17/05/2026
Boca vs The Throbbers Northampton Exiles League 3 cup final.
We knew Exiles would be up for it and this showed early on, with them starting in the front foot, first to every second ball. But Boca weathered the storm for the first 10.
With 15 on the clock, Lewis picked the ball up from Iain’s quick throw, danced round a couple of exiles and was brought down in the box by the centre half after a late challenge. Probably the only challenge that didn’t see a card produced. Lewis converted calmly, 1-0 Boca.
Exiles responded quickly, iain was throbbed from behind in midfield. No foul given and a great curling effort beat nick from outside the box. 1-1, game on.
They found a second quickly after from a deep free kick, Jenson won the initial header but it fell to their winger who volleyed it home from close range. Second balls again. 2-1 exiles.
They found a third, again, from a set piece… obviously. Nick parried the initial free kick but their centre back was first to the loose ball, pushing Jamie into the post to head home. No foul given despite Boca’s appeals, 3-1.
This being a final, there were some great battles all over the pitch. Following a 50/50 between their midfielder and Archie, there was a scuffle afterwards which saw both players see red despite the ref not really seeing the incident or consulting any of the other officials. No warnings, no yellows, straight reds. Baffling. Both teams now had to adapt to being down to 10.
Boca responded better and we got one back before half time with deco heading in from Barney’s flick on. 3-2, game on.
Half time 3-2.
Second half started much of the same. Exiles continued to buy fouls well. They got a 4th from another set piece, don’t really know what happened but it ended up in the net. Too many silly fouls and too slow to react to second balls again. 4-2 Exiles.
Boca looked to the bench knowing we had to adapt to get anything from the game. Lewis dropped back into midfield, Chim came on up to, munnsy came on at right back and Joe came on left wing. 3 at the back now, gotta go for it.
With Boca going for it, a few words from someone on the Exiles bench towards the ref saw him get a red card. Not sure who it was, not sure the ref knew who it was, but their manager was sent to the changing rooms.
20 to go, deco flicked the ball onto Nathan who danced round 4 players and fired home. Hope, 4-3.
With 10 to go, the Gritten show continued. Joe slipped it into Nathan who danced through again, leaving bodies on the floor behind him and slotted it home to make it 4-4. Pandemonium.
However the Gritten show was short lived. Exiles went up the other end and after nick parried the first effort, Blake on the floor, pinned down unable to clear it, the ball somehow made its way into the net. No foul again. In the commotion, chim saw red for his appeals and deco was somehow sin binned despite walking away and saying nothing. ‘Verbal dissent’ - but the ref couldn’t say what was said other than that. 5-4, Boca down to 8 men.
3 at the back, Lewis in midfield, 3 up front, nick in goal. At this point who knows what was going on, a couple of chances for both teams late on.
Deco came back on with 3 minutes to go after his sin bin for a Boca corner. A scuffle in the box from our corner saw him get headbutted, deco pushed him away. Both players saw yellow this time, not straight reds this time bizzarly. But it was a second yellow for Deco so he was straight back off again after about 20 seconds.
Full time 5-4 to Exiles. Daylight throbbery… you hate to see it.
Credit to Exiles who wanted it more on the day and deserved the win. Enjoy the celebrations lads. That bloody grimace is coming for us tomorrow.
Motm goes to most influential player on the pitch, the Ref. 11 cards I think, with the league watching him he made the game about him which was a shame. Expensive day out for both sides.
Tough result to take but we’ll be back next season with a reserve team too. Great season with our highest ever league finish. UTB
