The teams looked nervous in the first ten minutes, with heavy touches and misplaced passes prevalent, it was one of these misplaced passes from a Wymeswold midfielder that gave Asfordby their opener on 13 minutes. Charlie Richards, Asfordby’s hot shot striker latched on to a poor pass and ran clear of the defence, slotting past the stranded goalkeeper.

Asfordby then took control of the game and looked like they may stretch their lead, Atherley and Watson were a constant threat in the wide areas and the ever willing Felstead probed the Wymeswold defence at will.

It was against the run of play that Wymeswold struck their leveller on the half hour, a long throw from the left wing was missed by the Asfordby defender and the second ball fell to Joe Loesby who’s well hit shot evaded a host of players in the box and left the unsighted keeper no chance.

Wymeswold then grew in confidence and although they didn’t threaten the Asfordby goal in the final minutes of the first half they were well in the game and the Asfordby defensive quartet of Sharp, Wesson, Walker and Simpson had to be on top of their game during this period.

At the start of the second half it was Asfordby who started stronger and with more belief, De’Ath and Cochrane in the centre of midfield started to dominate that area and provided a platform for the attacking players to threaten the Wymeswold goal.

Wymeswold created little in open play, but were a constant threat from set pieces and when they won a free kick in the final third they packed the box and when the ball broke to the edge of the box, the Wymeswold defender crashed the ball back towards goal, it was heading for the top right corner when it hit Asfordby defender Walker causing a wicked deflection and forcing a brilliant save from Asfordby keeper Barratt-Clarke.

It was a rare moment of trouble for Asfordby, who finally made their good possession tell on the 70th minute, when great work from Watson and Cochrane freed Richards who beat the keeper to put Asfordby back in front.

Atherley then went close on two separate occasions and Richards nearly grabbed his hat-track , before Watson picked up the ball 30 yards out, dribbled past 4 defenders and slotted the ball past the keeper.

Wymeswold couldn’t mount a response and Asfordby ran out as the deserved winners.
Asfordby FC manager Simon Atherley commented ‘This is Asfordby Football Clubs first season fielding senior teams and the development side is drawn from young players from the clubs youth teams. The cup final squad included 12 players who were 19 years old or younger, two players having been with the club for 13 seasons. I am proud of the lads, it’s been a learning curve for them and we haven’t fielded a single first team player all season”.

Squad: Atherley, Barratt-Clarke, Sharp, Wesson, Walker, Simpson, R De’Ath, Cochrane, Felstead, Watson, C Richards, T De’Ath, J Richards, Herbert, J Shelley, H Marchington