Brave Ibstock Pipped With Last Kick!

On a cold and windy evening at Terrace Road, it was clear from the start that the Evo-Stik side felt that they just needed to turn up to win the game, with Ibstock United being a couple of levels lower in the non-league pyramid. However, it was also clear from the start that this was not going to be the case and that Ibstock are now a totally different proposition!

In a fairly cautious but hard-fought first half Ibstock left the field having been the better of the two sides and having created the better of very few chances. Gresley were solid and well organised but it was United that had played the better football and dictated the pace of proceedings at the break...and rattling the woodwork on two occasions. Despite this, the game remained goalless at the interval.

Ibstock United started the second period well too and within a couple of minutes the deadlock was broken as 17 year old winger, Tendai Chitiza slotted home to put United in front. That was short-lived however as the goal conceded seemed to give Gresley the wake up call that they needed and made them realise that they didn't have a devine right to win the match and retain the cup. Gresley soon equalised and despite good chances falling to both sides, it was to remain at 1-1 at full-time in a second period that Gresley had been the better of the two outfits.

Extra-time brought a good old-fashioned end-to-end entertaining battle and it could have swung either way on a number of occasions, but it was Gresley that drew first blood and made the score 1-2, which was soon matched as another 17 year old, Keith Makawa, struck to level things up once more and send the Ibstock faithful into a frenzy! The game seemed destined for a penalty shoot-out with just seconds of normal time remaining when a defensive error let Gresley in to steal a third goal and retain the Coalville Cup.

Ibstock United Manager, Richard Hill was clearly disappointed but full of compliments for his players, "We did very well,and were a touch unlucky" said Hill, "It could have gone either way but the result was probably a fair reflection of the game in the end I would say. We are hugely disappointed to lose the game but since taking over at Christmas we have had a huge project on our hands to re-shape the squad and stay in the league, which we have done. Now, to get to a Cup Final against a good side of two levels higher in the pyramid and push them right to their limits over 120 minutes is an achievement on its own" he added "It has to also be remembered that we have a very young side with eight teenagers in it also! The future is very bright for the club".