Report

First division Schooner gave Premier champs Rovers a big scare in the John Dowson cup final, turning in a superb performance which on another day could have provided a fairytale ending.

The battling outfit - featuring seven players aged just 18 or under - kept free-scoring Rovers at bay for an hour, when the prolific Craig Lines showed his poaching quality with two smart finishes. But it was not just a backs-to-the-wall exercise, with Schooner forging a number of opportunities that tested keeper Stuart Weldrake, whose inspired form ultimately proved to be the difference between the two teams.

From the first whistle, Schooner belied their first division status and looked every inch a premier team, knocking the ball about confidently and matching their illustrious opponents in the tackle.  The centre half pairing of Lewis Mitchell and Adam Crossman worked brilliantly in tandem, supported by full backs Mark Calvert and Stevie Leighton, whose pressing game ensured that Rovers were restricted to crossing from wide, where keeper Geoff Penfold dominated the penalty area.

When the break was on, the swift feet of Anthony Steele and Jason Cooper made sure that Schooner moved up quickly, and soon Barry Cosgrave and Sean Steele were putting Weldrake to the test with shots from distance. As the lone striker, Peter Robinson proved to be a real handful, throwing himself into every tackle and aerial battle with relish, whilst his partner Sean Steele gave some much needed support to the midfield and worked tirelessly to make a front two when Schooner pressed forward.

As expected, the large crowd encouraged the underdogs and Schooner reacted to this support in the second half, playing some of their best football of the season in the first ten minutes.  This saw some real chances come their way, with Robinson finding Weldrake just too big at his near post to repel his fierce drive and Cooper blasting wide when he had options in the middle. At hte other end, Crossman defied the laws of physics to make a superb goal line clearance. Anthony Steele continued to torment, and without Weldrake Rovers would have found his crossing difficult to deal with. Despite this pressure, Schooner were hit with a sucker punch as Lines punished two lapses in concentration to put them in command.  

Schooner still felt that they had enough to get something from the game and raised the tempo to push Rovers back once again. Cosgrave's mazy run took him past three defenders into the box but again Weldrake held his nerve to outwit the midfielder and smother his shot. At the other end, Lines broke away and saw his goalbound effort pushed away by Penfold outside of the box, leaving the referee with little option but to dismiss the keeper, who should be credited with one of his best displays of the season. Andy Vasey took over in nets with Sean Steele sacrificed, and Mally Kelly and Danny Bolton also offered fresh legs in the last 20 minutes, but Rovers showed their experience as they gradually closed the game out, and notched a third to rub salt in the wounds just before the end.

However all the Schooner boys can hold their heads high after a magnificent performance that was a great advert for the first division's improving standard. Manager Kelly can be confident that this is a group of players that can compete with the very best in the town and should be pushing for promotion so they can make this a regular fixture in a year's time.

With everyone a hero picking out star men is a tricky task, though special mention must go to Anthony Steele, Mitchell and Cosgrave for inspired performances throughout.