Report

It was the day all Athletico Peartree players, fans and management had been waiting for the KLM Cup final at Stevenage Borough FC.

The team had done incredibly well to reach this stage, knocking out three premier division sides already they had one more to get past in order to lift the trophy.
Their opponents, Unity Nirankari would have to have an off day and Peartree would have to pull out all the stops and produce their best ever display to get a result.

The effort was never in doubt, every player worked their socks off but big moments in the game went against the division three side. Add that to the quality, fitness and power of the Nirankari team and the result became the enevitable one..

Nirankari went one - nil up inside ten minutes and the second from a goalkeeping error really put them in control.

Leeroy Odd tested the -keeper from a tight angle as the Peartree front two fed off scraps and had little chance to break the opposition defence.
Terry Lock latched on to and Odd cross and after some neat footwork saw his only real effort on goal go over the crossbar.

Not out of it just yet Athletico Peartree trailed at the break by two goals to nil.

HALF TIME

Richard Edwards attoned for earlier mistakes with a couple of key saves, one to the top corner which was of fantastic quality.

Nirankari ended any lingering Peartree hope with a moment of quality early in the second half as Edwards was beaten all ends up for 3-0.

Frustration grew amoungst some of the Athletico Peartree team, Terry Lock venting his frustration on team mates when in hind sight there was nothing they could do. The posession statistics would make a good read, possibly as high as 95% in favour of their opponents Peartree saw very little of the ball therefore creating next to nothing..

The substitutes made a difference, although famously being a side which doesn-t play well with wingers Lewis White and Joe Lucy did themselves huge justice as they entered the field to provide a little bit of attacking threat.

The game went from bad to worse for Peartree, Jimmy Lock and Richard Minnis had already been substituted due to injury and when Grant Morley went down after all three subs had been made. Peartree found themselves playing the final twenty minutes with ten men.

Scot Overy slotted into defence and showed what he can do, a much improved end to the game from him.

Chris Benton perhaps covered every blade of grass on the Broadhall Way pitch, although seeing little of the ball he worked hard and was at times two or three against one in the middle of the park for the closing stages of the game.

Nirankari went on to get two more goals, more "hit n miss" from Edwards as on one of the goals he failed to clear a loose ball but then making perhaps three magnificent saves to keep the score line down.

Overall a tremendous effort from every player in white, including the management and everyone on the sidelines.
Athletico Peartree FC still hold the bragging rights after beating the eventual champions of the Premier division and a phenomenal cup run which may not be repeated again by a side in the lower divisions...

Final Score from Broadhall Way: Athletico Peartree 0-5 Unity Nirankari