ROSS Juniors will challenge for Herefordshire Junior Cup glory this Saturday (May 21) after an explosive four-goal blast in the last five minutes secured an 8-2 win in their final league match.

Ryan Shenwell fired four goals to help demolish Holme Lacy 2nds, as Juniors saved their best until last to finish fourth in Division One of the county league.

But having sat on top of the table for most of the run-in, local rivals Fownhope were cruelly denied title glory in their 50th year, as Worcester United were awarded walkovers over Holme and Burghill Rangers in their last two matches, thereby drawing level with the villagers on points and taking the crown by the narrowest of margins on goal difference.

Having seen their own late title charge flounder with four straight defeats, including a 2-0 reverse at Holme Lacy, Juniors showed what they are capable of with an eight-goal demolition job at home on Saturday.

It was their best performance for sometime, and came after conceding an early goal.

They fought back to lead 3-1 at the break, with the sides then swapping goals near the hour-mark to make it 4-2.

With the game and the league season slowly petering out, Juniors suddenly turned on the turbo charges and exploded into life, netting four more in a frantic last five minutes, with Mikey Donaldson, Joe Loftus, Ted Heyes and Florin Crainic also on the scoresheet.

And the win comes just in time to boost confidence ahead of the Junior Cup final clash with league champions Worcester at Hereford Lads Club this Saturday, kick-off 2pm.

Huntley FC are already celebrating cup glory after goals from Daniel Hall and Marc Matthews fired the village side to a 2-1 win over Soudley at Viney Hill on Sunday to lift the JO Roberts Cup, competed for by senior teams in the North Gloucestershire League.

It caps a great season for the club, who finished second in the Premier League behind Mushet & Coalway, with 15 wins and four draws from their 22 games.

Meanwhile, Juniors’ newest team, the senior ladies side, kept their unbeaten run going despite missing seven regular players, twice coming from behind to earn a 2-2 friendly draw at Bishop’s Cleeve.