TROPHY RETURNS TO HEATH!

The first piece of silverware was up for grabs on Wednesday evening as thirteen schools rolled up to an icy Yardley 5’s and among them, the holders, Paget. And despite the biting cold, a multitude of goals were scored to keep those chilly souls watching on, entertained.

The thirteen competed across four groups with the top two in each bound for the quarter finals. In group A, SSPP emerged as winners with St Bernadette’s runners-up, meaning Court Farm lost out. Group B was comfortably won by Short Heath with Timberley’s two wins over Rosary enough to ease them in the last eight. Group D followed a similar pattern with Paget and Abbey first and second respectively which left Elms Farm out in the cold. However, Group C was a real proverbial ‘Group of Death’ which went down to goal difference for first, second and third between St Thomas More, Hillstone and Mapledene all locked on six points. But, virtue of a solitary goal STM qualifed as winners with Hillstone narrowly ousting the ‘dene for second place. Highfield also played their part in an amazingly tight group as they defeated the eventual winners but lost both of then other games by just one goal to nil.

So to the quarter finals, which though they were endowed with goals abundant, none of the games were really close: SSPP breezed past Timberley, as did Paget against Hillstone. STM smashed in seven unanswered goals against Abbey and though St Bernadette’s fought bravely, they were powerless in preventing Short Heath reaching the semi-finals, 3-0.

Now in the semi-finals we had one titanic tussle and one comfortable cruise. Over the past few seasons there has no bigger rivalry in the ESPSFA than that of Short Heath and Paget and once again they didn’t let those looking on, down. In a repeat of last season’s Trophy final it was another crackerjack-of-a-game with both sides at full throttle. Heath led early on but a low Paget strike levelled the count. The Heathens though struck again thanks to a superb effort which veered into the net with just over a minute to go and they then stubbornly held on to book their place in the final. The other semi-final was won more routinely by STM as they brushed aside SSPP, 5-0.

The final

SHORT HEATH 1 – 0 ST THOMAS MORE’S
The opening exchanges were frantic with both sides looking to land an early blow but defences kept their goals intact and despite the terrific pace of the game, chances were at a premium. STM went closest first but the Heathens keeper saved smartly to deny them. Not long after that the deadlock was broken as the Heathen’s saw a low shot go under the STM ‘keeper. Tommy More’s then upped the ante and still had over three minutes to draw level, but they just could not find a way past Heath’s inspired goalkeeper.

Short Heath then regain the Trophy they handed over to Paget last season and it will be no surprise if we see both the Heathens and STM, along with Paget, at the thick of things come spring.