Clapton hit four as they thrashed Stansted at Burnham Ramblers Lesie Field Stadium to win the Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy this afternoon in front of over 200 of their adoring ‘Clapton Ultras’.
The game was billed as a potentially cracking encounter between two evenly matched sides over the season and a tight contest was expected and since the sides had drawn in the league last weekend, there was no reason to suspect any other type of contest.
However the contest started in a rather cagey fashion with neither side able to launch any kind attack and the first shot on target did arrive until the 12th minute, which came from Stansted, as a free kick taken by Jack Isherwood went straight at Pape Diagne, who made a rather comfortable save. The visitors had a half chance on 18 minutes when a corner from the right saw Jack Hayes try to get his head on the ball but he failed to get any meaningful contact on it and it drifted away from goal.
The Tons hadn’t really tested the Stansted goal,that was until the 28th minute, when they sent a cross into the mixer and saw Roddy Lemba rise highest to plant a looping header past Reece Paine in the Stansted goal and into the corner and send the Ultras wild with delight, and cue the Pyro’s which made me and a few others choke slightly in the stand, but it was all good fun and the Tons had the advantage.
They should of been celebrating again just seven minutes later as well after they spurned a golden chance to double their lead when Lemba played in Warren Mfula, and the striker just had Paine to beat, but sent his effort horribly high and wide of the target and saw Stansted breathe a sigh of relief. But this was only a brief sigh of relief as the Tons did double their lead eight minutes before half time when after Mfula had been brought down for a penalty, centre halfEuan Taylor-Reid stepped up to smash home the spot kick and see Clapton take a firm grip on the tie.
Stansted tried to respond but saw Tom Lakin’s header drift wide when well placed inside the box and just before half time Ton’s midfielder Nathan Cook let fly from distance and saw his effort fly just past the Stansted upright. It had been a slow burner but had seen the Tons take control in the final fifteen minutes of the half and just like last weekend, they had a two goal lead at the break.
Half Time Clapton 2 Stansted 0
Stansted went straight onto the offensive immediately after the restart and saw a free kick swung into the box cause slight concern in the Tons defence before Diagne managed to gather the loose ball. However the anticipated Stansted onslaught at trying to get back into the contest never really materialised and saw Clapton look fairly comfortable with their two goal cushion.
Just before the hour mark good play by Clapton striker Mfula saw him tee up Cook, whose shot was blocked and then four minutes after that Stansted managed to get in down the right through Sam Ashford, but his cross was weak and saw Diagne gather the loose ball. Back up the other end and a cross towards the far side of the Stansted box saw Paul Barry in acres of space inside the area, but he took to long to get the ball out of his feet and the chance went away.
You always felt that if Stansted could get one back then last weeks game would play on the minds of the Clapton players, after they threw away a 2-0 lead in that one, but in all honesty this never looked likely to happen and with twenty minutes to go the Tons went close again as a one two between Mfula and Mendez Gomez saw the former in on goal, but his cut back was just about cleared but it was a good chance to seal it.
Moments later Abraham Jariette squared a free kick to Cook whose side footed effort just went wide of the Stansted post and in the 73rd minute Gomez cut onto his left peg before firing at the Stansted goal but saw Paine palm away the effort. Finally though with ten minute to go Clapton sealed the win and the Trophy when Mfula twists and turned past his marker inside the box before firing a deflected shot past Paine into the far corner, and cue wild celebrations once again, knowing that goal almost definitely ended Stansted’s chances of finding a route back into the contest.
And five minutes later the Tons added a cherry to their rather tasty cake when Bradley Joseph‘s ball forward hit a bobble, deceiving defender Mark Roach, and saw Miles Hunter pounce to poke the ball past a stranded Paine and give Clapton a fourth goal in this final.
Deep into stoppage time Diagne came out to claim another cross with authority. It had been a faultless display from the Senegalese keeper today, although he hadn’t really had a save to make in what was a very disappointing afternoon for the Hargrave Park side, who had simply not turned up in this one and were well beaten in the end by a very good Clapton side.
The full time whistle cued a pitch invasion from the Ultras as they ran to celebrate with their heroes and once they had all left the field the celebrations continued with the Clapton players and staff doing a ‘Haka’ like dance in front of their fans, who responded in kind, and then finally they held aloft the Trophy and celebrated once more. Well done Clapton and commiserations to Stansted. The best team definitely won today though.
Full Time Clapton 4 Stansted 0
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