Buntingford Town 3 Stotfold 1 (aet) AN excellent team performance saw Buntingford overcome Stotfold to secure the Eastern Junior Cup – their third piece of silverware of the season. Both sides played well, but it was the difference in front of goal that p

Buntingford Town 3 Stotfold 1 (aet)

AN excellent team performance saw Buntingford overcome Stotfold to secure the Eastern Junior Cup - their third piece of silverware of the season.

Both sides played well, but it was the difference in front of goal that proved decisive, with Town once again in impressive form.

Stotfold started the better, and kept Town's defence on their toes and Callam Paine, deputising in goal, had to be quick off his line to thwart some early advances, including one superb full length diving save.

Stotfold went even closer moments later, narrowly missing the target following an angled shot, before a 30-yard blast from a half-cleared corner flew inches over.

At the other end Town's best chance of the half came after 25 minutes, when Josh Bronti's cross was headed over the keeper by Jamie Morriss but hacked off from the line.

Other than that it was half chances for Town with Ricky Young and Tom Randall missing the target with shots just outside the Stotfold box.

The second half continued in the same vein, with Stotfold starting the better an and an early one-on-one chance was again superbly blocked by Paine.

And the missed chance cost Stotfold as Town took the lead on 55 minutes when Young turned smartly in the box and shot towards goal.

The keeper did well to get a hand to the ball, but in losing his balance he released the ball and palmed it up on to the crossbar and into the net.

This gave Town the confidence to find their normal tempo and they contrived to turn the game on its head and began to look the more dominant.

Morriss had an angled shot go close, while Bronti raced clear and had a fierce drive superbly tipped wide. However, against the run of play Stotfold levelled with eight minutes remaining following a cracking strike from distance.

Extra time started brightly for both teams, although it was Paine who was the busier of the two keepers. But it was Town who made the immediate difference when Bronti broke free once more and slotted the ball home past the advancing Stotfold keeper.

In the second period of extra time, Bronti again threatened the Stotfold goal, and his pace led to a Buntingford penalty and a Stotfold red card.

Morriss despatched the resulting kick with cool authority, and with a man to the good, Town's advantage proved too strong, with the final 10 minutes ending in the favour and yet another trophy.