So the last game in the Essex Senior League for the season was the Reserve Shield Final at Hullbridge Sports Lower Road ground on the first Saturday in May, and it saw rivals Sawbridgeworth Town and Stansted compete for the Shield.
The first chance came in the fifth minute when a mistake by Sawbo allowed Ross Gill in but he could only blast an effort way off target before three minutes later Aaron Thomas beat Stansted’s offside trap but the finish was horribly wide with the outside of the boot.
Stansted had another chance in the 13th minute as Terrell Hunter found himself in but his attempted lob was saved by Matt Bonini who had come to the edge of his area to narrow the angle.
Just before the half hour mark a Sawbo chance saw a ball lifted across to Thomas but the cross was just to high for the striker who could only direct his header wide before another chance for the Robins six minutes before the break saw a poor clearance go straight to Joe Rudkin whose effort was deflected over.
A minute before the break a ball broke to Hunter inside the Sawbo box after a long throw but after swivelling round he could only strike an effort over the bar before in first half stoppage time and Stansted full back Connor Randell produced a great cross-field pass to Gill whose effort rolled just wide of the far post. It meant the sides went into the break all square.
Half Time Sawbridgeworth Town Reserves 0 Stansted Reserves 0
The Airportmen took off Hunter at the break for Tom Hollamby and six minutes into the half he almost made his mark when seeing a close range effort saved at the near post by Bonini but two minutes later The Robins so nearly took the lead when a Rudkin effort was brilliantly saved by Jay Brown from inside the box
Moments after that Stansted should of taken the lead when after Hollamby had broke the offside trap, he squared to Thomas Lakin who somehow side footed wide with just the keeper to beat, it was a shocking miss it had to be said.
Just past the hour mark James Richardson flicked up the ball to himself to get beyond the defence, but he could only volley wide of Stansted’s goal, however in the 66th minute The Robins took the lead when a perfect cross from player manager Andi Pearce found the head ofThomas who headed into the far corner.
However the mantra ‘your at your most vulnerable when you’ve just scored’ rang true for Sawbo as literally seconds later The Airportmen levelled as a Lakin cross found Hollamby who volleyed home and we were level once again.
But in the 77th minute Sawbo managed to retake the lead when another substitute Daryl Doolan got in on goal and as he lobbed keeper Brown was brought down by the keeper for a penalty, and skipper Dean Mcateer made no mistake by converting the spot kick to see his side edge ahead once again.
And with several minutes remaining the Robins sealed their victory when Richardson went on a cracking run at the Stansted penalty box before unleashing a superb strike from range which went in off the post to give the Robins a two goal cushion.
Stansted couldn’t muster any more after that and it was the side from Crofters End who take the Reserve Shield for this season.
Full Time Sawbridgeworth Town Reserves 3 Stansted Reserves 1
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