Waders leave it late in Charity Cup Final

The 103rd charity final was played in front of 125 spectators at The Hollow and while the Rokermen had much the better of the opening 45 minutes and looked to be heading into the break a goal up, the Waders drew level from the penalty spot just moments before the interval.

Fortunately the second period was a far livelier affair and while both sides hit the respective crossbar, it looked like the final would go to extra time when a great ball from Jon Woolf allowed Fuller to race in against Stotfold keeper Brad Gillham and drill a low shot into the far corner for 2-1.

The Waders seemed rather subdued in the opening period as the trophy holders made almost all the running.

Josh Cook and Louis Taylor found plenty of room down the flanks and Stotfold deservedly went ahead on 32 minutes when a crossfield pass was volleyed past Town keeper Dean Bull by Taylor from just inside the area for 1-0.

Dean Hamilton had chance to bag a second but he fired over when well placed while from a Josh Bronti corner kick, Bull scrambled the ball away from the base of his upright.

With time ticking away, Stotfold’s Chris Hewitt lost possession in midfield before a needless foul by Andy Carter on James Freshwater and that resulted in a 44th minute penalty kick which Freshwater stroked past keeper Gillham for 1-1.

The second half was end to end yet neither keeper had a real shot to stop.

Brett Donnelly turned and volleyed against Gillham’s crossbar while Hamilton’s 25 yard dipper almost squeezed beneath Bull’s.

But it was the early Biggleswade triple substitutions that was to finally make the difference and with the watch showing the 90 minutes were up, Fuller sealed the win with a clinical finish to avenge last season’s result when Stotfold beat the Waders in the final 3-0 at Langford.