Hampstead Wanderers have taken the Camden Sunday League by storm

IT’S been a dream debut season for a group of newcomers fresh to the Sunday football scene.

Unbeaten Hampstead Wanderers dropped just two points on their way to being crowned Division Two champions in the Camden Sunday League.

But their unrivalled success didn’t stop there as they also captured not one, but two more trophies for their heroic efforts – lifting the league’s Michael McElligott Challenge Cup and the Bill Price Memorial Cup along the way.

“What a season it’s been,” beamed Wanderers chairman Yousef Faidi. “Securing a treble in our debut season is beyond any reasonable expectation I could have set out.

“It just goes to show the quality the team has. More importantly, it shows the spirit of the whole squad – we wouldn’t be in this position, winning the three trophies, if it wasn’t for the entire squad stepping up in various ways across the whole season.

“Better than winning this season, the club has found itself a great bunch of lads. It’s been an amazing first year in the Camden Sunday League, and we’re excited for the opportunity to compete for more silverware in its top division next year.”

Among Hampstead’s eye-catching performances was their 4-2 victory over Hackney Wednesday in the Challenge Cup final.

Noah Salama capped a dominant opening 25 minutes by going on a solo run before picking out the top corner. But seasoned silverware winners Wednesday battled back to turn the game around and take a 2-1 lead.

That’s when Wanderers really showed their “champion mentality” as they turned on the style and the afterburners to score three unanswered goals. Salama grabbed his second of the game from the penalty spot, before Patrick Mallucci’s free-kick found its way in at the far corner.

There was still enough time on the clock for Hampstead’s leading scorer Kai McCarthy to net his customary goal.

Mallucci, who is one of the club’s founders, said: “The way we dug in and held our ground under pressure from a great side says everything about the mentality in this group.

“I was elated to put us ahead in the final, but it was the grit and togetherness we showed until the final whistle that made this win special. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve created and achieved in this first season.”

Echoing that sentiment, Hampstead’s unstoppable goal-getter McCarthy added: “This game was a real test of character. We showed our individual quality throughout, but it was the way we pulled together as a team that made the difference.”