Vale the history boys
GLENN LE TISSIER’S 83rd minute strike at the Track last night ensured Vale Rec won their second straight Rossboroughs FA Cup and became the first club to retain the trophy.
On a night the league champions clearly ran out of steam, Rovers were in it until the final blow of Derek Gilman’s whistle, but any other result would have been a travesty.
A week earlier Vale had forgotten to bring their shooting boots and lost out to Rovers in a Stranger semi. Seven days on, the shooting boots were on, but perhaps on the wrong feet as they wasted a hat full of chances.
In front of a healthy crowd of 200 plus, Rovers had gone ahead but after losing Kez Mahon to injury fizzled out quickly.
Vale had all the early chances – good ones too – and Jody Bisson had nothing to do for 26min. when Will Fazakerley found a couple of yards to break into the box and fired a superb effort into the far corner.
Five minutes later he almost got a second, but Bisson saved and on the 38min. mark Seb Skillen levelled with an even better strike, whipping home a 30-yard free kick that fell into the far corner just under the bar.
A fine exchange of passes between Skillen and Le Tissier almost brought about a second for the GFC man in first half stoppage time, but Rovers again got away with it as Skillen lifted the ball inches too high.
Le Tissier spurned another fine chance on 51min. and as the pressure was maintained, Rory Moriarty’s 30-yarder deflected just the wrong side of the bar.
Addison saved from Zac Masterton-Pipet and newly arrived rolling sub Zac Felbabel had a close range effort kicked off the line as Skillen skilfully set him up.
Skillen then skewed horribly wide as the missed chances mounted to ridiculous levels.
But then the decisive goal. Addison’s punch did not carry any great distance and when the ball fell at the feet of Le Tissier, he side-footed home.
