It was the climax of a very difficult season last Saturday at Peasedown Albion’s ground for the Mid-Somerset Football League, where both finals of the shortened competition were held.

On a glorious sunny day over 300 people attended to witness two very good games of football, both expertly controlled by three officials on each game.

The Peasedown Albion Football Club put on a great afternoon with cold drinks and burgers on offer coupled with the amazing attention to detail with the pitch in great condition and all touch line barriers in place.

The first game played was the Dimmock Green KO Cup between Coleford and Victoria Sports (Street), it was contested by two excellent teams which proved to be a cracker of a match.

There was little to separate the two teams, but Victoria just shaded the first half with a goal from Chris Reed’s diving header from an excellent cross in the 38th minute.

Coleford got their noses in front with two goals in as many minutes shortly after the break.

In the 53rd minute, Man Of The Match, Pete Weston, headed home and just a minute later, Lance Cray made it 2–1.

Back came Victoria in the 65th minute, Harry Lewis fired in an equalizer from the edge of the six-yard box.

The goal that decided the final was a disaster for Sports’ keeper – in the 75th minute a wayward cross from the right was covered by the goal keeper at the near post under no pressure from the opposition. Somehow he could only manage to fumble the ball into his own net, giving Coleford a 3–2 lead.

Victoria pressed throughout the remaining minutes but could not find the equalizer, meaning Coleford won the KO Cup 2020.

The second game, The Baxter Shield, between Cam Valley Reserves and Clutton Reserves saw the match going to penalties.

It was end to end in the first half, with Clutton taking the lead through James House and Daniel Jennings equalizing for Cam Valley just before half-time.

With all the huffing and puffing in the second half, no further goals were scored. There was an exciting point just before the 90 minutes was up – Fin Shakespeare (Cam Valley) smashed a tremendous shot against the crossbar with the keeper well beaten.

As the scores were level at full-time it was penalty shoot out time – after nine penalties it was 5–4 to Clutton – their goalkeeper, Steve Rogers, dived the right way stop Valley’s fifth penalty, seeing Clutton win the Baxter Shield. Clutton’s Captain, Luke Tucker, was named Man Of The Match and was awarded his trophy by President Brian Wells, who supplies the trophies every year in memory of his wife.

This was a new venture for the Mid-Somerset

Football League to hold two finals on the same day – who knows, this may become the norm in the future. Bryn Hawkins