Sheppey United 5 Crowborough Athletic 2: SCEFL Challenge Cup final

Sheppey United added the SCEFL Challenge Cup to their trophy haul for the season after beating Crowborough Athletic in Monday’s final.

Billy Bennett scored the opener for Sheppey late in the first half and Dean Grant struck twice early in the second to put the game beyond Crowborough, although they kept it interesting with two goals from Lucas Murrain inbetween Jefferson Aibangbee’s fine effort. Warren Mfula completed the 5-2 scoreline in the last minute.

The match at Chatham Town’s Bauvill Stadium was played infront of over 700 fans.

Sheppey went into the game with the SCEFL league title in the bag along with wins in both the delayed 2019/20 Kent Senior Trophy and the 2021/22 competition, both of which were played this season.

East Sussex opponents Crowborough were determined to end Sheppey’s monopoly of the cups this season and made a positive start, with Elliott Duncan shooting off target with keeper Adam Molloy out of position and moments later Murrain headed wide.

Sheppey should have taken a 15th lead when Warren Mfula picked out Bennett with a low cross but the captain couldn’t get his effort on target. A minute later he did test the keeper but Martin Grant was equal to it.

Crowborough continued to threaten, with the height of Murrain and the pace of Jacob Lambert giving the Ites something to think about. Renford Tenyue was well placed to block a shot from Murrain.

The best chances continued to fall to Sheppey, however. Mfula came close to converting from close range and Aibangbee did well to avoid a flying challenge from Harrison Mayhew, dancing past another defender before his low ball in managed to avoid everyone in red.

Inbetween the chances there was a flurry of yellow cards issued by referee Dan Blades. Liam