Durham County FA v Bedfordshire County FA
The FA County Youth Cup in partnership with Pepsi
The Final
3pm, Saturday 29 April 2006
Darlington FC

Everything about Saturday’s game seems to favour Durham, but as we all know, football is about upsets and the young men from Bedfordshire will be looking to cause a stir, and maybe gain a little revenge, ‘up north’.

Durham are in their own back yard, playing at the plush Williamson Motors Stadium, home to Darlington FC, and are also in familiar territory when it comes to FA County Youth Cup Finals.

So far they’ve lifted the trophy seven times and will be aiming for number eight against Bedfordshire, whose name appears on The Cup once thanks to a 2-0 aggregate win over Sheffield & Hallamshire back in 1955.

Bedfordshire’s only other appearance in The Final was in 1975, but they lost out in that game 2-1 to, you’ve guessed it, Durham.

Both teams began their route to this year’s finale in the first two days of October.

Bedfordshire were first up and have certainly clocked up a few miles on their way here, having faced trips to one side of England, then the other.

Their opening 3-0 win in Kent, courtesy of a brace from Adam Cunnington, was followed by a Second Round trip to Cornwall. Jermaine Hall’s memorable hat-trick helped them to a 3-2 win.

Two home draws followed, Lancashire arrived for a Third Round meeting and another brace from Cunnington secured a 2-0 win to set up a Quarter-Final tie with much-fancied Birmingham. Cunnington’s fifth minute penalty was enough to decide the match.

Their path to Darlington was complete after a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Lincolnshire was settled by a nail-biting penalty shoot-out. Goalkeeper Ross Tompkins performed wonders as Daniel Douglas’ strike secured a 3-1 win.

The other Semi-Final saw a similar outcome between Durham and Wiltshire. With the scores at 0-0 it took penalties to find a winner and Durham edged out their opponents 5-4.

The 2004 FA County Youth Cup winners started this year’s competition at home to Leicestershire and Rutland and a 4-1 victory sent them on the road.

A visit to Liverpool was next and hat-tricks from Jonathan Pennock and Nicky Hindhaugh handed Durham a comfortable 7-1 win. Surrey made it more difficult in the Third Round. With the scores 2-2 after 90 minutes Liam McRoy pounced to hit the winner in extra-time.

Adam Forrest’s brace and a goal from Tony Coe in the Quarter-Final win over Sussex lined-up the last-four clash with Lincolnshire.

Between today’s Finalists, they have scored 26 goals in the competition this season, so we could have an lively, action-packed game in store.