The League Cup in 2008 was once again played in a 'World Cup' style. The twenty-two clubs were split into four groups, with the top two from each group going through to quarter-finals.

Group A: saw Selly Oak Methodist and Renewal Solihull progress, with St Boniface narrowly missing out. W&P were perhaps tipped as early favourites to progress but were beaten by Solihull and Selly Oak and could only draw with St Boniface. In Group B we saw a rejuvenated Rowley College win the group unbeaten and St Mary's also qualified in second having only been beaten by Rowley. Despite superb League form, Halesowen Zion were beaten three times. Group C, this year's group of death, we always seem to get one, saw Clarendon and Amblecote go through with identical records. Clarendon came top on the strength of the result between the two teams. Chawn Hill inflicted a rare 4-2 defeat on Clarendon. Group D saw our only club with all wins, St Matthew's who had been winning everything before Christmas, progress with four wins out of four. Sheldon effectively knocked out St Thomas' in the group's final and deciding match.

The Quarters were all pretty close, with three of the four games decided by a single goal. The exception was Selly Oak's 3-0 surprise win over Amblecote. The South Birmingham team were much improved this year.

The Semi-Finals were more one-sided, with St Mary's brushing aside Selly Oak who capitulated to four early goals in the first twenty minutes, effectively ending the tie. Rowley College gave Clarendon more of a game, but were trailing 1-0 for much of the match until Clarendon popped in two late goals.

So the final was between arguably the two best teams in the League. Last season's Cup winners St Mary's and Clarendon who had just won the Division One title. Sometimes games bewteen such evenly matched teams can be a bore-draw or settled by a single goal but once again the Final was a superb match, played in great spirit with thrills and spills right up until the final whistle.

The match had been delayed by fifteen minutes due to traffic congestion. I make it sound like there were tens of thousands crammed outside the stadium don't I? There had been an accident earlier in the day on the M5 and many people had planned to travel that day. The St Mary's team bus didn't turn up until after 7.00 and there were Clarendon players still arriving well after 7.30. But the pitch looked splendid and it was a chilly but clear and dry night. The attendance was in fact about 190 this year, which is still quite a lot of people and a big thank you to those who came. To those that didn't, you missed another great match.

As usual the game began at a frenetic pace with tackles flying in, players giving everything. Clarendon perhaps looked a little stronger in the opening exchanges and were most peoples' favourites but it was St Mary's who opened the scoring through Jon Bignell. Clarendon were quickly back on equal terms with Dave Cooper equalising within five minutes of going behind. The scores stayed level throughout the second half with the match petering out towards the end of the ninety minutes. There were a few chances with St Mary's having a strong spell mid-way through the second period. The best chance fell to Jon Jackaman but he blasted over.

The breakthrough came in extra time and unfortunately, as is so ususally the case in WMCFL Cup Finals seen at this ground, it was through an error. Clarendon conceded a free-kick in their left-back position. The ball was floated in towards the penalty spot. Clarendon's keeper failed to catch it and it dropped at the feet of St Mary's centre-half Dave Bignell who prodded the ball into the net. St Mary's added another shortly after through Jackaman to make it 3-1 and you would have thought that the tie was over. But back came Clarendon with a goal to make it 3-2. they continued to threaten right up to the final whistle hitting the post in the dying minutes.

For Clarendon it was a great disappointment and as ever it's a shame that someone has to lose. They are a superb bunch of lads and if they weren't so good, I think they'd be everyones' favourite other team. There are several clubs that have got themselves to the final only to be beaten but then return a year or two later to capture the trophy. Rowley and City Athletic spring to mind. I would put Clarendon in that category. I fully expect them to return very soon and win the Cup.