Complete Music Norman Matthews Floodlit Cup
Final - Second Leg
Tuffley Rovers 3 Brackley Town 2
Tuesday, 25 March 2003
On a calm dry night Tuffley Rovers kicked off with a one goal lead from the 1st leg at Brackley two weeks ago. The game turned out to be very entertaining, very competitive and caused both glee and anguish for the respective club supporters.
With both sides trying to impose themselves it was Brackley who drew first blood after 8 minutes when Andy Baird rose above everybody to head home a free-kick wide on the right from Adrian Field. Tuffley dug deep and caused an error by Brackley keeper Richard Darvill who attempted to intercept the ball outside his penalty area but was caught out by the bounce and was booked for handball, which had later repercussions. Danny Moore worked hard trying to prompt the Tuffley attack, but despite their agility at diving headers it took until the 36th minute for the equaliser. Scott Medcroft surged down the left and blasted the ball towards goal, where an unfortunate Brackley defender handled. Medcroft converted the penalty himself. The play moved from end to end with Baird working hard up front for Brackley who relied more on attacks down the flanks to Tuffley?s more direct frontal attacks on goal.
Half Time: 1-1
Four minutes into the 2nd half Brackley appeared to take the lead when Nick Neal broke clear only to see the ball hit the post from his header. Both attacks caused concern as chances appeared and went. Scott Medcroft took over as Tuffley?s chief prompter and his attempts to set up the speedy Stivelle Cooper came off in the 75th minute when Cooper burst through but as he attempted to round the keeper he was brought down. Darvill was shown a 2nd yellow and the dreaded red with full back Adam Deadman taking over in goal and picked the ball out of the net as Medcroft gave him no chance from his second penalty kick. Brackley threw on two substitutes to add to their attack. It worked in the 85th minute when Tuffley?s keeper failed to hold a full- blooded free kick and Andy Baird pounced to score his second. With Brackley throwing everything forward in an attempt to equalise the overall score Cooper broke away again down the left jinked inside before setting up Steven Badhams who only needed to side foot the ball into the net for a 3 ? 2 lead on the night. But it wasn't over for Brackley and the 10 men became 9 when substitute Andrew Prescott saw red for an abusive comment to an Assistant Referee.
The goal and 2nd red card seemed to kill off Brackley and they conceded defeat to a side they beat 6 ? 1 in a league match only eighteen days earlier. Funny game football, but don?t you just love it.
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