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Blues beat Battle to book final spot

Sidley United II 2 - 0 Battle Town - ESFL Prem / Div 1 Cup

Sidley United II's got the win they needed in this crunch match to book a spot in the ESFL Prem / Div 1 Cup Final as winners of Group A.

Battle came into the game needing to avoid defeat to take that place themselves but Sidley always looked the stronger side. Gary Hempe hit the crossbar with a free kick early on in the first half and from another good Hempe cross, Alex Williams steered a shot into the side net.

Battle's best chance came when a neat move got them in down the right hand sdie and the ball was cut back to Dean Boyd but he ballooned his shot over the bar.

Into the second half and Sidley remained in the ascendancy. After a good move involving Chris Agutter and Sean Baldwin, the ball was played across to Williams whose low first time shot beat the Battle goalkeeper, who wasn't having his finest day to give Sidley the lead after 58 minutes. 

With the goal that they needed, Sidley continued to ensure they were solid and sensible and kept looking for the second goal to kill off the game and it came on 84 minutes when some terrific work from Harry Fuller saw him win the ball from Battle's Tom Saunders tried to shield the ball out of play and from the byline he pulled it back to Harley Ransom who slotted home from close range.

Battle's frustration took over as Jamie Lindsey unsurprisingly was sin-binned for dissent towards the referee before another Battle player was lucky to only see yellow for a very poor challenge with the final action of the game. But Sidley held their heads to claim the all important win and will face either Rock a Nore or Rye Town in the final to be played at Westfield FC on May 22nd.

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