MATCH SUMMARY : Stapleton AFC (Reserves) (31 March 2014)

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NORTH BRISTOL UTD.........2 (Stephens 36, Durston 52)

STAPLETON RES.......…......2 (Davis 45,53)

Stapleton won 5-3 on penalties

Goalkeeper Scott Browne was the hero as Stapleton Reserves won their first ever GFA trophy on a penalty shootout in the first GFA Cup Final ever to be played on the 3G playing surface at Oaklands Park.

Browne made a string of superb saves throughout the match as well as a crucial stop in the shootout against a North Bristol side which had played the vast majority of an thrilling match with ten men.

North Bristol started the game very strongly with a fierce volley from John Stephens flashing narrowly over the bar and Browne started his heroics shortly afterwards with a brilliant diving save from Karl Durston's free kick. Aaron Anderson then made a strong run into the area where his angled shot was saved by Browne, the rebound falling for Durston whose effort was deflected wide.

However on 13 minutes, North Bristol were reduced to ten men after Dean Graham burst through on goal and was deemed to have made an over zealous challenge on Browne as he smothered. The striker was shown a red card and Browne was able to continue after lengthy treatment.

The sending off slowed down the pace of the game for a while but North Bristol continued to look dangerous going forward. They went close once again on the half hour when Durston chipped a pass over the Stapleton defence for Scott Feltham in space in the area but once again Browne came to his side's rescue by racing off his line to make a point blank save.

The game had started in torrential rain which eased as it went on and Stapleton also began to come more into the match. They produced their first serious attempt on goal with Joe Flay driving a long range effort over but shortly afterwards, North Bristol took the lead. Feltham slid a neat pass into the path of Stephens who slotted the ball past Browne and into the far corner for the opening goal.

Stapleton responded well to the setback, Tristan Ferguson firing inches over from a free kick, and it was another setpiece which led to them levelling the scores during first half injury time. Awarded a free kick around 20 yards from goal, Paul Davis stepped up to drill a low shot which skidded off the surface and under the dive of Nick Lloyd for the equaliser.

The game exploded into life once again early in the second half and it was North Bristol regain the lead they had lost just before the interval. Feltham had made some good runs from midfield and another took him through on goal and rounding Browne on the edge of the area. It seemed as though the chance had gone due to an acute angle but Feltham kept his cool to set up Durston who sidefooted home from eight yards.

Stapleton's reply was instant; the impressive Davis skipping past a challenge before powering a shot which took a deflection off a North Bristol defender and went beyond the reach of the diving Lloyd to level the scores once again.

Davis was close to a hat-trick shortly afterwards, from a free kick in a similar position to his first half goal. This time his shot took a deflection and Lloyd did well to save at his near post. The resulting corner saw Ferguson rise highest but his header was charged down.

Ross Williams made a strong run into the North Bristol area but shot wide with only Lloyd to beat. Lloyd again needed to be swift shortly afterwards, coming off his line to deny Ferguson after the striker had threatened to break through on goal.

Stapleton had enjoyed a good spell but North Bristol were far from finished as an attacking force. A long range effort from Scott Cole was deflected just over the bar and from the resulting corner, Ron Parsley's far post header was clawed away from underneath his bar by Browne.

A quickly taken free kick by Durston released the onrunning Feltham into the Stapleton area but Browne was again equal to the task, parrying his shot at the near post.

Back came Stapleton to win a corner but North Bristol cleared and immediately counter attacked. Anderson's clever flick put Feltham through on goal but as he made his way to the edge of the area, the covering Liam Canty-Davis did extremely well to get across and avert the danger.

Despite the best efforts of both sides, neither could find a way through and the game went into a penalty shootout.

Both teams scored their first two penalties but after Aaron Kang netted the third for Stapleton, Browne saved Durston's kick to give his side the advantage. The next two kicks both went in, allowing captain Sean Bowley the chance to win the match for his side and he kept his nerve to start his side's celebrations.

North Bristol Utd: Nick Lloyd, Brenden Doherty, Scott Feltham, Paul Andrews, Rob Parsley, Tom Williamson, Scott Cole, John Stephens, Aaron Anderson, Dean Graham, Karl Durston. Subs: Darren Hoare, Ryan Curtis, John Anderson.

Stapleton Res: Scott Browne, Liam Canty-Davis, Joe Flay, Williams Deverill, Sean Bowley, Matthew Penny, Kevin Bence, Miley McNama, Tristan Ferguson, Ross Williams, Paul Davis. Subs: Elliott Barnes, Jack Britt, Aaron Kang.

Referee: Steve West.

Assistants: David Pimm, Charlotte Rodriguez.

MATCH SUMMARY : Stapleton AFC (Reserves) (31 March 2014)

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