Harry Fishwick Cup Final - Sudbrook CC 2 Mathern Reserves B 4 (after extra time)

WITH two cups already in the cabinet, Mathern FC’s second reserves side return to league action tonight (Wednesday 20th April) with a third piece of silverware in their sights.

They welcome Portskewett and Sudbrook to the Mathern pitch hoping to gain a vital three points as they bid to overhaul Chepstow Town and leave them a point behind leaders Underwood SC B with a game in hand.

Both Chepstow and Underwood have completed their fixtures and can only hope the exertions of four matches in 10 days takes a heavy toll.

As manager Jeff Whitehouse admits, the need for extra time last Friday to clinch their second cup success, asked a lot of some of his players.

“Tom Marmont and Stuart Mackie were both feeling it after the previous final,” he said.

“As a manager, you have to know who has got it in them and both Tom and Stu put in a great shift after playing in the win over Caldicot Castle in midweek.

“It was a blow to concede early on but the way we set up after, was great.

“But it took us until the second half to get back into it but after our first goal I thought it would be us lifting the trophy,” Whitehouse continued.

“My Man of the Match, Alex Bajjada and Sam Marmont stopped everything that came our way, Tom Collins was excellent in midfield again and Jimmy Burchill was always a threat.”

Rob Wood had equalised soon after the break, finishing well after a goalmouth scramble. Unfortunately, Sudbrook CC’s keeper Richard Agett sustained a hand injury during the frenzy and was forced to leave the field, Richard Lund taking over the jersey – an incident that Sudbrook CC manager Gary Vaughan considered a turning point.

“I had made two substitutions just before then,” Vaughan said.

“Until then, we had used a 5-3-2 formation with Richard Lund up front and three central midfielders to counter their midfield.

“We had Stuart Cochrane in defence and his heading and tackling were strong and stifled their attacks.

“The loss of our keeper was unfortunate and changed the game with us having to put Lund in goal, taking our prime striker.”

Mathern took the lead with a fine goal by Sam Thomas and although Sudbrook CCs’ Zak Hitchens could have broken their hearts when he equalised in time added on, Mathern did not collapse.

The first period of extra time was cagey but in the second half, Jimmy Burchill made it 3-2 and after Hitchens had a penalty appeal waved away. Mathern sub Matt Bajjada was brought down at the other end and Burchill clinched it from the spot.