Corinthian gave it everything to win the lead but in the end Cray Valley got the win they needed, in a timeline up to the 75^th minute Corinthian were champions but late drama at Canterbury saw Cray score late & go on & win but what a season for the Corinthian 2^nd in the League & next week they could win the Challenge Cup.

The game started with Corinthian a bit nervous & in the 5^th minute Bearsted nearly shook them up when Peter Williams in on the right saw his shot pushed away by Aiden Prall & then hacked away, then in the next minute Luke Tanner ran from left to right & went into the area & shot but Scott Andrews saved it. Bearsted were still trying to spoil the party & in the 8^th minute the ball from the left came to David Baronowski & from 20 yards saw his shot go just past the post. Corinthian were now starting to get to grips with the game & in the 18^th minute Emmanuel Oleyede battling away to get the ball forced it into the path of Tanner but his shot went wide. A minute later a short corner to Baronowski on the right & his cross into the area was met by makeshift Centre Forward Rob Lyall but he headed over the bar. Chances were now coming Corinthian’s way as in the 23^rd minute Oleyede on the left turned the defender & went into the area & then saw his shot go high & wide the goal looked likely to come & it did in the 25^th minute Jack Holland on the left crossed low for Oleyede to side foot in, this settled the nerves. Six minutes later & it could have been two when a corner into the 6 yard area was met by Jack Healy but his header went over the bar. In a rare attack Bearsted had a chance to equalise when a long cross field pass found Jon Rogers who on the edge of the area was tackled but the ball fell to Lyall but his shot went over the bar. The last chance of the half came in the 43^rd minute when Oleyede on the run crossed to Tanner who controlled it & his shot was pushed around the post by Scott Andrews. Half time arrived & news filtered through that Cray were only drawing, but the management team of Corinthian were not happy with their team & words were said.

The second half was only two minutes old when Bearsted had a glorious chance to equalise when the ball into the area by Sam Flisher found Lyall 6 yards out but he volleyed it over the bar & the in the 49^th minute it was two Oleyede ran into the area & saw his first shot saved by Andrews but fortunately for him came back & hit him & went into the net. This was now game over & Corinthian then went on & controlled the game with only a few scares on their way. In the 52^nd minute Andres Felipe Losada Tobon on the edge of the area saw his shot saved by Andrews & 4 minutes later Jack Mahoney on the edge of the area tried his luck forcing Andrews to push it around the post. In the 65^th minute it became three when Oleyede dispossessed Flisher & raced into the area & then passed into the path of Tanner who smacked it from 5 yards. In the 70^th minute it nearly became 4 when Tobon saw his shot from 15 yards saved at the second attempt by Andrews. A minute later & it was four when Tanner latched onto a long ball into the area & his shot was pushed out by Andrews but straight to Tobin who knocked it from 4 yards. In the 88^th minute Bearsted nearly got a consolation goal when Lyall 6 yards out saw his shot saved by Prall & in the next minute it was five when a long ball out saw Connor Johnson chase it down & once in the area he slipped it past Andrews. In the second minute off added on time Prall kept a clean sheet when the ball into the area was dummied by Lyall for Ryan Croucher & his shot was saved by Prall, the final whistle went but celebrations were put on hold as news filtered through that Cray had beaten Canterbury. The players & Management were crestfallen but knew that they had pushed Cray all the way but in a week’s time they have a chance of bringing some silverware home when they plat Chatham in the League Cup Final.

Corinthian:

1. Prall 2. A.J.Holland   3. J.Billings   4. J.Billings   5. J.Healy   6. J.Bath  7. E.Oleyede
2. J.Mahoney (74) 9. L.Tanner (83)  10. O.Housego (66)   11. A.F.L.Tobon

Subs Used:  15. C.Jennings (66)   14. K.Gyeabour (74)  17. B-S Ita (83)

Subs Not Used:  12. J.Campbell  16 J.Mckinley

Bookings:  None

Bearsted:

1. Andrews 2. S.Flisher (72)    3. C.Croucher  4. A.Foster  5. G.Andrews (62)  6. R.Croucher  7. J.Rogers
2. M.Weller 9. P.Williams (59)  10. D.Baronowski  11. R.Lyall

Subs Used:  12. J.Belsey-Saldanha (59)  16. G.Sheminant (62)   14. M.Garner (72)

Subs Not Used: 15. C.Noyelle  17. B.Allen

Bookings: 7. J.Rogers C(29)

Referee: Mr A.Conn

Assistants: Mr M.Butcher & Mr B.Wheatley