Durham County FA 2-3 Bedfordshire County FA

The FA County Youth Cup in partnership with Pepsi
The Final
3pm, Saturday 29 April 2006
Darlington FC

Bedfordshire won the FA County Youth Cup following a dramatic late show, where they hit two goals inside the final six minutes to defeat nine-man Durham and put their name on the trophy for the first time in 51 years.

Durham felt hard done-by after 11 minutes when Beds skipper Jason Darvall tumbled in the box to give striker Adam Cunnington the chance to coolly convert his sixth goal in the competition from the penalty spot.

The northerners then struggled to get any rhythm in a lacklustre first-half and, by the 56th minute, they were down to nine men after Chris Basham was red-carded. Phil Hall was then ordered off after receiving two yellow cards in the space of ten minutes.

But Durham showed great fighting spirit by equalising through tricky winger Adam Forrest in the 60th minute and then amazingly took the lead when skipper Brown powered home a 73rd minute header.

Beds got a route back into the game following an equaliser with six minutes to play after confusion inside the Durham penalty area. 

Bedfordshire ‘keeper Niki Lawson threw the ball out of play for a team-mate to get treatment and Referee Anthony Taylor gave a re-start with a drop-ball inside the box, resulting in Craig Grieve driving home an 84th minute equaliser.

Just a minute later, full-back Callum Lewis scored a superb solo goal for the Bedfordshire winner.

It got even worse for The North-Easterners. Taylor confirmed that, after the final whistle, he had sent off two further players - skipper Graeme Brown and Ian Davidson - both for foul and abusive language.

Beds Boss Kevin Thoburn said: “At 1-0 we should have been home and dry but Durham put in a fantastic effort which they can be proud of. We looked dead and buried but my players are a resilient bunch. We always have loads of self-belief and when we got the equaliser, I knew we would go on and win the Cup.”

Teams:

Durham: Lawson Burns Davidson Basham Brown P Hall Forrest Magnay Pennock (Hunter 77) Thackray (McRoy 46) Coe
Subs not used: Hindhaugh, Campbell, Robertshaw

Goals: Forrest 60, Brown 73

Bedfordshire: Tompkins Lewis Moulds Grieve Lynch Walsh (Thrower 46) J Hall Darvall Cunnington Howson (Funge 74) Douglas (Woodley 86)
Subs not used: Catling, Childs

Goals: Cunnington 11, Grieve 84, Lewis 85