The Berks & Bucks FA Sunday Intermediate Cup Final

This season’s Berks & Bucks Sunday Intermediate Cup Final provided a feast of goals and plenty of attacking football with the Reading based Stevie B’s, coming out eventually as 4-3 winners at Abingdon United F.C’s ground.

The early exchanges did not produce any clear cut chances but on 14 minutes Royal Oak took the lead when a precise through ball from defender Leon Cosier allowed Mark Lambert to flick the ball back past Courtney Issacs.  However, the lead was short lived as five minutes later, the sharp thinking of striker Kevin Paiser left Ed Farmer in the Royal Oak goal flat footed as he ran onto a pass from the right with the Oak defence appealing for handball.

Stevie B’s confidence increased and on 26 minutes, Aston Robinson had a simple tap in as the ball was lobbed into the goal area after good work by the industrious Danny Isaiew.  Indeed, it was Isaiew again who increased the lead ten minutes later when he kept his cool to shoot past the beleaguered Farmer.

At half time, the 3-1 deficit for Royal Oak seemed beyond redemption and three minutes into the second half Aston Robinson should have increased the Reading team’s margin as he was clean through but having rounded Farmer he missed the target.

Paiser did make it 4-1 on 70 minutes and things now seemed over for Royal Oak as he completed his brace by firing home from inside the penalty area.

The hard working midfielder Dave Champ for Royal Oak dropped back into defence as manager Kevin Poole tried to produce a final response and this eventually paid off as Darren Gascoyne’s quick thinking to fire in his shot first time via goalpost and goalkeeper pulled a goal back on 86 minutes.  The Oakley based side’s renewed enthusiasm then produced a third as another substitute, Ben Moses, bravely headed home from a bouncing long ball in stoppage time.  The response, however, came too late.

The cup was presented to Stevie B’s, along with commemorative medals to all players and officials by Life Member and President of the Berks & Bucks Football Association, Mr. Bill Gosling.

Teams:

ROYAL OAK: Farmer, P. Way (Bailey), Majid Raja, Buckle, Cosier (Gascoyne), Thomas, Champ, Kitson, Keeble, Dawson (Moses), Lambert

STEVIE B’s: C. Issacs, Lee, Mortimer, Hiscock, Belcher, A. Issacs (Hollands), Witt, Suarez, Paiser, Robinson (Bates), Isaiew (Winter)

After a tense opening, Oak's Mark Lambert settled the nerves with this 14th minute opener.

Five minutes late and Stevie B's Kevin Paiser scores his controversial equalizer...

...and Oak's James Keeble picks up a yellow from ref Bill Christie after his strong protestations about a possible previous handball before the goal.

With Oak now rattled after that disputed goal, Stevie B's step up the pace and Aston Robinson pokes home to make it 2-1.

Danny Asaiew makes it 3-1 on 36 minutes.

Royal Oak kept up the fight as Dave Champ's free kick was touched over by Stevie B's keeper Courtney Isaacs...

...before Kevin Paiser's breakaway goal on 70 minutes looks to settle it.

 
Oak never gave up as tempers boil over...

...as Darren Gascoyne makes it 4-2 on 86 minutes.

Oak's Ben Moses bravely goes in with the keeper...

...and with no whistle from the ref, it's 4-3 deep into stoppage time.

This chap had to be restrained as he can't believe that the ref is now playing the 6th minute of stoppage time...

...and Oak nearly grab a dramatic equalizer at the death.

Stevie B's FC collect the trophy from Bill Gosling - President and Life Member of The County FA.