Wednesday 28th April 2010, Billericay Town FC, Kick-Off 7:45pm, Essex Saturday Junior Trophy Final.
Two set-piece strikes by dead-ball specialist Adam Ratcliffe helped Beacon Hill Rovers Reserves to claim their first County Cup silverware with a 2-1 extra time victory over St Clere’s in the Essex Saturday Junior Trophy.
Ratcliffe cancelled out Rory Cooke’s first-half effort at New Lodge before curling home an exquisite free-kick deep into the additional period to leave his manager, Steve Carter, delighted: “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” he remarked immediately after the match. “In almost 90 years we haven’t got to a final so when we entered we never thought we’d get this far.”
Rovers had the first opportunity of the match when Steve Shelley acrobatically turned Micky Carabine’s long throw into the gloves of Martin Leslie, but thereafter it was St Clere’s that dominated the first half. James Haydon curled past the right-hand post in the 5th minute before hitting a dipping half-volley over the crossbar. The forward then tapped Nicky Stevens’ booming cross disappointingly at Tony Cass in the Hill goal.
Midway through the half, St Clere’s took the lead. Michael Streeter swept a long-range free-kick across the pitch to Haydon and his inside pass was fired gleefully into the net from 15 yards by Cooke. Stevens then headed Colin Yeomans’ corner over from close range and Adam Turner spurned a further opportunity for the Mid Essex League Division One side when he fired Jamie Friend’s square pass against the base of the left upright. In between Leslie had to be alert to push out Ratcliffe’s rasping 40-yarder.
As the first period drew to a close both Cooke and Haydon drew saves from Cass whilst Turner and Friend saw close-rangers blocked by defenders on the goal line, with Carter revealing he was relieved not to go in more than a single goal behind: “St Clere’s had the best opportunities before half-time and I was happy to be just 1-0 down at the break. We were still in the game and they probably needed to score more in the first half.”
The early indications after the interval were that the Stanford-le-Hope-based outfit would continue to carve out chances as Yeomans released Haydon and Cass had to make a smart block at his near post. With a little over 20 minutes remaining, the stopper made an even more impressive save as he touched Paul Burgess’ thunderous shot onto the underside of the crossbar at his full extension. “Cassie had a fantastic game; he’s a bit of a character to say the least, but he was exceptional tonight,” summarised Carter.
Barry Mays came within a whisker of levelling for Mid Essex League Division Four club Rovers on the hour when he slid onto James Lewis’ centre and the ball shaved the left-hand upright, but they did finally equalise in the 77th minute. The goal arrived in somewhat fortuitous circumstances as Ratcliffe’s corner kick flew over the head of Leslie and into the roof of the net, despite the best intentions of Stevens at the far post.
Although St Clere’s had largely been stultified by Beacon Hill during the second period, Cass was still called upon to thwart Chris Hales within seconds then Cooke in stoppage time, tipping the latter effort wide before pawing Turner’s header over. Tired legs started to come to prominence during extra time, although the custodian was called upon again in first half stoppage time to push Lee Greaves’ fizzing cross out under pressure.
A Haydon shot from distance was then comfortably claimed by Cass before the forward was dismissed with seven minutes left for a second cautionable offence. Four minutes later, Rovers seized the initiative after a foul on the edge of the St Clere’s area. Ratcliffe stepped up and hoisted the free-kick over the wall before it dipped and curled wickedly into the top right-hand corner. “The lad did exactly the same thing in the semi-final, except that one was a little bit later!” Carter recalled of the upset-confirming strike.
“We had gone off form after the semi and hadn’t won for eight games after winning that, but we played well on Saturday and that showed us what we could do. We’d like to have another crack next year, but our focus now until the end of the season is getting out of Division Four. I think this result shows us we are good enough to do so as they were a good side and this final has been a massive coup for the Mid Essex League.”
Beacon Hill Rovers Reserves: Tony Cass, Micky Carabine, Kevin Lee, Kevin Watson, James Lewis, Adam Ratcliffe, Steve Hennessey, Eion King, Toby Legg (Steve Shelley, 80), Will Carter (Robert Smith, 96), Barry Mays. Unused Substitutes: Robert Hill, Richard Philibrown, Nick Phillips.
St Clere’s: Martin Leslie, Michael Streeter (Lee Greaves, 90), Rory Cooke, Paul Burgess, Jamie Friend (Andy Dobson, 82), James Haydon, Colin Yeomans (Horraine Goffe, 108), Chris Hales, Adam Turner, Nicky Stevens, Ian Fuller. Unused Substitutes: Kieran Parkes.
Bookings: Beacon Hill Rovers: Cass (56, adopting an aggressive attitude); St Clere’s: Haydon (56, adopting an aggressive attitude), Haydon (113, foul), Stevens (116, foul).
Sent Off: St Clere’s: Haydon (113, second bookable offence).
Referee: Craig Pullen (Ilford).
Assistant Referees: Kirk Mason (Colchester) and Dean Welham (Manningtree).
Fourth Official: Roger Barnard (Chelmsford).
Attendance: 157.