FA Cup Final result

Claymore Athletic FC 1
Mulumbu 84

v
(0)

San Dimas High School 2
Odemwingie 60
Flanagan [C]

At Wembley Stadium         Att: 90,000

Six years on from their previous Cup Final meeting it was a case of history (kind of) repeating as San Dimas High School won the WSFFL FA Cup for the third time.

The first half brought little of note as the game was overcome by a tension you might expect from two teams who have become unfamiliar with such a major occasion. The tempo increased at the start of the second period with Wayne Rooney stinging Simon Mignolet's hands with a free-kick. The breakthrough came on the hour. San Dimas striker Peter Odemwingie, one of the bargains of the season, took his tally for the campaign to 12 as he fired home from close range following confusion in the Claymore penalty area.

The San Dimas' joy was short-lived though when Paul Scharner saw red for a second bookable offence just two minutes later. (Curiously enough I'd had a player, Franck Quedrue, sent off the first time I won the Cup - must be a lucky omen!) My side looked like they might see the game out but an inspired substitution from Clive made for an exciting finale. Youssouf Mulumbu scored within 10 minutes of coming on as a substitute, the Congolese player out-muscling the San Dimas defence to level the scores with six minutes to go.

The game was to be settled by a clean sheet and it went San Dimas' way. John Flanagan, in only his second WSFFL appearance, got the deciding clean after replacing Rafael who was selected after the manager mixed the twins up and picked the wrong one (or perhaps the right one depending on your point of view). Sylvin Distin, the last remaining member of my two previous Cup winning teams, lifted the trophy and started the San Dimas celebrations.

Commiserations to Clive who played a solid, honest game but was let down by big players David Luiz, Branislav Ivanovic and a frustrated Rooney when it mattered most.

Claymore Athletic: Howard; Ivanovic, Luiz, Johnson, Bardsley; McCarthy, Henderson, Osman, Cleverley; Dembele, Rooney    Subs: Mucha; Olsson; Mulumbu; Gueye

San Dimas High School: Mignolet; Distin, Scharner, Rafael, Walker; Rodwell, Walcott, Hitzlsperger, Tiote; Elmander, Odemwingie    Subs: Al-Habsi; Flanagan; Milijas; Kornilenko