Bardon Hill 2-3 Ashby Ivanhoe
Coalville Charity Cup Final
Monday 2nd May 2011
Ashby Ivanhoe clinched the Coalville Charity Cup Final after a thrilling second half performance saw them overturn a 2-0 halftime deficit to defeat Bardon Hill 3-2 and end a superb season on a high by completing a league and cup double.
It was the current holders Bardon who made the better start to the match and although both teams had an early chance at goal when Bardon fired over and Ashby saw a Chris Nettel shot saved it was Bardon who took the lead in the eighth minute when a ball into the area was only half cleared and the loose ball was played out to the right and a low cross into the area was turned in from close range.
The chances kept on coming for Bardon and they had a chance to score a second in the tenth minute when another cross the right caused problems but the shot was well saved by John Noon but just a minute later Bardon did double their advantage when a long ball forward saw the striker behind the Ivanhoe defence and despite Noon getting a hand to the shot the ball found the net for 2-0.
Ashby needed a quick response and they did have a chance to pull a goal back almost immediately but after Bryan Barker had ran down the right his cross into the area was headed goalwards by Ben Pollard but the keeper made a comfortable save.
Bardon should have increased their lead further just before the half hour mark when a good ball forward saw the striker in on goal but after being put under pressure from the defence his shot was narrowly wide of goal.
On the stroke of half time and with Ashby restricting the opposition chances they nearly pulled a goal back when they were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal and Steve Hart struck a powerful left footed which wasn’t too far away leaving them trailing 2-0 at the break.
The second half though was nothing short of sensational from Ashby and from the first whistle they were determined to turn the match around and they couldn’t have hoped for a better start when just two minutes in they halved the deficit when Hart swung in a corner from the right and with Bardon unable to defend the ball in it was Mark Muir who tapped in from close range for 2-1.
Ashby were now getting on top and they were creating more and more chances as they went in search of an equaliser and in the 55th minute a long ball forward from Jon Smith was brought down by Phil Gibson and after creating space for the shot the keeper got down to make the save and on the hour mark the keeper was again called into action when Hart worked the ball into the area before cutting the ball back to Pollard who saw his shot saved.
Ashby have pulled out many a great result when needed this season and as the match entered the final 15 minutes they needed something special and in the 78th minute they levelled the match when a cross from the right was over hit and with the chance looking to have gone Hart collected the ball on the left of the area before sending a low ball across goal and Pollard was there to force it home for 2-2.
The momentum was very much in Ashby’s favour and they sensed that the match was there for the taking and Pollard went close to a second goal in the 80th minute when he chased down a ball over the top but the Bardon keeper kept his side on level terms by producing a superb save.
The decisive moment of the match came with eight minutes remaining and Bardon were left stunned when a corner from Muir on the left was played into the six yard box and Chris Nettel, whose two goals secured the Senior League title last week, directed his header over the keeper and into the net to complete a remarkable turnaround and spark celebrations from the large Ivanhoe support.
Although Bardon pushed forward in the latter stages Ashby remained strong and led by man of the match Greg Smith in defence they were equal to anything that Bardon threw at them and after the best 45 minute performance of the season they were deservedly winners of the Coalville Charity Cup for the first time.