Parks football Cartmell at the double as Jubilee lift cup
Player-boss George Cartmell netted twice as Jubilee came from behind to lift the City of Portsmouth Sunday League’s London Cup.
All the goals came in the first half at Westleigh Park, with Cartmell heading his side level - after lower division Shepherds Crook had taken the lead - before firing in the winner.
The London Cup is for teams in the third and fourth tiers of the Sunday League, and Jubilee entered the final as hot favourites - having finished third in Division 3, while Crook were mid-table in Division 4.
It was Jubilee’s second cup final of the season, having previously lost 3-1 to Gosport, Fareham & Solent Leaguers Gosham in the final of the Portsmouth & District FA Sunday Trophy.
‘We played better against Gosham and lost,’ reported Cartmell. ‘Shepherds Crook played as well as we did, the result could have gone either way.’
Jubilee, who had beaten clubmates Jubilee Reserves 4-2 in the semi-final, were founded by Cartmell during the first national lockdown.
The squad - made up of players who had appeared for Horndean Hawks and Denmead Panthers - promptly won the Division 6 title in 2020/21 at the first time of asking. After drawing their opening game against North End Lions, they won their next 17.
To Cartmell’s surprise, Jubilee were awarded a threedivision promotion when the 2021/22 constitution was unveiled.
‘We told the league we didn’t really want to go higher than Division 5, but they put us in Division 3. We were chuffed to finish third.’