IT'S ABBEY'S TITLE AGAIN!

With 30 seconds to go of a remarkable play-off evening at the end of a remarkable season, the destiny of the ESPSFA League crown was still not known. With Harper Bell anxiously looking on, Abbey – needing one more goal to retain the title – launched a final attack against a Yardley side whose goal two minutes earlier had swung the championship in Bell’s favour. Abbey’s swift, ultimate move proved decisive and as the ball hit the net the title was theirs.
The play-offs had an unfamiliar look as only three schools competed – Brownmead’s no show meant it was a shoot-out between Abbey, Harper Bell and Yardley Youths at the CTC Kingshurst.
With each side to play each other in a round-robin format, Harper Bell, the Premier champs took on La Liga runners-up Yardley, in the opening game. Both sides started tentatively, feeling each other out in an even first five minutes. The game changed when an unfortunate Youths defender, in trying to clear a cross, deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper and into the top of the net. A second goal quickly followed and a third, midway through the second half, saw Bell run out 3-0 winners.
Bell were back in action moments later as they took on La Liga, and reigning ESPSFA champions, Abbey. The tempo of the game was quicker with both sides keen to gain an early advantage, but neither goal was breeched and an absorbing ten-minute half ended goal-less. At the start of the second stanza, Abbey forced a number of corners and from one, hit to the far post, a free header put them one up. Bell responded brilliantly and forcefully hit back at the champions. Their positivity was rewarded with an equaliser four minutes from full-time. Despite chances coming and going in the final few minutes, neither side could add to the scoring. Bell would have to await the outcome of the final game of the season, Abbey vs the Youths.
A 3-0 Abbey win would draw them level with Bell on the night, anymore and they would be champs again. Knowing they needed goals, the black and yellows went straight at the Youths and raced into a 2-0 lead; before half-time it was 3-0. Yardley, with pride at stake, came out a different animal in the second half and began to exert some pressure of their own. Abbey’s ‘keeper came bravely out of goal twice to thwart the Youths but eventually Yardley had their goal – smartly taken from their strong striker. Moments later, and with time ticking away, the same player saw a sharp shot hit the outside of the post and Abbey had survived another scare. And so to the season’s defining moment and that goal, 30 seconds from time, meant Abbey’s 4-1 win was enough – just – to seal back-to-back ESPSFA League titles.