Valiant RNC fall short in entertaining FA Disability Cup Final

The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) 2 – 5 West Bromwich Albion (WBA) A historic and hard-fought afternoon at the EE FA Disability Cup Final saw RNC’s hopes of securing the treble dashed by a clinical West Bromwich Albion side. WBA’s firepower proved too much to handle, with the Baggies securing the trophy for the third consecutive year.
Having already secured the League and Brian Aaron’s Cup double, RNC walked into the stadium eyeing the treble. What unfolded was a fiercely competitive, highly entertaining showcase of blind football.

The match began as a tight, cagey affair, but WBA gradually began to assert their dominance. RNC's defence was pushed to its limits early on. Goalkeeper Sam Miesel was called into action almost immediately, pulling off a fantastic save to deny a fierce strike from WBA’s dangerous attacker, Eesa Amjid. Shortly after, Efe Shimwell’s effort rattled the crossbar.

However, a foul by the RNC captain, Azeem Amir, handed WBA a lethal set-piece opportunity. Shimwell stepped up and struck it home to break the deadlock. WBA struck again almost immediately from another set-piece, with Amjid doubling the deficit.

RNC came out fighting in the second half. Olly Johnson looked determined to get RNC back into the game, forcing WBA keeper Owen Locke into action, while Toby Williams kept the team anchored under immense pressure.

Amjid proved to be a constant menace, raining shots on the RNC goal. Miesel produced a stunning fingertip save to tip one effort over the bar, while others flashed just wide, including a full-length pitch run from Amjid that miraculously went unrewarded. RNC responded with another great chance from Johnson, but Locke remained alert in the WBA goal.

Eventually, WBA’s persistent pressure broke through. Amjid secured his second of the match, and Shimwell followed up shortly after to make it 4-0 - marking the first time in the tournament's 10-year history that a single team had scored four goals in the final.

A private battle ensued between WBA’s top marksmen to see who would claim the first hat-trick. It was Shimwell who won that one, completing his hat-trick to make it 5-0 and ultimately earning himself Player of the Match.

Despite the looming defeat, in the dying minutes, RNC refused to let their heads drop. Showing the immense resilience that defined their double-winning season, the team kept pushing forward. Mikey Poulli’s exuberance and tireless work ethic paid off. The 16-year-old beautifully netted his debut goal for RNC. Refusing to stop there, Poulli struck again almost immediately, bagging a quick-fire brace but the clock was running down.

While the full-time whistle confirmed a 5-2 victory for WBA, RNC can hold their heads high. They pushed the reigning champions to the limit in a spectacle that was a brilliant advertisement for the sport.

Huge congratulations to West Bromwich Albion on their third successive cup win, and a massive well done to our RNC squad for their spirit and resilience, an incredible season, and a thrilling final. The treble wasn't meant to be, but the future remains incredibly bright.

Watch the full match here: