The portents did not look good for the Stanford-le-Hope-based outfit when Robyn Moody gave Billericay the lead inside 60 seconds, and that advantage was doubled on 10 minutes by Beth Hutson.
But Leigha Bradding-Butler reduced the arrears and, although Moody netted again, late goals from Marnie Ray, Lucy Brewster and Lily Price completed a remarkable comeback.
“It’s unbelievable really,” reported Assistant Manager Steve Price. “Billericay have gone unbeaten all season and no-one’s really given them a game, but we did run them close in a league game. Conditions played a big part in the final, but I said to the girls that, if we could put some more pressure on, we’d be in with a chance.”
Price revealed after the game that he was content to be trailing by two goals at the interval and retained belief that his team could respond: “Our plan was to play with the wind in the first half because in the league game, when we got a goal, they did panic a little bit. That was the plan, but we lost the toss and we had it against us,” he said.
The victory crowned a remarkable season for St Clere’s, which currently sees them in second place to Billericay in the league table and with a County Cup trophy sitting proudly in their clubhouse. Price confirmed: “In the first game of the season we had ten players and we lost, but we have brought some girls in throughout the season.”
“We had four girls out there today who had never kicked a football in a competitive game before this year, but we have some experienced ones as well and they’ve helped those who are coming through. To get to where they are, being second in the league and winning this competition, says it all,” he concluded.
