Mortimer Reserves have won the David Grainge Saturday Junior Trophy with a 1-0 win over Stoke Mandeville FC Stags Senior Reserves.
Brett Rann scored the winner in just the second minute of play, from a whipped in free-kick by David Stevens. It was hit with such pace it could have been a Tom Clark special!
Absolutely delighted for everyone, this competition is the local football equivalent of the FA Cup so for a Mortimer team to win it is absolutely huge. There were over 70 teams in the competition, and we did it the hard way - getting through the first four rounds, all away from home, and an extraordinarily hard fought win the final. Up the villagers!
Stoke Mandeville didn't trouble the Mortimer defence too much in the first half, but Mortimer couldn't capitalise on the early goal as what Stoke lacked in attack they made up for in defending the wings and stopping the attacks from Mortimer.
In the second half the nerves turned on Mortimer as Stoke ramped up their game looking a different side from the first half, and with a couple of very close shots - two hitting the frame of the goal - the scoreline could easily have changed, if it weren't for the organisation, and stalwart and resolute defending of the Mortimer team.
The win means so much to us as a team and club. To be champions of the berks and bucks which has 70 teams entering and being the winners is a great achievement. We did not have it easy with 4 away games out of 5 to the semi final. Twice in Oxford, one in Reading and one in Aylesbury.
We are not just mates playing football we are a family, so winning this all together means so much to us.
Substitutions in the last 25 minutes brought fresh energy and picked the Mortimer team up - a golden chance for Nicholas Theophanides went just wide at around 84' which would have sealed the game, but the Mortimer team hung on as Stoke pushed and pushed for an equaliser that just wouldn't happen.
An amazing game which will live on in the memories of the club and the players for a long time to come.
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