GoCardless Kent Junior 'C' Cup: Ellis Athletic 5 Barming 2

Ellis Athletic’s manager was a relieved man after making some big calls before their Kent Junior Cup final.

The Bromley & South London Football League side lost on penalties in the Elizabeth Jacques Cup final last weekend and boss Wayne Mitchell felt he had to change things around for their Kent Junior C Cup Final at Bearsted on Saturday against Barming.

It was Kris Browning’s Barming - playing in their first season as a senior side in the Sevenoaks & District League - who took the lead but Ellis cancelled that out within a minute and scored four goals in a dominant second half to get their hands on the cup, winning 5-2.

“I’m over the moon,” said Ellis boss Mitchell. “Losing that final the week before was heartbreaking. I think one of the penalties hit an aeroplane going past!

“We had conceded the equaliser in the 125th minute. The goalie dropped the ball, and it was poor, and I dropped the goalie for this final. I made some massive calls and dropped my left-back, who got sin-binned eight minutes before the end.

“We lost a big league game the week before that as well, and I felt it was becoming a pattern. I always say, the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and to expect a different result.

“I was brave with what I did, but I think we fully deserved the win in the end. Fortune favours the brave! I had to win. It had been quite quiet all week and they weren’t really talking to me on the coach. I made myself scarce, they were sulking, but that’s okay because I don't want them to not care.

“We won 19 games in a row [this season], we can still win the league if we win our next game, and we've made it into two finals and it's because I've been harsh. I love every one of them, but I will make