Les Hallett cup final day saw the wet weather up at Portlands UTD's ground, this gave the hard pitch a greasy surface for the boys to try and play their football on. With Belvedere eager to put the past Junior cup final heart ache behind them they went out with a strong side, with rawlings returning to the side and also returning to the fray was skipper Collins who had missed all of the Les Hallett cup run through injury.
With maybe nerves setting in as the game kicked off it was the much improved Broadmayne side who took control. They got the ball down and played some neat passing and moving football. But for all their decent play no chances were created. The first half-chance came to Campbell who fired a dipping shot from outside the box but failed to work the Broadmayne keeper. More battling went on during the opening 20 minutes with both defences standing strong and both midfields over hitting through balls and failing to create any clear opportunities. The only possible breakthrough looked like it may have come from a set piece and with some corners and free kicks whipped in by Campbell, Mercer and Dixon both had headed opportunities missed. Then as a through ball split the Broadmayne defence Collins saw him self through with a 50-50 challenge on the Keeper but fresh from his injury he didn’t fancy it. This seemed to spur on the Broadmayne and they created some set pieces of their own but all to no avail. Then a delicate ball from Rawlings found the usually cool striker Hine, who took his first touch beating the defender and into the box only to blast his one on one shot over the bar! 0-0.
With some stern words from Dulston at half time Belvedere made some tactical changes and tried to up their tempo in the 2nd half but with a free kick given to broadmayne just outside the box, their defender stepped up to smash home in the back of the Belvederes net .....but the referee had already blown his whistle and the kick was to be re-taken which luckily 2nd time round sailed wide. A good cross from Hine found Campbell to have a glancing header just over the Broadmayne goal. It was then Hines chance to have a snap shot inside the box which narrowly went wide of the post. With time ticking on the Belvedere where perhaps feeling jaded after a long season and having been in this position before did not want to let the chance of silver slip through their fingers, they sat deeper and deeper but luckily so did the Broadmayne, it wasn’t long before it was a game of defence against defence. Ross-Mackenzie making some great tracking challenges and with Mercer and Dixon staying solid bar for one miss-communication that saw the Broadmayne striker though on goal only to blast over the bar it was a fairly un eventful extra time. 0-0!
Penalties followed and with the score ending in 4-4 (With Mercer missing for the Belve) it was down to sudden death. Up stepped Goal Keeper Thommo, to smah his penalty home giving us the lead at 5-4 then the Broadmayne player buckled under the pressure smashing over the bar. Meaning Belvedere had won and were finally, deservedly championneeees!!!
It was a great game for the neutral and a well done has to go to Broadmayne for making the game a contest after lesser performances in the league. But an even bigger well done to the Belvedere who had now won their first trophy after only being together for 2nd season it is a great achievement! finishing the season as twice runners-up and once as winners in the three competitions played in is a great season now the lads can no enjoy some much needed Sunday lay ins before we report back for pre-season!
WELL DONE BOYS!!
