Peterborough Sports 0
Holbeach United 0
(PSL win 6-5 on penalties)
It was penalty shoot-out agony for Holbeach United on Monday as Peterborough Sports made ChromaSport UCL history by becoming the first Division One side to lift the Knockout Cup.
After 120 goalless minutes at Deeping Rangers’ Haydon Witham Stadium the Tigers were defeated 6-5 on spot-kicks, with Lee Beeson, Josh Ford and Jake Clitheroe all missing.
Right back Olly Medwynter fired home the crucial penalty for Jimmy Dean’s Sports, as the Division One champions made it a hat-trick of trophies this season.
It’s scant consolation for Holbeach, but they did have the better chances in what was a rain and wind hit final that was ultimately low on quality.
Beeson, Ford and Andrew Tidswell all forced super saves from Luke McShane, but neither side could really claim to have been the better on the day.
Tigers chief Tom Roberts couldn’t hide his disappointment after the final whistle, but still took the time to give credit to a Peterborough side that they’ll be battling in the Premier Division next season.
Roberts said: “It’s a horrible way to lose a cup final. Especially considering the way we played the conditions.
“We were the side who looked the more likely to the win the game at the end. Sadly, we missed a lot of chances and it has come back to bite us.
“I’m not saying we deserved to win, but if you look at the overall picture our keeper didn’t have a lot to do. But we worked their keeper a lot.
“Tidswell had a great volley tipped over, Beeson had a shot in the last minute of normal time and Ford should have scored from a chance he had all the time in the world with.
“It’s just a frustrating day. We weren’t opened up at all really.
“All I can say is fair dos to PSL, I don’t want to take anything away from them.
“We had a gameplan to deal with them and I thought it worked pretty well. I think it was one of those games that saw the better players from both teams not really turn up.
“It wasn’t the prettiest game of football to watch, I felt both teams just cancelled each other out really.”
With a strong wind and frequent showers making life difficult for both sides, it was never likely to be a classic final.
That was further emphasised by the opening exchanges, with neither side able to keep hold of the ball or fashion any meaningful chances.
Ford fired Holbeach’s only shot of the period high and wide, while at the other end Nick Jackson showed great composure to snuff out the dangerous Josh Moreman and later block a dangerous goal-bound effort from Jordan Macleod.
With the wind at their backs, Sports looked the more likely as the half progressed. Dan Lawlor curled a 25-yard free kick just wide, while Dan Clements saw a curling effort easily saved by Travis Portas.
The Tigers looked much more dangerous in the second period. Ford snatched at a great chance when clean through on the left, while a trademark long range effort from Beeson flew wide of the far post.
Just past the hour Holbeach fashioned a great opener, with Beeson sending a superb ball over for Ford, who in turn delivered for a free Clitheroe to head over at the back post.
At the other end PSL always looked a threat on the break. Moreman’s pace fashioned an opening for Macleod, but his header was well saved by the impressive Portas.
Midfield ace Lawlor also saw a great chance deflected wide as the city side pushed for a winner, but it was the Tigers who created the better late chances.
Tidswell saw a header cleared off the line and then smashed a powerful effort over, before Ford found himself with time and space in the box – only to see his strike beaten away by Luke McShane.
They went even closer with virtually the last kick of normal time, but McShane expertly tipped over Beeson’s fierce drive from the right.
It was pretty much all Sports in the first period of extra time. Big blocks from Jamie Stevens and Oli Donald kept out Avelino Vieira and Medwynter respectively, before Portas saved Vieira’s back post header.
But the moment of the match came from Tidswell in the dying seconds of the first period. He thundered a 25-yard volley towards the top corner, only for McShane to somehow turn the ball around the post.
It wasn’t quite as action-packed in the second period, but Portas did have to pull off a smart save to keep out the always lively Macleod before the referee whistled for penalties.
Tidswell, Josh Sanders and Jordan Thomas all scored before Sports skipper Ali Nyang saw his effort saved by Portas.
Beeson then had his spot-kick superbly saved by McShane, allowing Lawlor to level the scores at 2-2.
Two more misses followed as Ford crashed an effort off the underside of the bar and Clements was denied by Portas, before Donald, Macleod, Stacy Cartwright, Vieira, Adam Jackson and Jack Bloodworth all netted to take the score to 5-5.
That’s when Clitheroe saw his penalty blocked by McShane, allowing Medwynter to fire the decisive spot-kick and break Holbeach hearts.
Tigers: Portas, Donald, A Jackson, Stevens, N Jackson, Pinner (Cartwright 107), Tidswell, Beeson, Clitheroe, Ford, Gale (Thomas 110). Not used: Roberts, Newcombe, Dougill.
Sports: McShane, Medwynter, Bloodworth, Sanders, Gibbs, Nyang, Clements, Bucciero (Cobb 71), Moreman (Vieira 91), Lawlor, Macleod. Not used: Sansby, Graham, Matake.
Attendance: 555
