play leading to another goal kick.

20.24 The Pembroke subs frantically warm up as they go down temporarily to ten men. He is now back on his feet…and performing stretches on Rugby posts.

20.22 In the midst of pinball Ifere boots the ball and falls down injured. Berenson-Barros shoots into the side netting and Ifere’s Varsity hopes are now in doubt as he stays down.

20.21 Procter attempts to make amends with another counter. Far more stretched game.

20.18 Ifere goes down with cramp…moments later he has a great chance on goal which fails to find the target. Robinson counter attack and Cotterell goes off for Colverd.

20.16 Burdett miskicks the ball into the air. Pembroke force the ball into the Robinson half which goes out for a Robinson throw on the far side.

20.14 Ifere has finally got his goal with a great goal. The crowd roars at the kick off. Immediately Pembroke have a corner which doesn’t get past the first man.

GOAL Pembroke 2-0 Robinson

20.13 Allan throws in and Ifere scores.

20.12 Weston takes a throw and Pembroke look increasingly defensive. Amjad watches the ball go out…

20.10 Berenson-Barros then takes a free kick which Ifere keeps in. Consolidated pressure from both sides.

20.08 Berenson-Barros is in at goal but Harrison saves comfortably.

20.07 In a rare chance Friend puts the ball in well and the keeper has to tip it over the bar. Robinson are increasing in confidence, but waste the following corner.

20.05 Oldfield attempts to push the ball forward but the ball goes out.

20.03 Weston goes down injured as Pembroke break after wonderful play by Oldfield. He’s back on his feet quickly.

20.02 Robinson kick off an after a series of scrappy play have a free kick. Play moves sideways across the field.

20.01 Pembroke have kept Robinson waiting but are now back out to a mixed reception as would be expected.

19.58 Robinson are back out and have reason to be confident. Since being relegated from Div 2 in 13-14, they have been promoted again and are currently top of Div 2. They have lost one league game in two seasons since being relegated.

19.55 If Pembroke had put away those chances this game may well have been beyond doubt. Robinson’s defensive attitude encourages the counter attack but not composure. But Pembroke’s failure to convert possession into score line dominance has echoes of their loss against St John’s in the final last year. Will they be third time lucky or will this be the final of ‘three strikes’.

19.50 What a wonderful half of entertaining football. Both teams very much still in this game, but Pembroke must be the happier side going off for their oranges.

19.48 HALF TIME: Pembroke 1-0 Robinson (Nielsen 37′)

19.47 Finally Robinson’s Cotterell gets the ball away and attempts to keep the ball. Pembroke have a free kick deep in their own half.

19.45 Two minutes of added time. Donega does well but Pembroke go on a charge with Ifere – out for a throw…

19.44 Procter makes a good run but Pembroke take the ball back with Ogier booting the ball towards Ifere with no result. Lots of off-the-ground football here.

19.43 Robinson nervously waste a good chance with Donega pulling back his opponent.

19.42 The ball is kept high in the Robinson half…and the ball ends up being booted out.

19.40 Glennerster has a good run and wins the ball back well. Robinson free kick which fails to produce much and results in a goal kick.

19.39 Robinson produce a convincing attack. Allan prevents the corner but Robinson’s shot is wide.

19.37 Pembroke on top yet again with another corner as Berenson-Barros’s corner is headed over the bar. Two great chances wasted in quick succession.

19.35 After a great run by Pembroke’s Nielsen and continuous pressure, Ifere shoots over.

19.33 Martin Keown defending from Amjad preventing Ifere putting the ball in. The subsequent corner is wasted and a Robinson goal kick is the result.

19.32 Cotterell shoots over the bar. It feels like Robinson are starting to gain a little bit more possession with a series of throw ins.

19.31 Counter attacking football now as Robinson’s corner is saved well by Fanelli, before Ogier is ruled offside with Pembroke charging towards goal.

19.30 Robinson have a rare chance on the near side of the field but the ball is blocked.

19.27 Ifere attempt to lob the keeper with an overhead kick but it ends up just over the bar. Moments later a throw for Pembroke.

19.26 Adebayo runs into the centre on a promising attack, but still the Pembroke pressure is maintained. Will this be the night for Pembroke on their third successive final?

19.24 Berenson-Barros provided a wonderful cross for Nielsen to score. Pembroke 1-0 Robinson.

19.22 GOAL for Pembroke. After two successive corners, Pembroke score with an excellent shot into the left hand corner.

19.20 Ogier the Pembroke captain goes for goal but Harrison saves well as the bar is declared open.

19.19 Sibley on the break fails to implement a Carlos Vela dink and Pembroke defend well as Fanelli comes to the end of his box and makes a good safe.

19.16 Ifere ruled offside again as Robinson rushes out with a good clearance. Pembroke have a throw…

19.14 Pembroke are on top and continue to apply the pressure, playing right to left. The possession Is key and the fans are happy so far:

19.13 Pembroke have a free kick about thirty yards out…it’s whipped in and after Allan passes across goal it goes out for a corner.

19.10 A great ball in by Nielsen into Berenson-Barros but is it cleared away.

19.08 Sibley is unable to make the most of possession and the ball goes back to the Pembroke keeper who has been forced to wear a maroon sweatshirt because Robinson are in yellow.

19.07 Robinson take possession off Pembroke by a series of throw ins. The ref decides to make the Robinson player rethrow with the yellow team clearly hoping to get things moving.

19.06 Robinson have their first run with Procter but it is intercepted on the far side. They appear to be settling down.

19.03 Pembroke are retaining position well, but only have had one clear cut chance. Ifere has another chance but the offside flag is raised.

19.01 And immediately Pembroke have a good chance with Ifere but Falcons keep Robinson saves well. Lively opening!

18.59 Here we go. Pembroke in blue and Robinson in yellow.

18.57 Here come the teams.

Robinson:

18.55 As we approach kick off, I should mention I have no bias in reporting this fixture, unlike the CamFM host next to me.

18.53 A group of around fifty Robinson fans are already hurling insults at Pembroke…

18.51 In response to earlier chanting, Pembroke have brought these back out as the teams are introduced by the announcer.

18.48 It feels far colder than four degrees, but there’s hardly any wind.

18.40 Supporters are starting to trickle in, with a section of Robinson fans already showing their dislike of their opposition. I think they want them to go home already.

18.35 Twenty-five minutes until kick off. Neither team has ever won this competition before and they are both warming up in anticipation of what should be an enthralling tie.