FA Umbro Trophy Final :
Stevenage Borough 0 – 2 Yeovil Town
Att: 18,809
Line up : (4-4-2)
 Chris Weale |
||||
Adam Lockwood |
Terry Skiverton |
Colin Pluck |
Anthony Tonkin |
|
Nick Crittenden |
Lee Johnson |
Darren Way |
Michael McIndoe |
|
Adam Stansfield |
Carl Alford |
Subs used: Tom White (51, for Pluck), Chris Giles (86, for Alford), Andy Lindegaard (83, for Crittenden)
Stevenage:
1. Wilkerson, 2. Hamsher, 3. Goodliffe, 4. Trott, 5. Fraser, 6. Fisher, 7. Wormull, 8. Evers, 9. Jackson, 10. Sigere, 11. Clarke.
Sub used: Stirling (71, for Wormull), Jamie Campbell (74, for Sigere), Williams (56, for Evers).
Scorers: ALFORD (12, 0-1), STANSFIELD (66, 0-2)
This report courtesy of Steve Sowden of the Yeovil Express:
WE came; we saw; we conquered. After 32 years of disappointment in non-league football’s premier showpiece cup competition Yeovil Town finally lifted the FA Umbro Trophy.
And I am not ashamed to say that I – like many other Yeovil fans – shed a few tears of delight before, during and after on a high day of emotion.
It was the day we had all been looking forward to. It was the day we could not wait to arrive. It was the day when Yeovil Town would finally turn all their dreams into reality. It was the day we will never forget.
After all the tension I had experienced in the previous rounds against Tiverton Town, Doncaster Rovers, Canvey Island, Northwich Victoria and Burton Albion I was somewhat, strangely, overly confident about the final against Nationwide Conference rivals Stevenage Borough at Aston Villa’s wonderful Villa Park stadium.
I knew that Yeovil boss Gary Johnson had instilled into his players that there was no point in turning up at Villa Park and not winning. I knew that the Yeovil players would not let anyone down.
The lower tier of the famous Holte End was crammed with Yeovil supporters and the atmosphere was simply sensational as the Green and White Barmy Army sang their hearts out from the first whistle to the last and then long into the night! The Trinity Road Stand was also packed with Glovers’ fans and their seemed to be a tidal wave of Green and White hats, flags, shirts, scarves and face-painted supporters willing their heroes on. Now the likes of Terry Skiverton, Carl Alford, Adam Stansfield and Co are no longer heroes – they are legends and will go down in the history books as the players who helped to bring the Trophy back to Yeovil for the very first time.
Although Stevenage had plenty of possession they did not look dangerous in front of goal even though they came to close to taking a shock first minute lead. Jean-Michel Sigere floated over a cross and Kirk Jackson’s header looked to be on its way in but Yeovil’s talented and highly-promising keeper Chris Weale produced a stunning save to tip it over the bar. Perhaps, with hindsight, you could say it was a match-winning save because one can only wonder what might have happened had that effort gone in so early in the match. Apart from that Weale had very little to do as Stevenage failed to break down a solid defence well-marshalled, once again, by the ever-dependable Colin Pluck and Terry Skiverton and then second-half substitute Tom White.
Yeovil’s massed ranks of supporters were able to lift the roof of Villa Park in the 12th minute when Carl Alford produced a great overhead kick from close range to beat keeper Paul Wilkerson after meeting Adam Lockwood’s long throw into the box. For Alford it was a moment to savour as he had been on the losing Witton Albion side back in the 1992 Trophy final.
Stevenage opened the second-half with still plenty of possession but failing to make any telling in-roads.
Yeovil, however, were battling for everything and they looked menacing on the break with the speed of Adam Stansfield causing countless problems for the Stevenage defence while Alford was producing his best performance for the Glovers since arriving at Huish Park last summer. Skiverton had an effort cleared off the line by Matt Fisher – although television replays showed that it looked as if the Stevenage defender had handled – and many supporters felt whether that moment could have been the turning point on proceedings.
But Yeovil were now taking the game to their rivals and it felt as if it was going to be only a matter of time before they struck again.
And the all-important second Yeovil goal came in the 66th minute when Alford flicked on a huge Weale kick into the path of Adam Stansfield who belied his tender years and turned his marker expertly before placing the ball through the legs of Wilkerson and into the net.
Alford could have made it 3-0 when he missed a glorious chance as he placed his shot into the side netting from close range, while Lee Johnson had two great opportunities. The first saw him whip in a terrific 25-yard free-kick which was tipped over the bar and then completely messed-up a shot which sailed over the top when it would have been easier to have got it on target.
But nothing was going to ruin the day for Yeovil Town and when skipper Terry Skiverton lifted the cup it was the most satisfying and pleasing moment for many, many years. All those years of following Yeovil home and away had suddenly been worth it.
It was absolutely terrific and I hope I speak on behalf of all Yeovil fans when I say – thank you to Gary Johnson and the lads for making the Glovers’ BIG DAY OUT the BEST DAY OUT of all time!
Steve Sowden
Man Of The Match: Adam Stansfield
As voted for by YTFC fans on the internet.
| Player | MOTM | Score |
| Adam Stansfield | 124 | 636 |
| Carl Alford | 41 | 298 |
| Chris Weale | 27 | 247 |
| Terry Skiverton | 18 | 203 |
| Darren Way | 21 | 147 |
| Lee Johnson | 5 | 67 |
| Colin Pluck | 8 | 57 |
| Michael McIndoe | 6 | 47 |
| Nick Crittenden | 2 | 25 |
| Adam Lockwood | 2 | 22 |
| Anthony Tonkin | 1 | 19 |
| Tom White | 2 | 10 |
MATCH RATING – 8.5 (out of 10)
Performance – 8.2; Entertainment – 8.8
258 votes received.
After Match Quotes
GARY JOHNSON : “We wanted to win this Trophy and we have done just that. The club and the fans have been waiting for more than 30 years and we have won it for them. I’m delighted.”
MICHAEL McINDOE: “It has been an unbelievable occasion and the fans have been terrific.”
Chairman JOHN FRY: “Winning the FA Trophy is the biggest achievement in the club’s history. And we’ve got the momentum here now to carry into next season.”
ADAM STANSFIELD: “Gary Johnson has done wonders for me and brought me on in leaps and bounds.”
CARL ALFORD, “I am delighted for the fans and obviously I am really pleased to have scored a goal. My family were here and it’s been a brilliant day.”
TERRY SKIVERTON: “I thought we played well and I was so proud to lift the trophy. Best feeling I have had in my career.”
DARREN WAY: “I would like to thank all the fans for their terrific support.”
Chairman of the Yeovil Town Independent Supporters’ Association, MARK KELLY: “What a fantastic day. It’s been superb.”
CHRIS WEALE: “It’s been an amazing experience.”
ADAM STANSFIELD (live on Sky TV): “Hello to all the Elmore boys! I can’t believe it, I’ve come f*cking miles.”
Assistant manager STEVE THOMPSON: “I’m delighted for all the lads. It’s been a real team effort.”
Stevenage boss WAYNE TURNER: “They [Yeovil] have got to be the favourites next year to go up. They have got it all in place, the 24 players, the ground and the finances. They are a very good outfit at this level.”
JASON GOODLIFFE: “It surmises our season really. Today we had a lot of the play but didn’t have that cutting edge up front. You always thought that when they got the ball that they were going to create something. The two goals they scored summed it up really. They had the quality when it mattered.”
Ciderspace images:
