18/05/2026
๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐
๐ ๐๐๐งโ๐ฌ
๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ & ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐/๐๐ ๐๐
Yesterday we travelled to Staveley MWFC to take on division 4 table toppers (& all but confirmed league champions) Tupton FC in the final of the Chesterfield and District Sunday Football League Chatsworth Cup.
We dominated the ball in the first half and eventually took the lead mid way through the half with a strike from Joel Searson from just outside the box into the bottom corner, and we should have gone on to add to that lead with a few chances afterwards. 1-0 at HT.
2nd half a different story where Tupton really threw everything at us to get back into the game and levelled roughly 10 mins into the half with a rebound off a good Brady Parker save. We eventually started playing again after a period of Tupton dominance, and this led to us taking the lead again through Jordan Hendley after a good team move which ended with a quick turn & left footed strike sending the keeper the wrong way to put us 2-1 up. We were still celebrating by the time Tupton levelled things up again as within a minute of the restart, theyโd made it 2-2, and not long after that a great run & cross from their winger down the right hand side led to them going 3-2 up with just 15 mins left to play..
Up steps top goalscorer Matthew Crowe to โfireโ in the equaliser with an effort that some how snuck in under the keepers body following a corner in from the right that somehow made its way to his feet in the 6 yard box after it pinballing between a number of bodies. 3-3 & penalties to followโฆ.
Question of who would hold their nerve in the shootout to take home the ๐. Both teams would have deserved it really with how the final wentโฆ but someone had to win. Hero of the hour Brady Parker our GK made two brilliant saves in the shootout, leaving it down to striker Kane Snell to win the shootout and take home the cupโฆ and he made absolutely no mistake ๐ฎโ๐จ
Genuine commiserations to Tupton FC who have had an incredible season themselves and really unlucky in a final that neither side deserved to lose. As mentioned, with their huge goal difference advantage in the league below, itโs only a matter of when not if theyโre crowned as league champions.
๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐
๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐/๐๐ ๐
Butโฆ the celebrations wouldnโt end there for the Espial ladsโฆ
News started filtering through that Thursday night league champions Galaxy FC (Well they celebrated their draw like theyโd won it anywayโฆ) had lost away at Hepthorne Lane whilst weโd been playing in the cup final. Few comments like โCan we have your champagne bottlesโ and โWell weโve won it nowโ alongside a social media match report dubbed โTitle decider epicโ all looking a little premature now as they look set to finish 3rd in a two horse race for the titleโฆ ๐ฌ
Their defeat yesterday left them 5 points behind us with just the 1 game remainingโฆ and therefore crowning us as:
๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐
๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐/๐๐ ๐
An unbelievable first season for the menโs team, as we won 20 out of our 27 games with just 3 defeats. Including an incredible 124 goals across the 27 games.. ๐ฎโ๐จ
All thatโs left to be said now is, what a f*cking season and roll on a summer of celebrations! ๐๐
UP THE SPIAL! โฝ๏ธ
Espial Football Club
