Stoke and Hastings lift Wednesday Night trophies

It was Cup Final Wednesday, and trophies are heading back to Pilot Field and Winklebury after Hastings United and Basingstoke Town emerged triumphant.

United were competing against Brentwood Town for the title of Isthmian Development League Champion of Champions. The Essex Blues took the Development North title by ten points, whilst United scored forty six goals- the most of any of our Development League clubs- to take the South title, so we expected a close and entertaining game, and that's just what we got. The young Sussex Seasiders eventually triumphed from the penalty spot after a three-three draw.

United opened the scoring on fifteen minutes through Ollie Black- who of course made nineteen Pitching In Isthmian Premier appearances last season. The Blues- sadly we don't have details of their scorers- hit back nine minutes before the break, and then went ahead in the forty third minute, but United were quickly level, Kian Moynes scoring two minutes after the restart. On fifty four minutes Hastings were ahead once more, Freddie Legg- who made seventeen first team appearances towards the end of last season, greatly impressing the Pilot Field faithful- delivering the latest twist to the plot, but with one hand on the trophy Hastings saw it temporarily snatched away as the Blues levelled right at the end.

Extra time delivered no further goals, but Hastings were able to triumph from the spot, winning the shootout four-two.

Many congratulations to United- but congratulations to both sides, who have had a superb season.

Next, we're travelling to another, much more distant part of the south coast- Portsmouth! Fratton Park hosted the Hampshire Senior Cup Final, which saw our Pitching In South Central Champions Basingstoke Town take on Premier League AFC Bournemouth. The match had just one goal, and it delighted the thirteen hundred travelling fans in blue and yellow stripes, as Bradley Wilson found the bottom corner five minutes into added time to send a third trophy of the campaign back to Winklebury.

Three titles in one campaign- Stoke also won the North Hampshire Cup- is rather incredible. Our congratulations to all at the club.

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