VALENCE PRIMARY WERE crowned Borough 7-a-side champions after they secured the Evans-Moore Cup on Saturday. The St. George’s Road based school held their nerve in a penalty shootout to edge out Northbury after the final had finished 0-0.
Valence started the day in Group B and were impressive in their opening group game against Ripple (3-0). They suffered a 2-0 reverse in their next game vs Monteagle but a 1-0 win over Hunters Hall in their final group game saw them go through. Monteagle were the second team through after they drew their two games following the win over Valence.
Beaten finalists Northbury looked in good form in the group stages and
started with two wins from two. Successive 2-0 wins over Roding Cannington and Dorothy Barley saw them through. They did suffer a 1-0 loss to Richard Alibon, who topped the group, but that was enough to see them progress.
Group A saw George Carey and Valence Bonham go through after both
sides beat William Bellamy before sharing the points with each other.
However, George Carey finished as group winners, courtesy of a superior goal difference.
Group C saw Roding Hewett top the group with three wins from three and they were joined in the last eight by Godwin, who recovered from their defeat by Roding by winning their other two group games.
Quarter-finals
The quarter-finals saw the two Valence sites face each other in the first
knockout game and it was the St. George’s Road side who prevailed 3-0.
Northbury booked their place in the last four after defeating Roding Hewett 2-0. George Carey edged out Monteagle 1-0 to go through, whilst Alibon completed the semi final line up with a 1-0 win over Godwin.
The first semi-final was a tense affair between Northbury and George
Carey but it was the former who booked their place in the final with a
late goal.
The second semi pitted Valence against Richard Alibon and normal time was unable to separate the two sides. Extra-time saw very little goalmouth action and so penalties were needed to find a winner. Both sides saw penatlies saved but it was Valence who booked their place in the final.
The final was played at a frantic pace and both sides had efforts on goal in the opening stages. However, neither side could find a goal and the game would be decided by the lottery of spot kicks. Both sides saw their second spot kick saved but the other six players from both sides scored.
This meant that the shootout went around again but Northbury missed their tenth attempt, giving Valence the chance to win; a chance they took to secure the title.