26/07/2026
Berwick Charities Cup Final
Hadda Mad Dogs 1-1 Angel Alkies
Hadda Mad Dogs win 4-2 on penalties
What a fantastic finale to this year’s competition. The two strongest sides in the tournament proved exactly why they deserved their place in the final, producing one of the best Berwick Charities Cup finals in recent memory.
From the first whistle, it was clear both teams were evenly matched. Every pass was contested, neither side was given time or space to settle, and although the first half ended goalless, it was never short of quality or intensity. It always felt like either team could break the deadlock at any moment.
The second half began in much the same fashion, but around 10 minutes in, Hadda Mad Dogs found the breakthrough. The ball fell kindly inside the box and Liam Eason reacted quickest to fire his side into a 1-0 lead.
As the game wore on, Angel Alkies stepped up the pressure and gradually took control of possession, creating a number of half chances. However, it was one of those nights where the final touch just wouldn’t fall for them. With just 10 minutes remaining, the equaliser finally arrived from a set piece, as the impressive Gregor Goldie rose highest to nod home from close range.
In the closing stages of normal time, Hadda’s discipline began to slip and they found themselves temporarily reduced to nine men. Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, they defended superbly to take the game into extra time.
The pattern continued throughout the additional 30 minutes, with Angel Alkies looking to make their extra players count while Hadda remained dangerous on the counter-attack. More tired, mistimed challenges meant Hadda were again reduced to nine men in the latter stages of extra time, but once more they stood firm against wave after wave of Angel attacks, taking the final to the lottery of a penalty shootout.
Hadda Mad Dogs held their nerve to win the shootout 4-2, with goalkeeper Ross Stewart producing three outstanding saves to earn a deserved Man of the Match award and secure the Berwick Charities Cup.
Both teams deserve enormous credit for producing a final worthy of the occasion. Unfortunately, the evening was slightly overshadowed by the unacceptable behaviour of a small number of spectators towards our match officials. In living memory of this competition, our referees and officials have never been subjected to the level of abuse witnessed last night.
Our officials are fully qualified, give up their own time, and play a vital role in helping us raise money for local charities. We will always stand by them, and as a result, the two individuals responsible have now been banned from attending our competition. Such behaviour has no place in football.
Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who came along to support the final. Your continued support is incredible, and we simply couldn’t run this competition without you. We’d also like to extend our sincere thanks to the members of Berwick's Cancer Cars - The B&DCSG one of our chosen charities, who joined us to present the trophies and help bring another fantastic Berwick Charities Cup to a fitting conclusion.
Congratulations to Hadda Mad Dogs, our 2026 Berwick Charities Cup champions, and thank you to both teams for giving us a final to remember.
