PREVIEW | Brocton vs FC St Helens: Champions Cup up for grabs

Preview by Liam McDermott | Images by Mark Gambles & Darren Greenall

FC St Helens travel to Brocton, who have the home advantage in a colossal Champions Cup clash – as they attempt to add some further silverware to a memorable campaign.

FC St Helens:

An incredible season saw FC St Helens rightly rewarded with the accolade of NWCFL First Division North champions.

Top for the majority of the campaign and with an exceptional ensemble of players at the disposal of an enviable coaching staff, The Stripes accessed the luxury of being crowned champions with a couple of matches remaining in a relentless season that has seen them often cruise to victory, while also overcoming numerous trials and tribulations that have come their way.

Although the season has come to an abrupt halt, with defeats to Euxton Villa and Darwen concluding what was an otherwise near-flawless campaign, they’ll do their utmost to be back to their best with another trophy at stake.

Brocton:

The Staffordshire side’s title triumph has been almost identical to the counterparts that they face in this one.

With battling wins, a mid-season bump in the road and being on the right end of thrashings, combined with prolific frontmen and a fairly impenetrable defence, promotion to the top-flight of the NWCFL is well justified.

With that, this fixture between the giants of their respective divisions, divisions that they will leave behind, should be value-for-money for those in attendance.

Ones to watch:

FC St Helens

During a season that has seen The Stripes continue their rapid rise through the divisions, it’s fair to say that all involved have played a significant part.

With that, great pride can be taken into their maiden season in the Premier Division, but they’ll be determined to have the Champions Cup alongside that and their title-winning trophy.

Brocton – Morgan Payne

There have been a range of goals across the board, in Brocton’s conquering of the First Division South.

However, Payne has blown the rest out of the water with his clinical strike rate of 32 goals from 40 appearances.

Having opened his side’s account for the campaign on the opening weekend, as well as scoring in 17 of their wins and collecting three match balls, he will have every intention of replicating these performances in a final – albeit against an equally elite side.