Nicosia 3-1 UK Flooring

The FA Sunday Cup Final, in Partnership with Carlsberg
Anfield
25 April 2004

Liverpool’s Nicosia have clinched The FA Sunday Cup, in partnership with Carlsberg, 13 years after winning it for the first time.

The sons of player-manager Joe Gibiliru Snr and assistant manager Lee Madin Snr, who won the nation’s flagship Sunday League football competition with Nicosia in 1991, both scored to make it a memorable family victory.

It was a special win too for another family with Steven Nolan claiming a second winner’s medal, watched by his nephew, Bolton Wanderers star Kevin Nolan.

At a sun-drenched Anfield, the Liverpool Business Houses Sunday League side were not given an easy ride by competition newcomers UK Flooring. They put up a brave fight after going down to ten men in only the 20th minute.

The Bristol & Sunday League outfit were knocked for six when Leon Simpson was sent off for violent conduct and, just five minutes later, captain Nicky Olu scored an own goal to put Nicosia in front.

The Nics had to wait until the second half to extend their lead with a goal from Carlsberg Man of the Match Joe Gibiliru Jnr, who was just nine years old when his father won The FA Sunday Cup the first time around.

Two minutes from the end of normal time, Lee Madin Jnr, got the third and UK Flooring grabbed a deserved consolation goal in the dying seconds.

There was nothing to separate the sides in the opening quarter with chances at both ends, but Nicosia were given a great advantage when UK Flooring had Simpson red-carded.

In the 25th minute Nicosia’s Paul Pomford crossed the ball into the box only for Nicky Olu to find the back of the net as he attempted to clear it away.

Justin Pritchard had the chance to make the scoreline level five minutes later and former Chelsea player David Lee just went wide of the goal with a curling free-kick on 37 minutes.

A minute later and Gibiliru Jnr almost got his name on the score sheet. UK Flooring’s defensive duo of Lee and former Chelsea and Sunderland player Gareth Hall soaked up the pressure to go in just one goal down at half-time.

Nicosia got off to a great start in the second half when the ball was crossed in by Madin Jnr and Gibiliru Jnr found the back of the net.

Three minutes later and UK Flooring manager John Harris made his first substitution, bringing off Olu for Paul Dempsey.

In the 57th minute, Nicosia’s Jordan Milson was shown a yellow card. A minute later and UK Flooring had an excellent chance to get a goal back with a great ball in from James Edwards, but no-one could get on the end of it as it flashed across the goalmouth.

It signalled the start of a good spell for UK Flooring, but they were unable to make their possession count.

A quick break from Nicosia in the 65th minute almost ended with Gibiliru Jnr grabbing a second.

Three minutes later and Nicosia brought on Simon Corns for Jordan Milson. Nicosia’s Stuart Philips was shown a yellow card in the 70th minute and, two minutes later, Justin Bishop was brought on for UK Flooring’s James Edwards.

Nicosia made their second substitution with Matt Knight coming on for Stuart Philips in the 76th minute. Three minutes later and UK Flooring brought Grant George on for Darren Keeling.

As the game was heading to the end of normal time, Madin Jnr blasted home a great goal to make it 3-0.

In the last minute of normal time, Ross Kennedy came on for Nicosia’s Paul Pomford.

Nicosia’s Matt Knight was yellow-carded as the game went into five minutes of added time and, in the third of those minutes, Justin Pritchard scored for UK Flooring to make it  3-1.

Kevin Nolan, who had been watching the game from behind Nicosia’s dug-out, leapt into the air with jubilation as the final whistle sounded and ran onto the pitch to congratulate the ecstatic players.

Kevin, whose father Kevin played in the 1991 winning side, said: ‘It’s unbelievable. I am just so delighted for the lads. They played well out there today. It was made a bit easier for us when they had a player sent off, but we still had a job to do and I thought they did it superbly.

‘All the lads have been fantastic and they have got what they deserved.’

His uncle Steven, aged 34, said: ‘I’m still in a daze. I can’t believe it. It’s fantastic. I never thought I would win The FA Sunday Cup again and to do it at Anfield is an absolute dream.’

The FA’s Chief Guest Ray Clemence MBE presented The FA Sunday Cup in front of Nicosia’s delighted fans in the Kop End.

Gibiliru Snr, aged 42, said: ‘Winning it feels better this time around because there are a lot of young lads in the team and they have done so well.

‘Nicosia have been a long time out of the limelight but we are now back on track. I’m made up for the players, our committee and everyone involved. It’s a proud moment for us all, especially with the family connections.’

Kevin Nolan made a point of shaking the hands of the UK Flooring squad as they sat dejected on the pitch.

Manager John Harris said: ‘On the whole I feel that we played the better football but the ball was not going to go into the back of net. It just wasn’t our day.’

Nicosia Goals: Olu 25 (og), Gibiliru 50, Madin 88

UK Flooring Goals: Pritchard 90

Attendance: 1,526

Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Joe Gibiliru Jnr (Nicosia)