Badgers juggernaut rolls on in Camden Sunday League Challenge Cup

Published: October 6, 2011
by STEVE BARNETT and MARIA VALLHAIS

CNJ Camden Sunday League Challenge Cup

THE London Badgers caused a major upset at the weekend when they knocked Crouch End Rangers out of our prestigious Camden Sunday League Challenge Cup.

Despite being two divisions below their first round opponents, the debutants put on a magnificent team performance to grab a memorable victory at Hackney Marshes.

With star players Simon Hacking and Arthur Seruga, nicknamed “the juggernaut”, driving the team forward, the Badgers wrapped up a 3-1 win thanks to goals from Chris Dales, Michael Clarke and Tristan Buckley.

They were rewarded for their efforts with a mouth-watering tie against cup-holders Phoenix in the second round.

Quadruple-winners Phoenix cruised through their opening tie against Division Two side Park City Rovers.

Hat-trick hero Jamie Killingback stole the show as he capped a man-of-the-match display with a tremendous treble. But the midfielder explained after the match that it was far from plain sailing. “Having scored two goals I missed a penalty so I was lucky to score a hat-trick,” he said.

Winger Gio Falzone also bagged a brace, while leading scorer Athony Clarke netted his ninth goal of the season as Phoenix run out 6-1 winners.

The opening round of the cup proved as action-packed as ever with 10 fixtures producing a staggering 68 goals.

The biggest winners of the day were the returning Reddot, who beat the Surreal Madrid ‘D’ team 10-1. Albert Bankole opened the scoring with a cross-come-shot that deceived the goalie, before quickly doubling the advantage with his second of the game.

Man-of-the-match Paul “Trigger” Reid scored a delicate lob, while Steven Bruce struck twice. A lengthy score-sheet also included goals from Tony Dowsett, Jason Medford, Shane McNamara, Liam Barnabie and Alexie Nicolaou.

In other results MDM beat River Fleet 8-1, Athletico Annies run out 8-4 winners against Caledonian Casuals, Dinamo Dorigo toppled Boundary Estate 6-2, AFC Brasenose recorded a 5-0 win over Boston Celtics, Cobden Athletic were 4-1 victors against Surreal Madrid, the Constitution won 3-1 against Camden Tigers and DB FC won 2-1 in their game against the Kings Hell Cats.