WHAT a way to win a cup final! There was barely a minute left of extra time in this extraordinary cup final when Oaklea's Tony Brereton unleashed a thunderbolt that flew in to the top corner.
It was the final twist in many turns on a memorable night at the Crown Ground.
Sacred Heart must have thought they had the match won after 18 minutes after racing to a 3-0 lead.
Mick Smith prodded home after 10 minutes before two well taken goals by Mark Livesey appeared to give the Old Boys an unassailable lead as shell-shocked Oaklea had hardly had a sniff at goal.
But crucially they pulled one back. Ray Drummond broke up another Sacred Heart attack and released Dean Kissock down the left. The striker's effort was well saved by Paul Cawley but Drummond continued his run to fire home the rebound.
It sparked a period of Oaklea pressure before the break with Ray Thistlethwaite and player/manager Mark Edwards both going close.
Oaklea pulled another one back on the hour when big centre half Alan Moore thumped home a free kick and suddenly it was game on.
And with 20 minutes to go it was all level and now it was Sacred Heart's turn to cling on.
Kissock, who was a constant threat throughout the game, scored at the second attempt after Cawley saved his initial effort.
But Sacred Heart should have won it in the closing stages. Dale Sayers beat the offside trap but Jason Manning saved his shot before Mark Whalley blocked his follow up on the line.
Manning then produced a stunning save from Damion Clarke to take the game in to extra time.
Oaklea went ahead for the first time when Sacred Heart centre back Gary Lemoine was caught in possession by sub Jason Threlfall who squared to Thistlethwaite to fire home.
But Manning gifted Sacred Heart an equaliser early in the second period when he let Sayers effort squirm under his body.
The game appeared to be going to a shoot-out when Brereton picked up a loose clearance to fire home a goal good enough to win any final -- even this epic!
OAKLEA: Jason Manning, Stuart Biggs, Gary Price, Ray Drummond, Tony Brereton, Mark Whalley, Ross Turner, Mark Edwards, Dave Rushton, Emmanuel Carawonna, Ray Thistlethwaite, Jason Threlfall, Dean Kissock, Alan Moore.
SACRED HEART: Paul Cawley, Dave Mattison, Gary Marshall, Gary Lemoine, Steve Brown, Mick Smith, Mark Livesey, Tony Clarke, Andy Watson, Dale Sayers, Mick Daley, Dave Hall, Bob Hindle, Damion Clarke
Oaklea FC...5 Sacred Heart '88' Old Boys...4
(after extra time)
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