Sporting Armley booked their place in the final of the Mark Hawkin's Memorial Cup with a comprehensive thrashing of FC Wellington.
Armley were favourites to reach the final, and showed exactly why by taking the lead in the first minute. Danny Goulden was the man on target with his first touch of the game after being played into the box by Iain McBurney.
Five minutes later and Sporting were 2-0 up when Ashley McNulty pounced to get the finishing touch after Wellington failed to clear a goalmouth scramble.
It was pretty much cruise control for Armley in the first half, with Wellington creating few opportunities to score thanks to the solid defence of King, Wheeler, Pearson and Howe. On the few occasions they did breach the rearguard, John Moses was on hand to keep them at bay with a couple of smart saves.
McNulty made it 3-0 to Armley following a corner. The ball was allowed to bounce by the Wellington defenders and McNulty's shot looped over the goalkeeper and into the net from close range.
Wellington somehow managed to grab a goal back against the run of play just 4 minutes before half time. They were awarded a soft free kick on the edge of the box, and their equally as soft effort on goal looked to be easy for Moses to handle. Unfortunately for Armley Moses pulled up with a leg injury and was helpless to stop the balling dropping over his head and into the net.
In the second half Sporting took charge once again and were much tighter at the back. John Moses managing to shake off his injury and continue on for the full 90.
Danny Goulden put the game to bed when he scored Armley's fourth goal with the best goal of the game by far.
With his fellow team-mates pushed into the box for a corner, Goulden elected to wait on the edge of the box. The clearance duly fell to the feet of Armley's top scorer who then controlled and hit a spectacular looping shot into the top corner which left the keeper rooted to the spot.
Sporting manager Jason Lovett knew the game was in the bag and took Goulden off to rest him for the next game, pushing Gareth Knight up front alongside McBurney and bringing on Anthony Morkos in centre midfield. Phil Wheeler also came off to give the returning centre back Richard Moses a chance to restore his partnership with Glenn King at the back.
It was 5-1 to Armley soon after when Howe charged forward from right back to support McNulty who created space on the wing to cross. Howe arrived in the 6 yard box to meet the cross which went in via a deflection from a Wellington defender's head.
It may have been considered an own goal, but the Dubious Goals Panel, which consists of Wayne Howe's mum decided the goal should be awarded to the Armley defender.
Howe was then replaced by Andy Sanderson for the final 10 minutes of the game.
Armley striker Iain McBurney, who was sent off the last time he faced FC Wellington, was becoming increasingly frustrated at his failure to find the net. However, his determination paid off with just minutes remaining when he ran on to a long ball upfield, and got his head to the ball to score just seconds before the Wellington keeper took him down.
McBurney celebrated the goal in his style, running to his girlfriend in the crowd and posing for a photograph. The final whistle sounded soon after and Sporting Armley celebrated reaching the first cup final in the clubs short history.
