Calne-based Bremhill View are the latest club to add their name to the list of WG Parr Trophy winners.
A 2-1 extra-time win over local rivals Goatacre CC FC at Corsham Town’s Southbank Ground saw Ben Redford’s Division Two title hopefuls claim a scrappy victory over their top-flight opponents to lift the Ken Clarke-sponsored competition.
With the goal at his mercy Alex Lewis headed into the grateful hands of Bremhill keeper Craig Edwards early on but after that, chances were few and far between, with the next opportunity coming in the 18th minute and again going the way of Goatacre.
Jack Haines found himself in space but after dwelling on the ball too long, Bremhill’s captain Steve Allison put in a great tackle to help send his shot off-target.
Two minutes later and after a fine move and advantage from referee Neil Fautley, the ball fell to Sam Price ,who leathered a strike into the top corner from 20 yards out to give Goatacre the lead.
The goal seemed to wake Bremhill up and they started to get their act together; an ambitious strike from distance by Mark Dolman on 30 minutes dropped just over the bar.
But two minutes later, a rejuvenated Bremhill were back on level terms. With a Goatace player misjudging the bounce of the ball, it fell kindly for Matty Jenkins, who broke clear and held off two defenders before calmly finishing beyond the oncoming Shaun Preen to make it one-each.
In an action packed start to the second half, Bremhill’s Kieron Gleed saw a cheeky effort scooped off the line by keeper Preen while at the opposite end, Jack Haines crashed a shot against the bar. However, had it gone in, it would have been ruled out as the assistant referee had already raised his flag for offside.
The best action of the half was then saved to the final 10 minutes when both teams hunted a winner, Jake Fortune dragging a shot wide of the target for Goatacre with just the keeper to beat and Gleed and Dolman both going close for Bremhill, the latter scuffing an effort wide in the final minute of normal time.
What proved to be Bremhill’s winning goal had a touch of controversy over it but Gleed timed his run perfectly to beat Goatacre’s offside trap and as keeper Preen came out to close him down, the club’s top scorer kept his calm to slot home and put his team into a 2-1 lead.
Bremhill had chances to kill the game off, with Steve Allison and Neurin Jones going close, before Allison curled a shot inches over and Gleed was denied a second when his shot was brilliantly tipped around the post by keeper Preen.
Goatacre had one last throw of the dice but were unable to fashion an equalizer and in the end, Bremhill had done just enough to claim a victory in a game they had expected to win more comfortably.
Referee Fautley and his team of Melvin Sullivan, Neville Dennett and Neil Hickton all had a commendable game.
Allison, captain of Bremhill View, collected the WG Parr Trophy from league president and sponsor Ken Clarke, who also presented Bremhill’s match-winner Gleed with the player of the final award.
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