Danny Smith, Captain of Kidsgrove Athletic lifts the Senior Challenge Cup at Vale Park.
Full review:
KIDSGROVE Athletic defied the odds by lifting the Staffordshire Senior Cup at Vale Park last night after defeating Stafford Rangers in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
Kidsgrove, from the Unibond Division One (South) league, twice came from behind before winning 4-3 on penalties against their Blue Square North opponents.
Striker Nick Wellecomme arrived from the bench to hand Rangers the lead midway through the second half.
Kidsgrove responded at the death when striker Liam Shotton netted from the penalty spot. Bobby Williams put Rangers back in front early into extra time, before Adam Beasley's speculative free-kick hit the net to hand Kidsgrove a second equaliser.
Only a penalty shoot-out could separate the teams. After both sides had missed a penalty the score rested at 3-3 in the shoot-out. Wellecomme then turned villain by missing his 12-yarder.
Kidsgrove's Tom Schwarz claimed the glory by stroking home the decisive spot kick.
Kidsgrove came flying out of the traps, and in the first minute, Rangers keeper Tim Sandercombe showed good agility to block quick-fire efforts from Tom Moss and Aiden Matranga.
Stafford gradually felt their way into proceedings as midfielder Mark Magee cleared the bar from long range. On 18 minutes, Rangers skipper Wayne Daniel produced a last-gasp tackle to stop the marauding Moss in his tracks on the edge of the box.
Both teams enjoyed passionate vocal support from the crowd tucked away in Vale Park's Lorne Street Stand.
However, neither team seemed capable of grabbing a stranglehold as both defences largely held firm under fire.
Just after the half-hour mark Rangers striker David McNiven cut inside from the right before laying the ball on a plate for Matt Buckham whose 16-yard shot was blocked by an excellent challenge from Charlie Reeves.
Shotton turned and left Daniel for dead in the 41st minute before watching Sandercombe turn around his stinging 20-yard drive.
After arriving from the bench Wellecomme met a right-flank cross but his angled header clipped the top of the bar.
In the 51st minute, Wellecomme followed up by dragging a 20-yard shot wide of the post.
Rangers were starting to play the more measured football, although they couldn't fully contain Kidsgrove's energy.
Wellecomme missed the target with another header, before he broke the deadlock in the 68th minute.
Wilson launched a long free-kick into the right channel where the striker turned on a sixpence to fire home inside the near right-hand post from 14 yards.
Kidsgrove showed typical spirit to come back fighting as Tim Sanders's 72nd-minute centre skimmed the top of the bar.
His side grabbed a dramatic equaliser two minutes into injury time when full-back Andre Francis blatantly hauled down substitute Ricky Bridge inside the box.
Shotton stepped up and confidently dispatched his spot-kick into the bottom right-hand corner to send the match into extra-time.
Just three minutes in Rangers restored their lead when midfielder Tom Thorley hit a free-kick, from the right, into the box.
This time Wellecomme turned provider by heading down for Wilson to lash a low 10-yard shot into the left-hand corner.
Kidsgrove refused to lie down and levelled for a second time in the 104th minute.
Beasley unleashed a wicked set-piece from deep on the left.
The ball evaded everybody in the box and nestled into the far right-hand corner of the net, before Schwarz secured hero status.
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Staffordshire Senior cup final - Stafford Rangers Vs Kidsgroveby Staffslive1,091 views
Get in there Kidsgrove Athletic.
From the boys downunder.
K4.
( Mart)
KidsgroveLads 4 months ago