Chipperfield Corinthians Reserves 1 Sun Postal Sports Reserves 1  (Sun won 4-3 on pens)

                                          Herts County League Reserve Cup Final   1996/97

Double for Postal thanks to Sun Sports

Simon Bartley made the two vital saves that secured the league and cup double for Sun Postal Reserves as Saturday's listless final at Met Police Bushey was finally settled on penalties.
The dull and chilly afternoon was matched by the entertainment on offer.
The two teams cancelled each other out and it looked for a long time that one goal would win it.                  
Ironically both goals came within a minute of each other, either side of the interval in extra time.
Sun's victory was tarnished though as, in the final minute of extra time, defender nick Wood fell awkwardly while contesting a cross and suffered a broken collarbone.
The game was held up for 20 minutes while an ambulance came and the two teams tried to keep warm while they waited to play out the final few seconds.           
Sun's bright start was merely a false dawn as the two defences quickly took control.
Jim Harrison, who limped out of the game after 20 minutes, headed over in the first attack of the game and then player-manager Joe Maguire saw his header superbly tipped over by keeper Phil Robinson.
Tim Beesley headed a Gavin Allaway free kick wide for Chipperfield and the half ended with a Clark Jenner shot from a cleared corner being held by Robinson.
Again the second period started reasonably brightly before petering out.
Wood had a header cleared off the line and then peter Law beat Bartley to a long through ball but saw his lofted shot drift wide of the empty net.
Robinson pulled off another fine save when he blocked Wood's close range header after an hour and Chipperfield had penalty appeals waved away when Craig Powell blocked an Allaway cross under pressure from Law.
Beesley finally made the breakthrough in the final minute of the first period of extra time.
Having just seen his downward header bounce up and over the bar, Beesley pounced on a half cleared corner.
He did not connect cleanly with his shot, but there was just enough power to squeeze between Bartley and the post.
Amazingly for a game that produced so little goalmouth action, Sun levelled immediately after the restart.
It was a very similar goal, Chipperfield failing to clear and Michael Woolner slotted home with Corinthians claiming handball.
A third goal was always very unlikely and the closest either side came was when Chipperfield's Darren Horwood fired in a half volley from a corner that Bartley held.
The Sun keeper then took centre stage, saving penalties from Mark Duce and Paul Downing.
That left the way clear for Maguire, who had earlier been booked for an uncharacteristic display of petulance, to score from the vital spot kick.

Sun Postal Sports Reserves: Bartley, Powell, Jenner, Joyce, Wood, Masters, Harrison, Maguire, Smithson, Freeman, Dunning. Substitutes: Mantle for Harrison, Woolner for Smithson.