Albion Blind secured a domestic double with victory in the Brian Aarons Cup on Saturday, beating Royal National College (RNC) for the Blind 3-0 in the final.
Held in Hereford, the Baggies, like in the National League just two weeks earlier, triumphed over RNC and Merseyside to claim a domestic title.
The final proved a thrilling encounter as Efe Shimwell scored a hat-trick to bring a five-year wait for the trophy to a jubilant end, along with being presented the league trophy.
The win means that Albion will face RNC in the FA Disability Cup final at St George's Park, bidding to retain the title on 28-29 June 2025.
Despite a 0-1 defeat to their final opponents earlier, they were able to bounce back convincingly in a remarkable 4-7 victory over Merseyside, while RNC cruised comfortably past the North West side with a 6-0 win to set up what would be a fascinating finale.
The Baggies started the first half of the final brightly when Efe Shimwell opened his account with a brilliant shot to give his side the early lead after two minutes, before another superb strike advanced Albion’s lead further six minutes later.
It soon became the perfect afternoon for the midfielder, as he secured a hat trick just on the brink of the first half’s conclusion to ensure that the Baggies would have a convincing lead going into half-time.
The second half saw Albion control most of the game as they defended solidly to keep the scoreline and prevent RNC from producing a comeback. And in the end, it was enough to secure the Brian Aarons Cup, their first of the title since 2020.
Whilst it had been a brilliant afternoon for Shimwell following his hat trick, he was proudly presented with the Golden Boot award - a moment he'll cherish as he enters his second year at Albion.
“It’s unbelievable” described Shimwell, “I’ve been playing for the Albion Blind team for two years and it feels incredible to achieve this and be part of such a wonderful group of players.”
“This season has been mostly successful and we couldn’t have ended it on a better note. Securing this title is one thing but to claim another trophy for a domestic double is absolutely outstanding."
Albion: Locke, Huraira, Turnham, Clarke, Ahmed, Amjid, Shimwell, Draper
Report written by Dan Whitehouse.
