Magnificent crusaders' comeback win

What a magnificent effort !

To  come back  from two goals down and win this play-off semi-final is surely the best result in our 130 year history and the highest praise is due to all those who made it happen. The supporters played their part too, for although heavily outnumbered in a crowd of over 1300. they waved their banners and the shouts of “Hungerford, Hungerford, Hungerford”urged on the players and eventually the home supporters were almost silenced by the their noisy support------- and the scoreline.

We got the ball in the net almost immediately when Matt Day headed in from Garyn Preen’s corner, but the goal was disallowed for a push on a defender.The game flowed to and fro with neither side being able to create a real opening, although Mike Jones, who had a splendid game, headed just wide from James Clark’s corner, but Clark’s overhead kick when the ball was punched out to him was well wide. A long ball sent Callum Donnelly free, but he shot wide and the half-time whistle came with the game still evenly poised.

The Canaries came out full of enthusiasm as the second half commenced and were ahead after 57 minutes when Brett Donnelly finished off a determined attack and although we pushed forward for Nat Jarvis to shoot wide, we were caught cold from the goal kick as the home side sent a long ball down the right and when the cross came over, Paul Strudley was jostled as he tried to cut out the cross and he could not hold on to the ball and Robbie Burns was there to make it 2-0 in the 59th. minute.

There was half an hour to go and  the outlook was not good, but the players rolled up their sleeves and refused to accept defeat  so that when Scott Rees reduced the arrears after 64 minutes, we were right back  in the game. The home supporters were concerned and the volume from our supporters suddenly increased, so that when Clark equalised, the tide was in our favour and a win was certainly within reach.

The wining goal came after 84 minutes when a Stefan Brown back-header beat Charlie Horlock in the home goal . The home supporters were reduced to near silence and our spirits were raised. The There was no way we were going to give up now and the players earned their celebrations at the final whistle. It had been a great night.

Team; Strudley, Horgan, Tyler, Jones, Day, Rees, Clark, Herring, Jarvis, Brown, Preen(Goodger ) Subs;Draycott, Rusby, John, Boardman.

We had heard that Leamington had equalised at Redditch and extra time was being  played, but it was not until we were on the way home that the news of the penalty shoot-out filtered through. Although Leamington missed their first penalty, Redditch missed their first two spot kicks and it was eventually Leamington who went through.

Incredibly, we had a home tie, a reward for finishing above Leamington in the league,and we await Monday’s  final with bated breath.