PAGET PIP HEATH TO LEAGUE TITLE!

Paget broke their duck on Wednesday evening to become ESPSFA League Champions for the first time and it came after a narrow, nail-biting final against old foes and reigning champs, Short Heath where only one, solitary goal divided the two rivals.

As is customary, four schools arrived at Castle Vale Stadium all with high hopes: Abbey and Paget as divisional winners along with Short Heath and St Thomas More who both came through play-off eliminators.

Semi Finals

Short Heath 1 – 0 Abbey
The title holders took on an Abbey side who had gone unbeaten throughout their Premier division campaign so a tight game was predicted and the first half was evidence of that. Chances were at a premium with Heath fashioning out one half chance and Abbey coming closest after a long-range free-kick was expertly saved by Heath’s ‘keeper. The second stanza continued in the same vein with little or nothing between the two, both well disciplined and each denying each other. However, the game changed four minutes from time when their wide attacker chased a clearance and somehow kept it in before whipping a superb strike into the far corner of the net, a quite brilliant goal. Abbey responded and piled on the pressure but Heath’s number one made three breathtaking saves to secure his team a place in the final.

Paget 3 – 1 St Thomas More
St Thomas More’s started the game brightly, having the lions share of possession but failed to really test Paget’s ‘keeper but after four minutes, the La Liga champions struck first after a low drive veered into the net. Tommy More’s though weren’t phased and continued to press. The red and blacks were rewarded a minute and a half from the break when a fine low effort beat the P’s ‘keeper to nestle in the corner of the net. There’s an old saying in football that a team is at its most vulnerable when they have just scored and that was true when Paget retook the lead less than a minute later. A free-kick punted forward was spilled by STM’s ‘keeper and an on-running Paget striker bundled home. Merely fifty seconds into the second half and Paget had a third and ultimate killer goal when an attacker fired low and hard following a swift move. STM prompted and probed and perhaps had a good shout for a penalty but beyond that they couldn’t break down Paget’s back line and Paget saw the game out, 3-1.

Final

Short Heath 0 – 1 Paget

And so, the old foes met once again but this time in the highest of stakes for the biggest of prizes. As expected, the opening exchanges were cagey with neither side ceding any ground. In the third minute however, Short Heath’s super shot-stopper was called into action and once again produced a fine save. Both teams defended stoutly, particularly Short Heath who were compact and resolute. The eleventh minute though saw the game’s decisive moment, a Paget striker struck a powerful shot across goal and this time beyond Heath’s ‘keeper. The effort thumped off the post but fortuitously for Paget and despairingly for Heath, bounced off the goalie’s back and bobbled into the net. The second half saw Heath desperately trying to break through Paget’s rearguard and though they came close on a couple of occasions in a tense and nervy ending, they couldn’t quite make the breakthrough required and the title went to Paget.

For the record, STM defeated Abbey 4-3 in a thrill-a-minute third and fourth place play-off game.

So congratulations to Paget on their maiden title and commiserations to Short Heath for a gallant defence of their crown.