Stockton Town won the Shipowners Charity Cup without conceding a goal in the competition and scoring 18, to secure a 1st ever knockout cup trophy.
Stockton were missing Danny Lawson due to holidays and long term injuries to Tony Johnson and Scott Meehan again meant they missed out.
Stockton started the game very quickly and should have had this game wrapped up by half time, but they could not get a second goal following on from Kallum Hannah’s opening goal after 5 minutes, he pounced on a through ball into the left channel, from Captain Stephen Roberts before drilling the ball left footed into the far corner past Brett Wilson in Ashbrooke’s goal from 18 yards.
Wilson was beaten again 4 minutes later when a Kallum Hannah cross from the left saw Stephen Roberts head in, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Wilson was by far the busiest of the two keepers as he pulled of a fine close range shot from Max Craggs, then Hannah fired over the bar to keep the pressure on the Ashbrooke defence.
Despite having all the chances the first half finished 1-0 to Stockton.
After being under pressure Ashbrooke tightened up at the back determined not to concede an early second goal.
Stockton were dominating the possession and even when Ashbrooke did break they never troubled Michael Arthur in Stockton’s goal, who never had a save to make during the 90 minutes. With 15 minutes left Ashbrooke’s centre forward burst into the box, he went to ground when under pressure from 2 Stockton defenders, but Referee Mr dave Watson waved away their appeals and booked the Ashbrooke player for diving. Ashbrooke were now trying to push forward, this allowed Hannah more room and he almost put the game beyond Ashbrooke after 82 minutes when he beat the offside trap and placed his shot past Wilson, the ball went across the face of the goal but went the wrong side of the far post.
Hannah again fired over the bar and Langstaff saw his effort fly high and wide late on before the crucial second goal came, with the game going into injury time, Wilson in Ashbrooke’s let the ball slip out of his grasp, Hannah chased after the ball and the keeper sent him to the ground with the referee having no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot. Up stepped Kallum Hannah to despatch the resulting spot kick to record his 49th goal of the season and ensure Stockton the Cup.
