Stevington lifted the Senior Trophy for the first time and became the first Bedfordshire County Football League side to do so as they beat Wilstead 4-0 under the lights at Bedford Town FC.

Wilstead started the stronger and almost took the lead inside 10 seconds. Luke Pursey bursting into the Stevington box and volleying the ball at Jack Cunningham in the Stevington goal and but for some quick reaction save from the keeper it could have been one of the quickest county cup final goals ever. Wilstead then perhaps should have had the lead on 9 minutes, a dangerous cross from the left found Paul Jones in the 6 yard box but he could only direct his effort wide of the post.

Those 2 misses proved costly on 14 minutes when Stevington took the lead. A bullet header from captain Ben Walsh from a corner giving them the advantage. Wilstead continued to press with Pursey again the main threat, twice he was denied by Cunningham and a goal mouth scramble in the Stevington box following a Wilstead corner eventually fell kindly for the keeper to gather.

Then on 36 minutes Stevington doubled their lead. It was from a corner again and this time Tommy Roberts was diving in to direct the ball home and put Stevington firmly in charge of the tie. The first half ended with another Pursey effort being saved by Cunningham and so Stevington took a 2-0 advantage into the break with Wilstead pondering what might have been having have the bulk of the chances.

HT - Stevington 2-0 Wilstead

Stevington dominated the ball and territory in the early stages of the second half, Kieran Souter with a good chance which he fired wide and Roberts had an effort deflected wide as they went in search of a 3rd. Just after the hour mark and the goal came, a series of corner weren’t fully cleared by Wilstead and when Billy Pinney got a chance to whip another ball into the box in deceived the Wilstead keeper Phil Johnson and dropped over his head into the back of the net.

Both sides then rang the changes and the referee had to get the yellow card out a few times to control things before the game livened up again in the final 10 minutes. Firstly a lovely 1-2 between Tommy McGirl & Billy Pinney on the edge of the Wilstead box sent McGirls in on goal but his tame left footed effort went wide of the post. Wilstead then had an effort cleared off the line as Dale Clegg connected with a cross but Stevington survived it and the ensuing scramble. Wilstead then had further chances to get a deserved consolation goal, firstly Sean Jones volley from the edge of the box was dragged wide and then Paul Jones raced in on goal but skewed his shot wide when well placed. Then to rub salt into the wounds Billy Pinney added his 2nd and Stevington’s 4th in injury time, firing home from 8 yards.

FT - Stevington 4-0 Wilstead

STEVINGTON - Jack Cunningham, Reece Williams, Ben Souter, George Pinney, Alex Smith,
Ben Walsh ©, Billy Pinney, Kieran Souter, Aaron Hewitt, Tommy Roberts & Billy Roberts.
Used Subs: Louis Green, Tommy McGirl & Ashley Beddoe.
Unused Subs: Dan Bridgeman & Ian Collins.
Goals: Walsh 14’, Roberts 36’ & B Pinney 61’ & 90’+1

WILSTEAD - Phil Johnson, Matthew Davison, Ryan Davenport, Rani Thiarra, Dale Clegg,
Thom Stonehouse, Paul Jones ©, Shaun Winconek, Luke Pursey, Kevin Butler & Joe Sullivan.
Used Subs: Sam Evans & Sean Jones.
Unused Subs: Leigh Reynolds, Stefan Jones & Jamie Hall.

Referee - Nick Fuller
Assistant Referees - Daniel Jones & Tom Burns
Fourth Official - Peter Kwak