Burntwood Dragons all fired up to lift the Staffordshire County Cup
Burntwood Dragons are celebrating their first Staffordshire County Cup success – in the club’s 25th anniversary season.
The club’s under-16s side pulled off a stunning victory to lift the cup – overcoming Potteries-based favourites FC Hanley Academy in the final at Stafford Town FC.
Dragons came out firing and went on to win 4-2, with a hat-trick from Declan Riley and a long-range free-kick strike from Seb Black.
They took the lead with a stunning strike from Riley after just six minutes, with his left-footed effort from 25 yards arrowing into the top corner.
The attacker struck again minutes later, curling an effort inside the post from the edge of the Hanley penalty area.
Dragons were pegged back by a Hanley goal shortly before half-time.
However, the two-goal cushion was restored just after the break when Black’s free-kick from near the halfway line caught the Hanley goalkeeper in two minds. The balled bounced over his head and into the net.
Again, Hanley pulled a goal back and missed a golden chance to level midway through the second period.
Dragons raised their game once more and a superb through-ball from Max Weaver split Hanley’s defence wide open to set Riley free once again.
He steadied himself before firing low and hard into the bottom corner to seal the biggest win in Dragons’ history. Nearly 400 were at Stafford’s Evans Park to witness the occasion with scores of Dragons’ friends and family celebrating a famous win as captain Yaseen Abu-Khalil lifted the cup.
Boss Steve Parton has been in charge of the side for a decade and has seen the progression of his players since some of them were just six years old.
“I’m so proud of the lads,” he said. “In the club’s 25th anniversary year, to win the County Cup is an absolutely amazing achievement for the team and the club.
“Big thanks to all the parents who turned up and made the atmosphere on the evening so unbelievable – a night we will never forget.”
It could yet be an even-more unforgettable season for the side, who currently sit top of the Walsall Junior Youth League’s Under-16 Division One with games in hand on their nearest challengers.
