Having watched Berwick Rangers play Cowdenbeath in the afternoon, I made my way to ‘The Stanks’, the area just outside the Elizabethan Castle walls. Berwick Rangers played some of their early games here.
This is the third year I have been to this competition, but the first final I have been able to attend.
Thanks to the community, this cup has been played for over 100 years, raising funds for local charities. Much needed today as it has been in all its years.
The match kicked off early, 18.56, after the teams had been led onto the pitch by a lone piper.
As normal, it was an amazing sight to see the pitch, restored every year for this competition, enclosed on two sides by castle ramparts, and lined by a narrow local road on the other two. Looking beyond, you can see a beach and the North Sea. A good crowd had gathered. Mainly sitting on the wall or standing pitch side or on the road. A collection was taken for the fund, and a table heaved with the donations for the raffle.
As usual, an ice cream van was in attendance behind the goal.
The evening had cooled from the 20 degrees of the day, except if you were playing. Evergreens were from Chirnside north of Berwick in Scotland and Hadda Mad Dogs from Amble in England. So it looked like the normal borders rivalry and skirmish.
Evergreens 4 Hadda Mad Dogs 2
Saturday 26th July 2025, 18.56 kick off. The Berwick Charities Cup Final, The Stanks, Berwick Castle, Berwick Upon Tweed.
Evergreens, all green with the goalkeeper in all pale blue.
Hadda Mad Dogs, black shirts with lime green shoulders and sleeves, lime green shorts, goalkeeper in yellow top black shorts.
The referee had a lime green shirt and socks with black shorts. There was a lot of confusing green everywhere.
The first 14 minutes were very even with the full backs playing nearest the road, making some fierce tackles.
On 15 minutes, a ball was hit down the left for Evergreens number 6 to run past all defenders and Cross for a forward to score unopposed.
Evergreens didn’t hold the lead for long when 6 minutes later, number
11 sored a similar goal for Hadda, receiving a pass from the left and clipping the ball past the goalkeeper.
Just before half time, the Hadda goalkeeper made a crucial save at the foot of the post to keep it at 1.1 at half time.
Evergreens came out strongly in the second half, and within 25 minutes they had added three more goal to lead 4.1.
First, a header through to 12 who coolly drew the keeper to score. A few minutes later, 11 received the ball on the centre spot and fired home. The fourth was a tap in by 9 who had been left on his own.
Madda did get one back on roughly 40 minutes when their number nine received the ball nearly 30 yards out, turned and smashed it into the top right-hand corner of the net. The best goal of the evening, but too late as Evergreens saw out the rest of the game with ease.
As usual, it is always a joy to watch football in this location, a community event, competitive to the end and in good humour. Please keep it going. We need more things like this.
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