BAY Athletic aim to collect their second piece of silverware in the space of four days when they take on Lepton Highlanders in tonight’s Huddersfield District FA Challenge Cup final at the Galpharm (7.00).
That’s after Richard Spychalski’s side, carrying the flag for the West Riding FA, won the Northern Counties Cup by beating leading Cheshire team Ashville 1-0 in the final at Rivacre Park, the Ellesmere Port home of Blue Square North club Vauxhall Motors.
Sam Jerome was the star of the show on Saturday, slotting an 89th-minute winner after good work by former Town and Emley player Steve Smith.
Bay took time to settle, and it took a brave block by keeper Graham McLachlan to deny Ashville after 15 minutes.
But they finished the first half as the dominant team, with Smith and winger Ryan Hall both coming close.
Ashville had another bright spell at the start of the second half, but the introduction of Matt Mulvihill and George Dawson gave Bay an injection of energy.
Dawson and Aaron Joseph took a grip in central midfield and the pair combined with Mulvihill to create a chance for Brighton Mugadza, who tested the Ashville keeper with a strong shot.
With Nathan James also coming off the bench for Bay, the Huddersfield side were starting to stretch their opponents.
The breakthrough finally came when John Buckley passed to Joseph, who in turn picked out Smith, whose run and cross set up Jerome for the goal which brought the cup to Yorkshire for the first time.
