Kelsey Trotter scored a dramatic 89th-minute winner to down Senior Division runners-up Achilles and clinch the Bob Coleman Cup for Division One champions Benhall St Mary, on Friday night.
The former 49-goal striker fired home from close range at Woodbridge Town, after Justyn Chenery’s foray into the box had been blocked, the ball running loose, benhall running out 3-2 winners.
It was no more than the Badgers deserved, Carl Wilkins’ side starting the game like a house on fire, before creating the better chances in the dying stages of the game.
Trotter hit the decisive goal, but it was Badgers’ skipper Chris Sillett who was the main protagonist in Benhall’s victory.
First, the lanky frontman cancelled out David Grimwood’s 36th-minute opener on the stroke of half-time with a wonderful free-kick into the top left-hand corner, then gave his side the lead three minutes after the interval with a towering header from Leigh Bailey’s left-wing cross.
Achilles never laid down though and the Suffolk Senior Cup winners equalised just three minutes later when substitute Liam Hillyard, who was only fit enough to start on the bench, ghosted in at the back post to convert Matty Ryland’s inswinging free-kick.
Achilles should have kicked on after that but instead, it was Benhall that had the better chances and Seb Miller, Chris Wright and Trotter all going close, before the latter’s winner.
Benhall showed their intent from the off and Trotter went close no fewer than four times in the first half, twice being denied by Achilles goalkeeper Jack Foster, once by the post and once when full-back Lee Leparulo cleared his shot off the line.
And they were left to rue those missed chances when Grimwood scored from a left-wing free kick, having been felled by Chenery
It was no more than Grimwood deserved, the forward taking the game by the scruff of the neck as he attempted to get his side going.
Twice he was denied by Darren Warner in the first half, before firing wide of the onrushing ‘keeper after a solo run that saw him beat four men.
The second half was just as intense, Achilles looking to Hillyard for the winner, before the equally-prolific Trotter struck.
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