Stockton Town fell short in the play-off semi-final, losing out to a top-drawer Hednesford Town performance.
Arjun Purewal’s first-half dismissal led to the hosts taking the lead before the break, before a killer thump from Ollie Harrison solidified the result close to the end.
The Anchors were forced into one change from Saturday, as Owen Gallacher was injured in the warm-ups, and replaced by Vinnie Steels.
The hosts started relentlessly, and forced Stockton into many defensive heroics to keep the scores level, topped off by a world-class save from Nathan Harker in the fourth minute stopping Ollie Harrison from close range.
After Tom Coulthard single-handily stopped a dangerous counter attack, Montel Gibson had the ball in the net but was quickly adjudged to be offside.
Rose caused a bunch of problems for the Anchors defence, and after a couple of wayward opportunities from him, he played through Omari Sterling-James who was tripped on the edge of the area, with Arjun Purewal being shown a straight red-card.
A couple of minutes later, the hosts punished the Anchors when a strike from distance was prodded in by Montel Gibson just two minutes before the break.
Half-time: Hednesford Town 1-0 Stockton Town
Ahkeem Rose had a number of efforts, causing problem after problem but failing to find the target, despite appeals of a powered effort crossing the line after a rebound off the crossbar.
Kevin Hayes had Stockton’s best opportunity in the 70th minute, finding space on the right-wing, but seeing his strike blocked by Ollie Harrison – a frequent tale of the night.
After a flurry of corners that were eerily close, Stockton were punished when Ollie Harrison forced home a strike after a recycled corner.
That sealed the season for Stockton, as they fell to a difficult defeat in Staffordshire.
Full-time: Hednesford Town 2-0 Stockton Town
A season to be proud of, once again, and it’s only two months until pre-season preparations for next year will begin again.
