Stradbroke United beat Barton Mills on penalties to win Best Badges Suffolk Sunday Trophy at Needham Market Football Club
Stradbroke United capped off their first year as a club by claiming the Best Badges Suffolk Sunday Trophy final.
They lifted the trophy after winning a penalty shoot-out 5-3 following a 1-1 draw against fellow Bury & District Sunday League Division Three outfit Barton Mills at Needham Market FC.
Kieran Hayden puts Mills in front after 23 minutes before James Green equalised for Stradbroke eight minutes into the second period, but neither side could find a winner.
Tom Sheehan struck the crossbar with Mills’ first penalty, which meant that Will Beale had the chance to win it for Stradbroke with their fifth spot kick, and he made no mistake.
Stradbroke United manager Chris Brown was absolutely delighted with his team’s performance and felt confident about the penalty shoot-out.
He said: “It was an unbelievable game against a really good opposition. The two best teams in the league fought it out and in the end, it was decided on penalties, but I thought we showed unbelievable heart today. I thought we were brilliant.
“We weren’t too annoyed with penalties because we know that we have the best keeper in Suffolk at this level. We’re really lucky with our goalkeeper, he showed it through the game today with a couple of brilliant saves.
“We were happy with penalties because I back the boys 100 per cent and I knew that if we got there that we’d be lifting that trophy after.”
Meanwhile, Joe Francis netted twice as Ransomes Sports retained the Best Badges Suffolk Veterans’ Cup.
The Ipswich-based side were always in control as they beat Bury Town 3-0 in the final on ‘Suffolk Super Sunday’ at the Ecologic Stadium Bloomfields.
The only real surprise was that it took them until the 41st minute to break the deadlock against their fellow Norfolk & Suffolk Veterans’ League Premier South opponents.
Danny Thrower supplied a delightful diagonal cross from the right that keeper Thomas Lockwood called for but did not reach as Francis got there first to guide it home on the volley.
The holders doubled their advantage in the 54th minute, Lockwood allowing Liam Scopes’ free-kick from the left to slip through his fingers and into the top far corner of the net.
Thrower and Francis combined again in the 90th minute, Francis racing clear to calmly place the ball past the keeper to seal back-to-back wins in the competition.
On the same day, Capel Plough had to come from behind to win the inaugural Best Badges Suffolk Veterans’ Shield, defeating Framlingham Town 3-2 in a topsy-turvy final.
Ben Magor put the Ploughmen in front in the 27th minute, but the Castlemen restored parity through Chris Boardley’s 56th minute penalty.
And the N&SVL Division Three South side took the lead after 69 minutes courtesy of Daniel Cordice’s emphatic finish, before their Division Six South opponents drew level on 74 minutes via Adam Rawthorn’s low shot.
Daniel Hyam settled the outcome when he buried his shot beyond keeper Karl Pierce after 80 minutes, before Capel’s Graham Westrup was sent off in time added on.
