Haringey Borough 0 Hullbridge Sports 1

GBT Memorial Trophy Final, Tuesday 13th May 2014 (at Burnham Ramblers FC)

Sooooooo finally the final match of the ESL season was finally upon us as the final of the GBT took me to Burnham Ramblers Leslie Field ground for a match between Haringey Borough and Hullbridge Sports.  The evening's tone was kind of set for the side from North London when they arrived late due to bad traffic on the main road from London to Essex so the kick off time was moved back to 20.05.  Haringey also had five first teamers out for various reasons so it really wasn't looking like it was going to be a great night for them. Hullbridge started the brighter and created the better of the chances in the opening half hour as Borough just could not get going, obviously effected by the preparation and the missing players.  In fact it took Borough almost half an hour to have an effort on goal but they almost took the lead when after a knock down in the box from a cross the ball was smashed over the bar from close range.  On 31 minutes Sports made the breakthrough when Haringey sub keeper's poor punch out fell to Michael Edgar who made no mistake by firing the ball into the unguarded net.  Borough almost levelled three minutes before the half when Bobby Mason tipped round an effort from the edge of the box but Hullbridge deserved their half time lead.  The second half became more scrappy as both teams struggled to create anything of note.  The last twenty minutes exploded into life however as first Liam Nash found himself in the box but his shot was blocked then Rob Lacey's lob looked for all the world to be going over the keeper and in but the Haringey stopper reached up and grabbed the ball.   Borough had a deflected shot saved by Mason at the other end and also Dean Fenton's almost levelled when he got clear inside the box but he touched the ball past Mason but the defender got back to clear.  Liam Nash then got clean through but his effort was straight at the keeper.  The last ten or so minutes were hard battled and Hullbridge just seemed to want it more, as they had done the whole evening, so when the final whistle was blown you kind of felt the best team had won.  Well done to Hullbridge for winning their first senior trophy.