Crusaders win Basingstoke Senior Cup

We fielded an experienced team, but included a couple of Academy players, and came perilously close to an embarrassing defeat by Southern Counties League Alton Town, for whom Luke Perkins scored a spectacular hat-trick. However a goal by Harry Goodger deep in injury time rescued the situation and took this Basingstoke Senior Cup Final into extra time, when we lifted the cup after dominating the closing stages. It had been a close-run thing!
Playing down a considerable slope, we had the better of the play and took the lead midway through the first half, when Matt Day scrambled home a corner from Alan O’Brien, but we pushed forward and left ourselves wide open at the back when Alton counter-attacked and Luke Perkins rifled home a 25 yard shot just before half-time with Paul Strudley well off his line. Another brilliant Perkins goal gave Alton the lead as we struggled to build up ant momentum, Alton raised their game and showed tremendous energy and enthusiasm, and even with plenty of the ball, were unable to break through. A penalty appeal and a disallowed goal for offside denied us until, in the 5th minute of injury time, when Harry Goodger was left clear and coolly stroked in the equalizer, just as everything seemed lost.
Early in extra time Alan O’Brien streaked away and gave us the lead again, before Mark Draycott made it 4-2 almost immediately.
The game now seemed to be won, but Perkins completed his hat-trick with another great goal to keep Alton in the game, but they were unable to come back again and the final whistle saw us with another trophy, but it had been too close for comfort.

Team; Strudley, Horgan, Thomas, Boardman, Day, Pilling, Stow, Collins, Lynch, Draycott, O’Brien. Subs; Goodger, Mulvey, Clark.