Cookham Dean's u16s beat Newport Pagnell on penalties to lift Berks & Bucks Cup.

Cookham Dean's u16s boys’ team have won the Berks & Bucks Cup for the first time in their history after defeating current holders Newport Pagnell on penalties in the final at Arbour Park last month.

A good crowd watched the two sides battle for supremacy in a final that went the distance, Cookham being pegged back to 2-2 in the final minutes of the game before showing great character to win the resulting penalty shootout 8-7 to lift the trophy.

Cookham had done well to reach the final in their first season in the competition, defeating Holmer Green 9-1 in the quarter finals and Reading United 3-0 in the semi-finals to reach the final against Newport Pagnell.

An exciting clash saw Dean take the lead through Connor Downey's composed finish in the 14th minute, but Pagnell drew level just before the half-hour mark.

Both teams had chances to win the match in the second half, but Dean thought they had one hand on the trophy when Lennon Moore swept the ball across for Sam Gavin to rifle the ball home from 20-yards to make it 2-1 in the 55th minute. That's the way it remained until the 75th minute when Pagnell managed to escape Dean's press and their winger lifted a cross over for their centre forward to make it 2-2.

So it went to penalties, with goalkeeper Max Scavachi making two great saves to earn Dean a dramatic 8-7 win. Dean's penalties were taken by Sam Gavin, Lennon Moore. Connor Downey, Kayden Richardson, Kyle Dawes, Oliver Durkan, Alex Vick, Mackenzie Gould and Adam Robinson while Lennon Moore received the man of the match award.

“They did a very good job, it was a tough game against the holders, and they were both good teams,” said manager Dominic Gavin.

“It was the route there that also made it special. In the semi-final we had to take on Reading United who are full of ex-academy players, so we had tough ties throughout.

“We were walking wounded in the second half and I had to make a few substitutions, but we went 2-1 up and it was my boy (Sam Gavin) who got it, with a strike from outside the box. We thought they'd run out of steam but they got a good breakaway goal with their forward putting it in at the back post. It went down to the wire in the penalty shootout but our keeper saved their eighth one to make it 8-7.

“They've been together since u6s, and we're on to win the treble this year.

“We're in the league cup final over at Flackwell Heath against Ruislip on April 23, and if we win our games in hand we should win our league, but it's a bit more difficult as we have to play Wednesday, Friday, Monday now. We could win the treble but I'm not counting my chickens at the moment.”