On a very wet Friday night at the Wiltshire FA's Green Lane Playing Fields headquarters, Royal Wootton Bassett Town and Bradford Town served up a fantastic game of football in the final of the Wiltshire FA's prestigious Veterans' County Cup. In the end penalties were needed to decide matters after the game finished all square at 3-3, with Bassett losing in heartbreaking fashion as Bradford edged a shootout that featured eighteen penalties, winning 6-5.

In a feast of attacking football, Bassett led through Jeremy Newton before a Steve Tweddle pair gave Bradford a half time lead. Newton grabbed two further goals in the second half to complete his hat trick - his third forcing the shootout after Paul Beavers had made it 3-2 to Bradford.

Bradford's stand-in 'keeper Allan Clarke then proved to be the hero. Taking over the gloves after regular shotstopper Adam Sheppard was injured in his attempts to save Bassett's first spot kick, Clarke scored one of his side's penalties and proceeded to save the final Bassett attempt to give his side the trophy.

It was an agonising way for Bassett to lose as both sides had risen to the occasion to produce a classic of a cup final. But Bassett can hold their heads high after a phenomenal run to the final and an excellent effort in that deciding contest.

And it's certainly the case that all involved will be able to look back at their runners-up medals with a sense of pride.

Bassett started the game brightly with the pace of Newton, Chris Head and Steve Shaw causing the Bradford back line problems.

In the 5th minute Head was put through one-on-one with Sheppard but the 'keeper won this challenge, pulling off a great save with his feet to deny the striker.

Bradford then went immediately up the other end, and when Tweddle went down in the box under a challenge there were big shouts for a penalty kick, but referee Chris Harris waved away the appeals. Moments later, Bradford's Ricky Trott went close to breaking the deadlock, his header from the edge of the six-yard box going just over the bar.

With all the early action, the large crowd did not have to wait long for the opening goal through. A quick break down the right-hand side and a neat passing interchange involving Bassett's pacey front threesaw Head feed the ball into Shaw, who set up Newton to produce a smart finish from the edge of the box that completed a well-worked move.

Both teams continued to play football of a very high standard and Bradford got themselves back on level terms ten minutes before the half time break, Nick Ross firing in from the edge of the box for his seventh goal of the season.

In a back and forth contest, Bassett went close to restoring their lead three minutes later as Dan Badman saw his shot hit the outside of the post.

At the other end, it required a fingertip save from Nick Warren to keep the scores level as Bradford's two leading scorers Tweddle and Rhys Schell linked up. Tweddle played in Schell with a great pass and his strike partner hitting a powerful shot which Warren tipped over the bar in spectacular style.

Ultimately, Bradford were to go into the half time break with a slender lead. A cross into the box saw Warren unable to come up with the ball after a challenge with a Bradford player, and it fell to Tweddle in a central position just inside the 18-yard boxand he smashed in an unstoppable shot to give his side a 2-1 advantage.

In the closing minute of the half Tweddle then had an opportunity to make it a first half hat trick, but - to Bassett's relief - this time he placed his shot just wide of the post.

The second half opened in a similar vein to the first period, with both sides playing some neat passing football. The better early chances in the half fell the way of Bradford though. Mark Canham went close with a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box, his shot just clearing the cross bar. Tweddle then had another chance to extend his side's lead, a cross from the right from Paul Beavers being headed back across goal to the forward but his shot went wide of the right-hand post.

Ten minutes from time Bassett went close to restoring parity from a Newton free kick. After arguing that the Bradford wall was not ten yards by pacing out the distance to the wall himself, Newton returned to the ball and quickly spun round, hitting a free kick which came back off the crossbar and was cleared to safety.

Bassett were not to be denied for long though as two minutes later a ball into the Bradford box was won in the air by substitute Steve Howse. He headed it back to Newton, who drilled home from a central position on the edge of the box.

The goal certainly lifted Bassett and Howse went close to getting a goal of his own, his powerful low shot being parried by Sheppard, who quickly claimed the ball at the second attempt to avert any further danger.

Once again it was end-to-end stuff as both teams went in search of a winner.

Bradford thought they had secured it when a cross into the Bassett box saw Warren attempt to come out to claim the ball, but he was beaten to the punch by Beavers, who headed into the net for 3-2.

However, it was not to be the winner as there was still time for one more twist in normal time in this dramatic game.

Right at the end of the game Bassett were awarded a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. With two goals already there was only ever going to be one taker of the kick and up stepped Newton to curl a low shot around the wall and into the bottom corner of the net.

Only seconds were left on the clock when the ball rippled the net, meaning penalty kicks would be needed to decide matters.

After a dramatic 50 minutes of action the penalty shoot-out that followed went close to matching what had gone on before, with a number of twists and turns before the game was ultimately decided.

Bassett 'keeper Warren saved the first Bradford penalty. But Newton, having hit a hat-trick, then missed his side's penalty with Bradford shotstopper Sheppard injuring his shoulder as he dived to his left. It looked a serious injury and Sheppard was unable to carry on, with Clarke having to take over in goal after a delay whilst his teammate was treated.

Both sides then scored their next two penalties to make it 2-2, with Head and Badman keeping their cool for Bassett.

The next set of kicks for each side were both missed though as Howse could only find the post. Warren then saved Bradford's fifth kick meaning Brady Lilley had a chance to win it. However, he was denied by a fine save from Clarke.

Sudden death started with both teams scoring their first three kicks, with Shaw, Pete Wilson and Andrew Gibson on target for Bassett.

Clarke, taking Bradford's ninth penalty, then put his team ahead before returning back between the posts to face Bassett's latest kick. And he ensured Bradford would win the cup, denying Martin Jefferies to finally bring an end to proceedings.

It was a tremendous effort from both teams - yet, in the end, heartache for Bassett.

Congratulations go to Bradford for their victory and for playing their part in a contest that was a fantastic advert for veterans' football.

Credit: Mark Smedley
Last modified on Saturday 12th March 2022 at 12:42