Armitage targets historic double with Howden Clough

Howden Clough will aim to make club history on Good Friday (April 19) when they face Crofton Sports Reserves in the Wakefield League Division Two Cup final at Nostell Miners Welfare (kick off 7.30pm).
Howden Clough will bid to add the Wakefield League Cup to the Division Two title when they Crofton Sports Reserves in the final on Friday April 19.Howden Clough will bid to add the Wakefield League Cup to the Division Two title when they Crofton Sports Reserves in the final on Friday April 19.
Howden Clough will bid to add the Wakefield League Cup to the Division Two title when they Crofton Sports Reserves in the final on Friday April 19.

No Howden Clough open age side have ever won a league and cup double at any level and having already clinched the second division title a couple of weeks ago, the team go in search of history in two weeks time.

It would be fitting for manager Joe Armitage, who has a 30-year association with Howden Clough, having started playing at four years old.

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Armitage played Saturday and Sunday football with the club for 30 years before a serious back injury forced him to retire and he has also coached his son’s Under-9s team.

Armitage stepped in as the Wakefield League team’s open age team manager this season, with assistance from Lee Crossland.

The team were on the brink of folding having struggled to raise sides last season, when they only won two games but have turned their fortunes around, only losing twice this season.

They faced league runners-up Great Preston in last Saturday’s League Cup semi-final when they trailed 1-0 at half-time only for Joe Bedford to equalise after the break.

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Dom Carr converted a penalty to put Clough 2-1 up in extra time and Bedford added a second goal before Great Preston set up a nervy finale by pulling a goal back but Clough held on to set up a cup final date when they bid to complete the double.

Dewsbury Westside completed their Division Two programme with a 6-2 win against Overthorpe Sports Reserves last Saturday thanks to goals from Zubair Hussain (two), Irfan Ali, Musa Latif, Jamil Sair and Zaaid Sajawal.

Premier Division champions Crackenedge warmed up for tomorrow’s League Cup final against Beechwood Santos at Crofton Community Centre with a 6-1 win over Overthorpe Sports.

James Blane, Tim Clarke, Scott Lightowler, Adam Williams and Dominic Simpson among their goal scorers.