Park Rangers 4

Rawdon AFC 3

AN amazing fight-back aided by some mystifying decisions saw Park Rangers roar back to wrest the Wharfedale FA Sunday Challenge Cup from Rawdon's grasp.

In the final played before a crowd of over 200 at Guiseley AFC's Nethermoor Park ground last Thursday Rangers were almost dead and buried as Rawdon racked up a 3-1 lead.

Rawdon 'keeper Andrew Pickering made a couple of good saves before his side, the trophy holders, opened the scoring in the 34th minute through Jimmy Allan.

There was no further score in the first-half but soon after the break with the crowd just settling back down Craig Auton levelled for Park Rangers.

Rawdon were then awarded a penalty when one of their players was taken out by the Rangers' 'keeper Craig Perkis but surprisingly he was allowed to remain on the field.

Richard Machell stepped forward to hammer home the penalty and Rawdon looked well in the ascendency when Machell was on the end of a move initiated by his brother David to net in fine style and make it 3-2.

Further controversy came when the referee awarded Rangers a free-kick for an alleged back pass. Lee Poole touched the free-kick to Darren Auton whose effort was blocked but referee Jonathan Moss gave him another chance and this time Rangers made sure.

Rangers' Paul Dabill and Rawdon's Andy Waterfield were then sent off following an exchange of elbowing. Rawdon's Stuart Clarke then failed with a great chance when in the clear but he hit his shot straight at the 'keeper.

Scott Young then had another chance for Rawdon but failed to find an empty net.

The winning goal was to come from a man who knows all about the Guiseley pitch. Midfielder Lee Poole spent some time at Nethermoor and he hammered in the fourth and winning goal for Rangers as Rawdon became dispirited.

Tony Gilks then broke away for Rangers with Richard Machell shadowing him. The two Yeadon Cricket Club colleagues raced stride for stride down the pitch until Machell fell but Gilks had his shot blocked by another of his cricketing clubmates in Andrew Pickering.

In the closing stages Rawdon had another player sent off in Gareth Reynolds and they played out time with nine men.

It had been a pulsating cup tie with a bit of everything for the appreciative crowd.

Rangers skipper Gordon Burnell, accompanied by his son, went up to collect the trophy from Wharfedale FA chairman Roy Hague who presented mementoes to the players of both sides as well as match officials Jonathan Moss, Mick Slingsby and Colin Walker and fourth official Tony McGowan.

Park Rangers: Craig Perkis; Scott Harper, Danny Grime, Stephen Walker, Phil Robinson; Darren Auton, Gordon Burnell, Lee Poole, Craig Auton; Tony Gilks, Paul Dabill. Subs. Kevin Baldwin, Stephen Banks, Craig Hoos.

Rawdon AFC - Andrew Pickering; Paul Bull, David Gilks, Andrew Shakeshaft, Chris Thompson; Gareth Reynolds, Jimmy Allan, Scott Young, Andy Waterfield; David Machell, Richard Machell. Subs. Stuart Clarke, Mark Wilkinson, Danny Hough.

Challenge Cup

final on Monday

The Wharfedale FA Challenge Cup will take place at Guiseley AFC's Nethermoor Park ground on Monday, May 6, when Horsforth St Margaret's take on Pool AFC with an 11 am kick-off.

St Margaret's will be looking for a fourth successive win.