Jack Busby Cup Final Victory!

Chadlington Reserves lifted the Jack Busby Memorial Trophy on Friday night for the first time in 33 years after a 120 minute rollercoaster of a game at the UKBP Stadium in Carterton against Aston Reserves.

Both sides gave everything they had and it took until the second half of extra time to divide them after the game finished 0-0 at full time.

It had started with Aston Reserves taking full advantage of playing downhill in the first half, applying relentless pressure on the Chadlington goal. They looked to be more confident than Chad and came closest to breaking the deadlock when they struck the crossbar. Only a series of saves from Chad keeper, Barry Denvir, kept the scores level as Aston were formidable at set pieces and used their height advantage to effect.

Chadlington struggled to impose themselves and early in the game the match referee, Mr Lee Marks, set out his stall early by dishing out four yellow cards in quick succession. Clearly he wasn't going to take any silliness and it seemed to work with just one yellow shown in the rest of the game.

Despite Chadlington having a penalty appeal denied when striker George Slatter was upended in the box, it was Aston who went into half time the more confident. Chadlington had their heads down and manager Greg Kemp attempted to lift their spirits for the second half.

One half time change was made as Ethan Taylor replaced Rocky Burton up front. Along with now attacking down the slope, this shifted momentum. Taylor changed the game with his energy and Chad began pressing Aston higher up the pitch and creating several good half chances. Despite this pressure and Aston being more than capable of grabbing a late winner, neither side found the breakthrough and so it ended 0-0 at full time.

All through 90 minutes the Chad defence were mountains and handled the aerial threat from Aston well. Full backs Adam Tinkham and Danny Cleevely providing the cover and outlets while Sean Bennett steadied the ship in the middle with his calm experience. Jay Webb was simply faultless all game and were it not for other events, he would have been Chads man of the match hands down.

So into extra time it went and it didn't take long for Aston to make the breakthrough early in the first half. Finally finding a way past Denvir with a goal was Astons Sam Wright from a corner. It was perhaps predictable that Aston would eventually score this way but when it came it was a sucker punch to the team. With the lead in their hands, Aston held out until the break leaving Chadlington needing something special.

Astons Sam Wright forcing the ball into the net

So when they got in a huddle ahead of the final 15 minutes, manager Kemp made them fully aware of what was at stake and that it was only them that could put it right.

Chad once again started fast and going down the slope attacking towards many supporters at the clubhouse end they needed some sort of magic.

Magic is exactly what they got. Just minutes into the second half of extra time, Mikey Roberts picked up the ball just outside the Aston centre circle and passed it forward to Tinkham who classily backheeled the ball to Matt Waller wide on the left. Waller played the ball inside to Taylor who then linked up with Burton. Burton took a heavy touch and gave the Aston centre back opportunity to smash the ball clear from inside the box. What he hadn't factored in though was Taylor who intercepted the clearance with the back of his head to send the ball looping back towards the Aston goal. There was nothing that the keeper could do as he watched it fall into the net with Taylor running away in celebration towards the jubilant Chad faithful. 1-1 and game on!

Ethan Taylor celebrating after getting the Chadlington equaliser.

Then with time ticking away and penalties looming, it seems the match was destined to remain level until an inspired substitution took place yet again. With an eye on the likely shoot out, Kemp re-introduced Jia-Che Chan on to the right wing.

With just a couple of minutes left on the clock, Chan who was deep in the Chad half cleared the ball up field to Taylor who began racing towards the goal encouraged by the Chad supporters. Good defending by Aston stopped him in his tracks and sent the ball back into Chads midfield where Jack Legg picked the ball up and headed it back to Chan who had now joined in the attack. Letting the ball run on and taking just one touch to set it up he unleashed a thunderous strike from 20 yards out over the keeper and into the top right hand corner.

Jia-Che Chan setting up his sensational strike

The crowd went wild. A roar worthy of a lion erupted, and a touchline invasion followed as Chadlington celebrated what looked to be a sensational winner.

Jia-Che Chan after scoring the winning goal

The Chad supports go wild!

The game however was not done and all credit to Aston has to be given for making the final few minutes a tense affair. They gave it everything, winning two more corners in the dying seconds. Their goalkeeper even came up and forced a last gasp clearance from Toby Jones. From the final corner, James Hobden blocked a last minute goal bound shot.

With one final clearance the whistle blew and Chadlington Reserves were victorious. A game for the ages and one to be remembered for years to come. They lifted the trophy in front of a bumper turn out from the Chad faithful and celebrated well into the morning!

This victory was several years in the making and meant more to Chad than perhaps they knew. They had prepared and planned to a level above Reserve Team football. They looked the part and handled themselves with dignity throughout. In recent times (and forgiving our bias), we have not seen a more deserving side lift the Jack Busby Memorial Trophy.

Goal scoring heros Jia-Che Chan and Ethan Taylor

F-R; T Taylor, S Bennett, J Webb, M Waller, G Slater, R Burton, J Hobden, B Denvir, I Harrington, A Tinkham (c).

B-R; D Cleevely, T Jones, E Taylor, J Chan, J Legg, D Butler, M Roberts, G Kemp.

Attendance: 217