HAVING just missed out on the league title, Norristhorpe Under 11s were delighted to win the RCD Cup.

They scored a 2-1 success over Savile Town, who proved a tough nut to crack.

Savile Town were first out of the blocks and, with Norristhorpe slow to react, Adil Jogee took advantage by rattling home the opening goal inside the first minute.

Norristhorpe found themselves pinned back as Savile Town maintained their threat and only some sterling defending from Niall McKinnell and Owen Kevett kept the score unchanged.

With Savile Town committed to attack, Norristhorpe needed a response and it wasn’t long in arriving.

A lofted ball from the halfway line caught the Savile Town defence square and Andreas McIntosh was allowed to race through and place the ball into the bottom corner for 1-1.

Savile Town almost regained the lead after 20 minutes when the ever-dangerous Suleman Sacha found his way through a posse of defenders to fire a shot from the right of the penalty area, but the angle was narrow and the ball rebounded to safety from the bar.

For the first time, Norristhorpe were beginning to get a foothold in the game and, with the half time whistle only minutes away, Muhammed Aswat’s pass found McIntosh on the edge of the area and the striker lived up to his billing by firing a shot low into the bottom corner to give Norristhorpe the lead.

Bilal Ali produced a terrific run within minutes of the re-start but he was unable to get in a shot to match his effort as Tom Skelly and Charlie Hood combined to block his route to goal.

At the other end, Aadil Sacha, Zaid Aman and Hamza Lakha were proving difficult for the Norristhorpe forwards to get past and, with time running out fast and few chances at either end, Savile Town were forced to push on for an equaliser.

A free kick from 20 yards almost produced that equaliser, but the dipping ball skimmed the top of the bar and, with just minutes left on the clock, Savile Town seemed certain to push the game into extra-time, but keeper Louis Shaw blocked Muhammed Aswat’s close range shot and Sacha was unable to control the rebound and his snatched shot went just wide.

Savile Town were unlucky not to get something from the game but, on balance of play, Norristhorpe deserved their victory.