KNOCKOUT CUP FINAL: Fans of both Corsham Centre A and Pheasant FC will descend on Hardenhuish Park, home of Chippenham Town FC this Sunday for the 43rd final of the reebrooks sponsored Eric Hughes Memorial Knockout Cup.

Premier division outfit Corsham Centre will start as favourites to lift the cup for the third time in the last five years, but they won’t have everything their own way as Chippenham based Pheasant who are currently flying high in division two will hope that they can leave Hardenhuish with only their second ever piece of silverware.

From the 65 teams that started out in the competition back in September we are now down to the final two and it would be fair to say that both sides had to overcome a couple of potential banana skins before securing their place in what should be an entertaining final which hopefully will produce a lot more goals than last seasons did when the now defunct Crown Cosmos who were in division two at the time defeated premiership outfit Westbury Rangers A thanks to an extra time winner from Dean Potter.

Oli Selman’s Pheasant side has been built on a mixture of youth and experience and he will be hoping that the youngsters give it their best shot on the day and don’t go to pieces at the prospect of facing one of the best ever teams to grace the Chippenham League. Pheasant began their cup run with a 6-2 home victory over first division side Bradford News, Liam Phillimore scored twice and a goal apiece from Tom Jones, Luke Barrett, Alex Orledge and Joe Forester made up the half dozen.

In the second round they were drawn against Bremhill View Social Club also from division one and despite falling two goals behind, Pheasant showed great character as the hit back to win 4-2 thanks to goals from Dan Clements, Paul Poiner, Tom Jones and Jack Coathupe.

Round three saw them entertain division one side Atworth United who they brushed aside 5-1, singles from Alex Orledge, Tom Jones plus a treble from Joe Forester saw Pheasant set up a quarter-final showdown local rivals Chippenham Sports & Social Club who went into the game as this season’s cup giant-killers having disposed of cup favourites Biddestone Social in the previous round, but Selman’s side made the Sports their fourth first division scalp of the competition thanks to a 4-1 triumph, Liam Phillamore (two), Luke Barrett and Kane Kauppinen all scored. Second division stable mates Hullavington were Pheasant’s semi-final opponents at Melksham Town FC and although the game may not have been a classic it was won by a wonder goal from Paul Poiner who netted late on to give the Pheasant a 2-1 win after Hullavington had threatened to take the game to extra time, with and equaliser after Tom Highmore had put Pheasant ahead.

Pheasant are having a great season, and no matter what happens in the final their main aim this season was to get promotion to division one and at the present in time they look set to do just that.

Manager, Selman will be hoping that his kick-boxing, cage fighting goalkeeper Kent Kauppinen will prove to be a knockout between the sticks. If Kauppinen can do the business at one end of the field he will be hoping that his teammates will shine at the other end and if Melksham Town’s Nat Auckland and Larkhall’s Ben Highmore who has notched 40 goals for the Toolstation League side this term are on song then the Centre will have to be at their best if they are going to claim the trophy for a third time.

Other Pheasant players to watch out for are captain Tom Jones, who may be one of the smallest players on the park but with 26 goals to his name this season could prove to be a match winner, Bristol based Paul Poiner at 27 is the oldest player in the team but he has bags of energy and will defiantly be a key player in the midfield area.

Defender Rob Stephens will be turning out against his former side so his inside information on the Centre could come in handy on the day, but if the Pheasant are to become the third team from division two over the last four seasons to lift the cup and follow in the footsteps of both Parsons Nose and Crown Cosmos they are going to have to put in the performance of a lifetime and they are going to have to do it without Dan and Josh Clements who are both away on holiday. There is no doubt that Nathan and Liam Phillimore, Joe and Jack Forester, Jack Coathupe and Alex Orledge are great players in division two but this game will see just how good they are, and on this occasion unlike in the past when the Pheasant have come up against teams at the highest end of the rankings when they have frozen this could end up being their greatest 90 minutes to date even though they go into the game as underdogs.

Corsham Centre A are just one victory away from winning their third Knockout Cup in five seasons and they will be hoping that they can raise their game to the highs of 2007 when they crushed The Southgate Inn 6-0 on the Melksham Town ground to take the cup for a second time. The Centre will defiantly start the game as favourites to complete the first half of a cup and league double as they are still very much in the hunt for a fourth successive top flight title.

The Centre started their journey to Chippenham with a crushing 12-1 victory over second division Sutton Benger in round one, when goals from Stuart Tutty who scored a hat trick, Tom Lye and Tim Jefferies who scored two each and singles from Russell Gibbings, Craig Gingell, Simon Gray, James Lye and Ross Lye saw them to victory. They then defeated second division, Biddestone White Horse in Round Two, Simon Gray (two), Dan King and Stuart Tutty scoring to give them a 4-1 win. A hat trick from James Lye and two goals each from Liam Ralph, Shane Godsell, Simon Gray and Dan King’s single saw them beat division one side Rowde 10-0 in the third round.

The Centre traveled to fourth division North Star B for their quarter-final tie and although their hosts took a 4-1 lead the Centre battled back to claim an 8-4 extra time win. James Lye netted a three timer, Tim Jefferies and Russell Gibbings scored two each and Stuart Tutty completed the eight. Fellow top-flight side Westbury Rangers A who were last season’s beaten finalists stood between the Centre and another cup final appearance. Rangers took the lead, but the Centre hit back to lead 3-1 before Rangers tied the game at 3-3.

The Centre prevailed in extra time as they finished up 7-3 victors, Simon Gray top scored with four, Liam Ralph bagged a double and James Lye made it a day to remember for the Centre. The Centre might not appear to be the team they once were, but they are starting to come good at the most important time of the season and they go into the game after recent victories over Dog & Fox Ashley, Westbury Rangers A and Semington Rovers and with the likes of Simon Gray returning to form in front of goal and the Centre’s defence looking impregnable against Pheasant look as if they have it all to do. The Centre have be boosted by the form of Dan King who is not at Calne Town and is in the form of his life, and with youngsters Ben and James Cauldwell settling into the side in their first season manager Martin Bradfield will be hoping that they can do the business on the day. On of the biggest reasons for the Centre’s improved form of late has to be the return to the side of Craig Gingell who had packed in Sunday football, but Gingell’s return along with that of Tom Ingall who is back after injury should help the ever present players like James Lye, Liam Ralph, Matthew Ralph, Shane Godsell to shine once again and if keeper Nick Gingell is on form they will take some beating, but all though they have bags of experience they won’t take victory for granted and will have to work very hard for it.

The match kicks off at 2.00pm and should be good value for money as it could go all the way and may need extra time to find a winner.