In a thrilling tie, favourites Corby Everards came back from a goal down, and survived a late fight back to claim the Area Cup with a 3-2 victory over Long Buckby Ravens.

Both sides were looking for the chance to complete a league and cup double. Long Buckby Ravens were crowned MDH Teamwear Northants Combination Division Four champions at the weekend, whilst Everards will be champions of Division 3 if they win their remaining two games.

As expected from their higher league position, Everards dominated the opening quarter of the game, creating the first clear-cut chance on 4 minutes. The ball pinballed around in the Ravens penalty area, but Tom Dawson was in the right place at the right time, blocking the ball on the goal-line to deny Everards the opening goal.

Everards deployed the offside trap to good effect, denying the Ravens time and time again, leaving the midfield free to form the launch-pad for the counter-attack. A quickly taken free kick from one of the offside decisions released Stephen Harrison. He burst into the penalty area and went down under a challenge from Tom Daniels. The referee waved away the penalty appeals, and Harrison picked himself up to take advantage of static defending to retrieve the ball. However his composure deserted him, and with keeper Simon Phillips beaten, he could only fire wide of the far post. Fellow forward Scott Davano was the next to test Phillips, but was denied by a superb one-handed stop.

It is said that cup games often favour the underdogs and so it proved here. Against the run of play, Long Buckby then took the lead. Steve O’Brien has been in excellent sharpshooting form this season, but his goal owed more to good fortune than good shooting. Bearing down on goal, and with Everards keeper Greg Whenham rushing out to narrow the angle, O’Brien tried a speculative long-range effort, but failed to make proper contact. However, the ball deflected off an Everards defender and wide of Whenham, who was left stranded in no-mans land. The ball seemed to take an eternity to reach the goal, but crossed the line with the help of the left-hand upright.

Everards seemed shell-shocked by the goal, coming in the manner it did, and could have been forgiven for thinking that it was not to be their night when they had a second effort – this time from Scott Davanna – hooked off the line on 35 minutes. The Ravens meanwhile had their tails up and were pushing for a second, but resolute defending reduced them to shooting from range. On the stroke of half-time Everards finally got a deserved equaliser. Harrison, eager to make amends for his earlier aberration, found space in the penalty area and gleefully exploited it, changing direction three times to evade defenders before rifling into the bottom right-hand corner.

Ravens created the first opportunity of the second half as the clock ticked to an hour. Phil Moore ran onto a long ball but could not find the target and the ball was cleared for a throw. The throw was taken quickly but the Ravens failed to capitalise, and the ball fell to Andy Kyle. He started a move for Everards which contained four neat passes that split the Ravens defence asunder, and he took full advantage slamming the ball home from just inside the area.

Play broke down for the next twenty minutes, with neither side able to make a telling contribution. The flow was disrupted by a stream of offside decisions and substitutions. Dean Gazeley did manage to create one chance for Everards but blazed wide, wasting the opportunity. With nine minutes remaining Everards went 3-1 up. Harrison was again involved, running into the penalty area and going down under a challenge from behind. This time the referee did award the penalty and Ian Scullion smashed it down the middle.

Two minutes later, Ravens stopper Simon Phillips was called upon to keep his side in the tie with a superb double save. Andy Kyle hammered the ball at goal which, Phillips could only parry. The ball fell back to Kyle who smashed it with his other foot, only to see Phillips parry again before claiming at the second attempt.

Long Buckby refused to give up however, and their persistence was rewarded on 88 minutes when Ryan Grant was tripped in the Everards area. Kris Desmond stepped up and lashed the ball home to set up a tense finale. Even with the aid of five minutes stoppage time, the Ravens could not find an equaliser, and Everards held on to take their first ever piece of silverware.