Shepley Spitfire FC
VS
Sheffield Seven Hills
SISL Cup Final
26/04/2026
By Owain Wyse
Welcome to the latest edition of our Matchday programme, as Shepley Spitfire take on Sheffield Seven Hills in the Sheffield Imperial Sunday League Cup Final, at Parkgate FC.
There's huge excitement in the air, as we play our second Cup Final in three years, attempting to right the wrongs of the 23/24 season.
In the programme this week, you'll hear the thoughts of manger James Wyse. There is also Q&A interview with club chairman, and striker, Kyle Mcintosh reflecting on the journey we as a club have been on since the beginning, as well as a reflection on the cup run so far.
I hope you enjoy.
UTSS!
James Wyse SSFC Manager
"Be first to every ball, be strong in the tackle and run more than the opposition."
Here we are again! For the second time in just three years we gave reached the now world famous SISL Cup Final and what an achievement it is for the club. We have earned our place having sensationally beating the best team in the SISL, Darnall Urban 5-2 and our conquerors from the last final, Ecclesfield Red Rose in a nail biting penalty shoot out plus a narrow victory against Norfolk Park, all teams above us in the league.
Credit has to go to all the lads who have played in the previous games and are missing out on the final; Joal for his saves against Darnall, Lewis for his tireless running in the semi final, Jack and Muzzy for their sterling efforts at centre back and Louis for his whole hearted performances across all three games. It was a tough choice to pick a 16 and it is a shame that we couldn't include everyone in the final squad and my apologies go to those missing out.
On to the game. We come up against Seven Hills who are flying high in the league in their first season in the SISL. A quirk of the fixture computer means we only played them for the first time last week when we narrowly lost with just 11 men having led until the 80th minute. They are a very decent team though with some fast, tricky players but we dealt with them well until we inevitably tired late on last week. On Sunday, with a full squad there is I think a real opportunity for us to reverse that result and lift the trophy.
The experience of two years ago can also help to galvanise us. Many of the squad played in that game and must remember what is was like to lose in a final...not a great experience. We need to bottle that feeling and use it to our advantage, be first to every ball, be strong in the tackle and run more than the opposition. Do that and we are every bit good enough to win this game and lift a trophy which has global interest!! (At Least according to our Instagram views)
UTSS!
After receiving a bye in the first round we went straight into the second round with perhaps the toughest draw of them all.
Darnall Urban, winners of the SISL Premier league and currently 20 wins out of 20 games in all league fixtures this season. Travelled to Dronfield Woodhouse, fully expecting a rollover away victory.
Shepley were down to the bare bones, with just 12 available players, including debutant goalkeeper Joal Wake making his first appearance, perhaps no one could’ve predicted what followed.
Shepley took the lead early through Owain, and managed to hold the lead until half time. With bodies on the line from the defenders, and some excellent saves from Joal, we somehow kept the ball out the back of the net.
In the second half SSFC went from strength to strength, again scoring early on, this time Chris pounced on loose back pass to put us two nil up.
An own goal brought Darnall back in with a chance, any hopes of a potential fightback were quickly extinguished though when top scorer Jordan slotted home to make it 3-1.
Darnall pulled another back but yet again we hit back quickly through Macca, in strange circumstances. He lobbed the goalie, had his shot hand-balled on (over) the line, the referee initially gave the goal, but then reversed his decision sent off the offending player and awarded a penalty. Macca then converted the resulting penalty and we were 4-2 up.
Now down to ten Darnall got ratty; fouls and poor tackles scared the rest of the game until the very last kick of the game. Macca scored his second to cap off the scoring.
The win over Darnall set up a quarter final clash with Norfolk Park.
The quarter was much less eventful, despite the 3-2 score line suggesting a tight game. In reality we controlled the game and shouldn’t have let our opponents score the two goals they did.
Two first half goals from Jordan, including a penalty, and a second half goal from Leo made sure of the win.
Semi final
Next up we took on Ecclesfield Red Rose, in a repeat of the 2022 cup final, at neutral venue, the Carribean Ground.
Again, as became a staple of our cup run, we started fast and took an early lead. Crooksy reacted fastest, as the keeper hesitated, to head home a long looping free kick, just seven minutes in.
Similar to the game against Darnall, we defended bravely. Throwing bodies in the way to block shots and working as a solid unit to limit our opponents to long shots, and crosses.
In the second half we managed to keep Red Rose at bay, until the 85th minute. Deandre Garwood snatched a late equaliser, with a well struck finish, to send the game to penalties.
Rhodri, a self proclaimed penalty expert, backed up his claim. He made three outstanding saves, from five of our opponents penalties.
Crooksy converted the first penalty, Macca our second, and Wardy the third to send us through to the final. (We don’t talk about Jordan’s missed penalty)
Kyle McIntosh
Player/Chairman
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about when you set the club up?
I set this club up as somewhere for all my mates to come together and have a laugh. It has been very challenging at times off the field, especially at the start, with everything from arranging games to finding a pitch, to getting a sponsor.
Q: Has it been worth it? I can honestly say that it was 100% worth it. Each year has become better and better despite having obstacles to constantly overcome, I firmly believe that it will continue to grow in the right direction hopefully for many years to come.
Q: What are your hopes for Sunday?
A: This cup final, on Sunday, gives us the perfect opportunity to grab something really positive from what has been our longest season yet, and whilst the opposition is strong I am fully backing our lads to bring the trophy home.
UTSS!
Our Opponents
AFC Sheffield Seven Hills
Current League Position:2nd
P:21 W:17 D:2 L:2
Top Scorer: Benjamin Schafer (24 goals)
We took on Sheffield Seven Hills last Sunday in a Cup Final preview. This was the first time we had ever played them.
In an extremely tight game, we took the lead with a first half header from Jordan, I didn’t think I’d be writing that. Joe Collier put in an outstanding whipped cross on his left foot, Jord nudged his defender under the ball heading home into the bottom left hand corner to put us one nil ahead.
This lead held until the 80th minute when a mistake allowed Benjamin Schafer in, to smash past a helpless Rhodri.
Shepley only had eleven men on the day and tired legs certainly played a part as Lou Winterbottom was unfortunate to turn a cross into the roof of his own net.
We ended up losing the game 2-1.
Shepley Spitfire
MANAGEMENT:
Manager: James Wyse
Assistant Manager: Jon Collier
Water Boy: Charlie Farrar
Squad:
R Wyse
J Shepherd
J Collier
N Fergioni
W Stanley
B Rose
J Morgan
O Wyse
C Thompson
J Nolan
L Ward
C Crooks
J Atkin
L Barton
J Tansley-Quinn
K McIntosh
L Winterbottom
J Walmsley
Sheffield Seven Hills
Squad:
Sean Druce
