Lichfield City Win their second JW Hunt Cup title at the Molineux

What an achievement, what a night, and what a time to be at this club!

Lichfield City retained their JW Hunt Cup title for the second year running under the lights at Molineux Stadium, with a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Sporting.

A brace from Leighton McMenemy and a second-half strike from Joe Haines wrapped up the title for the defending champions, while a late consolation from Les Omorodiononly reduced the deficit.

The defending champions came close inside the 2nd minute of the game, but Tom Brown’s shot from the left of the area was comfortably gathered by the Wolverhampton keeper, before Sam Baxter forced a fingertip save from James Beeson.

Lichfield hit back on the counter from the following corner, but Liam Kirton’s shot lacked the power to beat Sam Cooksey.

Beeson was then forced into a challenge on the edge of his own box, before Haines and Jamie Elkes were called into action to keep the scoreline level.

Jack Edwards had a free kick nodded over the cross bar and his later goalward attempt was cleared behind after 35 minutes.

Dom Lewis and Haines both tried their luck from range, yet neither of them could find an opener before the half-time whistle.

However, McMenemy struck the opener for Lichfield just a minute into the second half, as he nodded in Edwards’ corner from the left past Cooksey.

Last year’s cup final hero Haines then doubled his side’s lead just moments later, as his chipped effort inside the area took a big deflection and looped into the bottom corner of the goal.

Haines came close to creating another, but a flying orange shirt headed his cross behind on the edge of the six-yard box.

A Wolverhampton free kick forced another save from Beeson, but Lichfield were undeterred as the second 45 unfolded.

McMenemy then struck again with just 9 minutes remaining of the game, as he capitalised on another ball into the area from Edwards and crashed home his shot at the back post.

Omorodion scored a late consolation for Wolverhampton Sporting, but it simply wasn’t enough to stop City from winning back-to-back JW Hunt Cups

Lichfield City will return to pre-season action over the summer break, as they prepare for the 2024/25 Midlands Football League Premier Division campaign.

City: Beeson, Burnside, Haines ©, Elkes, McMenemy, Brown, Edwards, Lewis, Taylor, Kirton, Childs.

Subs: Dunn, Lomas, Wykes, Holt, Clement.