Coastal Spirit have won Canterbury’s English Cup for the first time since they formed in 2007, beating Southern League champions Cashmere Technical 4-0.
Spirit took early control of the final at English Park, going ahead in the 9th minute through top goalscorer Alejandro Steinwascher.
In the 19th minute, the American turned provider, neatly setting up Dan MacLennan to double Spirit’s lead.
The goal of the match came in the 34th minute when Weston Bell lashed a vicious shot from the edge of the area to extend the lead to 3-0.
In the second half, Coastal Spirit were content to control the pace of the game, and starve Technical of goal opportunities.
For good measure, they added a fourth goal in the 54th minute, as MacLennan again capitalised on a Steinwascher assist.
Main photo: Coastal Spirit finally get to hold the English Cup. Photo credit: Coastal Spirt.
The win ended an English Cup voodoo for Spirit who had lost all four of their meetings with Cashmere Technical over the last six years, including the final in 2018.
Their record against Technical has been impressive this season, having knocked their opponents out of the Chatham Cup in the second round (3-1), and drawing once (4-4) and winning once in the Southern League (2-0).
The three defeats to Spirit are the only losses suffered by Technical all season, in an otherwise similarly successful year.
The rivals get another chance to settle matters when they meet in the Men’s National League, due to get underway at the end of September.
Steve Sumner Medal
The Steve Sumner Medal for the Player of the Match was awarded to Coastal Spirit striker Alejandro Steinwascher.
Watch the match
Result
Game played on Saturday September 7, 2024
Final
Cashmere Technical 0
Coastal Spirit 4 (Alejandro Steinwascher 9′, Dan MacLennan 19′, 54′, Weston Bell 34′)
The English Cup
Named after Robert English (1874-1934), the English Cup was first played for in 1913 when Sydenham became its first winners.
English was the president of the Canterbury Football Association from 1911 till 1928 and and was largely responsible for the acquisition of English Park.
The park was named after him in 1915 to recognise his work, and he donated the English Cup for the annual knockout competition between Canterbury’s leading men’s teams.
Past winners
1914: Nomads United
1915: Christchurch United
1916: Nomads United
1917: Christchurch Rangers United
1918: Christchurch Rangers United
1919: Nomads United
1920: Nomads United
1921: Christchurch Rangers
1922: Nomads United
1923: Christchurch Rangers
1924: Nomads United
1925: Western
1926: Sunnyside
1927: Villa
1928: Christchurch Technical
1929: Thistle
1930: Thistle & Western
1931: Western
1932: Western
1933: Thistle
1934: Thistle
1935: Western
1936: Western
1937: Western
1938: Western
1939: Western
1940: Western
1942: Divisional Signals
1943: RNZAF Wigram & Western
1944: Western
1945: Thistle & Western
1946: Western
1947: Christchurch Technical
1948: Thistle
1949: Western
1950: RNZAF Wigram & Western
1951: YMCA
1952: Christchurch Technical
1953: Christchurch Technical
1954: Western
1955: Western
1956: Christchurch Technical
1957: Christchurch City
1958: Christchurch City
1959: Christchurch City
1960: Nomads United
1961: Western
1962: Nomads United
1963: Nomads United
1964: Christchurch City
1965: Western
1966: Christchurch Technical
1967: Western
1968: Christchurch City
1970: Burndale
1971: Christchurch Technical
1972: Christchurch City
1973: Not awarded
1974: Christchurch Technical
1975: Not awarded
1976: Not awarded
1977: Not awarded
1978: Not awarded
1979: Christchurch Rangers
1980: Western
1981: Timaru United
1982: Christchurch United
1983: Christchurch United
1984: Shamrock
1985: Christchurch United
1986: New Brighton
1987: New Brighton
1988: Western
1989: Christchurch United
1990: Christchurch United
1991: Christchurch United
1992: Halswell United
1993: Christchurch Technical
1994: Christchurch Rangers
1995: Christchurch Rangers
1996: Christchurch Technical
1997: Halswell United
1998: Halswell United
2000: Christchurch City
2001: Western
2002: Not awarded
2003: Halswell United
2004: Halswell United
2005: Western
2006: Nomads United
2007 Woolston Technical
2008: Nomads United
2009: Ferrymead Bays
2010: Not awarded
2011: Halswell United
2012: Ferrymead Bays
2013: Ferrymead Bays
2014: Western
2015: Cashmere Technical
2016: Ferrymead Bays
2017: Cashmere Technical
2018: Cashmere Technical
2019: Cashmere Technical
2020: Cashmere Technical
2021: Cashmere Technical
2022: Cashmere Technical
2023: Christchurch United
2024: Coastal Spirit
Steve Summer Medal
First introduced in 2017 and awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the final:
2017 Danny Boys (Cashmere Technical)
2018 Sean Liddicoat (Coastal Spirit)
2019 Benji Lapslie (Cashmere Technical)
2020 Lyle Mattysen (Cashmere Technical)
2021 Fraser Angus (Cashmere Technical)
2022 Garbhan Coughlan (Cashmere Technical)
2023 Matt Tod-Smith (Christchurch United)
2024 Alejandro Steinwascher (Coastal Spirit)
This story was first published on Saturday September 7, 2024.
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