Report

Once again Redcar were to suffer their usual fete in a penalty shoot out as they lost this League Cup Final at Hurworth after drawing 2-2 aet. Redcar playing together for the last time played the better football in the opening minutes and threatened the Stokesley goal. League Champions Stokesley eventually came more into the game as both sides looked for the opening goal. Redcar took the lead with a superb goal from Kyran Clark who bulletted home a header fron six yards after Tom Leadbitter left a trail of defenders in his wake before putting over a superb cross. Stokesley bounced back and were level within 5 minutes when a ball over the top of the defence was not cleared and the Stokesley player fired home. Both sides were playing excellent fotball as the play went from end to end but there was to be no more goals as the half time whistle blew.

Half-Time: Redcar Town A 1-1 Stokesley.

At the start of the second half both sides went in search of the go ahead goal and both keepers had to be at their best producing a string of fine saves. Redcar regained the lead when Ryan Bennions nodded the ball down for Josh Dowsland to gleefully thump the ball home. Redcar almost went 3-1 up a few minutes later when a superb ball to the back post was met by Kyran Clark whose header just scraped the bar. Stokesley levelled the scores once again when a ball played through the middle was only partially blocked and the ball landed just right for the Stokesley forward to carry the ball forward and bury it in the corner. Both sides were now looking for the winner as this superb game ebbed and flowed from end to end but there was to be no more scoring as the game ended 2-2.

Full-Time Redcar Town A 2-2 Stokesley.

And so to extra time 10 minutes each way and despite tiredness creeping in with players on both sides needing attention for cramp there was no let up in the quality of the football on view as both teams went for the winner. At the start of this game there were roughly 50 people on both sides of the pitch but now both touchlines from corner flag to corner flag were packed with people watching something special. Despite the best efforts from both sides extra time could not seperate the teams as the game ended all square at 2-2.

Extra-Time Redcar Town A 2-2 Stokesley.

And onto the dreaded lottery of penalties with Kyran Clark, Ryan Bennions, Brad Plant and Tom Leadbitter all scoring their spot kicks before Sam Piggins saw his excellent penalty superbly saved by Gareth Shaw. It is always particularly cruel to lose a Cup Final this way but Redcar could not have done more and can be rightly proud of their efforts on the day. This was a superb game to watch for fans of both sides and the neutrals alike, both these sides have been to the fore along with Marton and Whinney Banks in this age group since starting to play 11 aside at Under 11 and the quality of football and the competitiveness down the years has been a joy to watch but all things must end but what a way to end...even the Sun came out.    

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