Mystify Soccer - English challenge shield decided!

English challenge shield decided!

Derby County won what could well be the very last Challenge Shield competition in the English league!

A major congratulations to them after they beat surprise finalists Port Vale 3-1 in the final!

After receiving the typical bye in round 1 for being in division 3, Derby were paired with Milton Keynes Dons in round 2. In a very tricky away tie they managed to sneak through 5-4 on penalties after coming from behind during extra time, Alan Carlet's goal making the score 1-1.

Round 3 saw them given a tricky away tie against Southend United. A late winner from Lee Bowyer gave them a 2-1 win and a passage through to play Doncaster Rovers in the quarter finals. On paper, this was their easiest tie to date and goals either side of half time by Lee Bowyer and Tommy Wright gave them a fairly comfortable passage into the Semi finals.

Derby fans were hopeful of a home tie at this stage but they never got their wish and Derby completed their run to the final with a further away tie. Progress here was a bit more difficult. Despite nicking a goal after 20 minutes through David Rush they actually struggled to get out of their own half for most of the game. However, as Tranmere pushed further and further forward for an equaliser, the captain Rob Cook broke away and ran the full length of the pitch before putting the ball past Keith Hill into the Tranmere net. Then with Tranmere deflated, Rade Bogdanovic finished them off to give Derby a flattering 3-0 win.

Port Vale, who currently lead division 4 were their surprise opponents in the final. Apart from the first round, they were paired with teams from division 3 all the way to the final and had some impressive scalps, most notably a 2-1 victory over Scunthorpe in round 3.

Derby, though, were a step to far for the brave Port Vale team and once Derby had taken the lead, they never looked like losing the game - despite a slight scare as Port Vale's Wayne Quinn halved the deficit after 66 minutes.

So a big congratulations go to Derby County.