The Hednesford players from the Birmingham County FA Cup Winning Team are, (from left to right) Dean Rathbone (captain), Dale Faultless, Oliver Casey and Jamey Osborne

Gillingham Football Club was the scene of an historic victory by the Birmingham County Football Association Youth Team on Saturday afternoon as the team became the first County to appear in four F.A. County Youth Cup Finals in any one decade

Spurred on by a vociferous home crowd Kent were hoping to make a strong start, however it was Birmingham that took the initiative and were in front after four minutes, James Braid laid the ball back to Jamey Osborne whose first time cross was headed clear by Pat Taylor, fortunately for Birmingham the ball hit Tom Law and fell to Marvin Johnson who smashed the ball past Kent keeper Deren Ibrahim from 8 yards.

Kent immediately broke and Karl Dent found Sam Cliff whose shot went wide. Birmingham used one of their rehearsed set pieces and from a 12 minute corner Marvin Johnson shot just wide. Birmingham were clearly having the majority of possession and were unfortunate not to increase the lead on 25 minutes and left side combination between Joel Fuller and Josh Edwards saw Fuller break clear on goal however this time Ibrahim saved at his near post. Two minutes later Kent managed to scramble the ball away without any Birmingham player able to force the ball home, with Birmingham only one up in this period of dominance Kent were always in the game, and so it proved on 39 minutes when from a Birmingham corner Ibrahim collected the ball and drove it deep into the Birmingham half, despite having two defenders Sam Cliff outpaced them to lob the ball over keeper Ian Kimberley.

Kent came out buoyed by the late goal and had the better of the early exchanged but the defence led by skipper Dean Rathbone  restricted the home side to a few long range shots from Tom Phipp went wide without really troubling Kimberley. The game entered a stalemate period with both sides anxious not to concede a vital goal,

Kent made their substitutions and Manager Martin Sweeney introduced the  Highgate United duo of Tom Giddings and Jake Brown in place of Tom Law and Josh Edwards, moments after the changes Birmingham clinched the game when another rehearsed free kick from Jamey Osborne found Liam Doyle whose deft touch went past the oncoming Ibrahim into the Kent net.

Birmingham regained their composure and began to pass the ball around in similar fashion to the first half. Just as the game was ebbing away from Kent referee Darren Sheldrake sent off Harry Harding who had arguably been Kent’s best player for a lunge on Marvin Johnson. Moments after the red card the final whistle went and wild celebrations among the Birmingham contingent began.

Team spokesman Steve Poole was jubilant after the game “We are absolutely delighted to have won the cup and make our own little piece of history. The lads dug deep for periods of the second half, we had enough chances to secure the game in the first half but conceded late on, Manager and Coach Martin Sweeney and Martin Harrison had a job to do at half time lifting the lads to go again, this has been a wonderful squad achievement and I am proud of everyone of them.

I  would like also to pay tribute to the parents of the players who have supported us all season and to the players clubs whose co-operation has been wonderful, we have ten of the squad available for next season, hopefully today will give the lads experience and memories they will never forget.

Report : TerryMc

Image  : Spooley