PLAYERS, staff and supporters of Leamington Khalsa are celebrating a double success after winning both the Boyd Carpenter Charity Cup and the Andy Campbell Cup.
The Saturday team came up against R.S.Sports at Hawkesmill Football Club on May 6 in the Boyd Carpenter Charity Cup when an early goal by Manjinder Dhaliwal settled any early final nerves.
Narrinder Sara doubled Khalsa’s lead with an excellent goal and Josh Mann wrapped up a comfortable 3-0 victory with a late strike.
Khalsa did not have it all their own way in the final of the Andy Campbell Cup after they beat Harbury 4-3 on penalties following a thrilling 5-5 draw at the home of Racng Club Warwick on May 24.
Harbury had beaten Khalsa on the two previous meetings between the two sides and it was them who took the leads thanks to a goal from Adam Johnson in the opening minutes.
Khalsa hit back immediately with a scrappy goal from Tundee Ajibade but a well-worked Chris Harris free kick put Harbury back into the lead.
Again Khalsa replied with man-of the-match Andrey Arnaudov making it 2-2 but abother goal from Johnson handed Harbury a narrow 3-2 lead at half-time.
Khalsa came roaring back in the second half with goals from Matty Wooten and a further goal from Tundee which handed them the initative for the first time in the match.
Suk Nijjar came very close to extending the lead for Khalsa but it was Harbury who then rallied, with Chirs Harris getting the second to make it 4-4 and from a breakaway Harbury went into lead again with a good strike from Tom O’Callange.
Harbury were reduced to ten men late on which led to Khalsa putting more pressure to level the score with a right-footed strike from Matty Wooten and after and Khalsa went on to win lift the cup thanks after holding their nerve in the penalty shoot-out.
Khalsa chairman Biker Singh said: “It was the best final ever and a very entertaining match. Football was the true winner.”
Khalsa FC is one of the largest local clubs participating in the local community and have been running for over 40 years. At the start of the season back in September it operated two teams in the Leamington & District Sunday Football League and one team in the Saturday Coventry Alliance League.
