Ross-on-Wye Juniors Men’s side played Weston on Monday, March 28th in the final of the FJ Pope Cup at Newent Town FC. After a weekend of bad weather and a group of volunteers to get the pitch ready, it was just about playable for the two sides. Ross had to play in a change of shirts as asked by the referee in charge.

The game kicked off and Ross was on the attack straight away, but it was Weston who had the first chance on goal, with Ross keeper Bosco Barnett making a fine save. The game was very tight with both defence cutting out the attacks, but it was Ross that went 1-0 up after twenty minutes when the mid field trio of Dave Nicholls, Jack Bray and Callum McCulloch got the ball upfield; McCulloch then crossed the ball to striker Ben Gardener, who caught the ball sweetly on the half volley into the back of the net.

Ross pressed on from this and kept creating chances, then after thirty five minutes it was 2-0, after a Dave Nicholls volley from twenty five yards out flew past the Weston keeper.

Coming back on for the second half Ross tried to get a foothold in the game, but with Weston chasing goals they got back into it not long into the second half, to make it 2-1.

Ross knew they had to get their heads on it now and a chance fell to winger Luke Harris, but he couldn’t get the ball from under his feet and the Weston keeper finally got to the ball. Ross was very much in the Weston half and finally succeeded in getting a corner. With Brad Wooding taking the corner, Wayne Husbands flicked the ball on and with a scramble on the line, the ball ended up in the back of the net with a Weston own goal making it 3-1 to Ross.

With a sub being made, Jon Woodward came on for Luke Harris, with fresh legs on the wing, but with ten minutes to go he was in defensive action as Weston made a break past the Ross defence of Husbands, Malsom, Milnes and Aston. Woodward was the last Trotman’s man back but keeper Barnett finally collected the ball. Ross just had to sit tight for last few minutes, but on a Ross break, sub Callum Trotman header hit the bar from a Wooding cross. The final whistle went for Ross to be 3 - 1 winners.

Golf Sports Bar Man of the Match went to Alex Malsom for his solid defending at the back.