Newcastle Benfield 5-0 Consett

J.R. Cleator Cup
Sam Smith's Sports Grounds
Benfield Road
Newcastle upon Tyne.

This cup perpetuates the memory of the late Jim R. Cleator who died in December 1980. He had given sixty years continuous and active association with the League as a player and official with South Bank, League Management Member, Chairman and finally President of the League.
The match is played between the League Champions and the League Cup winners, or if both trophies have been won by the same club, between the League Champions and the League Runners-up (in this case Consett play by virtue of being runners-up), on the ground of the League Champions.

Crikey, talk about OUCH! Consett just couldn't handle Benfield's tactics - defend high up and attack on the break with high balls dropping in the area between the Consett keeper and his back line. Benfield keeper Andrew Grainger only had one shot to deal with in the whole of the game. Stephen Young netted twice and could have had a third had his shot not rebounded from the underside of the bar, Adam Scope converted the penalty after Dan Staples brought down Dean Nicholson, Mark Atkinson got the fourth but the best goal of the game was the last, scored by substitute Andrew Mackintosh.