Canvey Island 2-3 Hednesford Town

The FA Trophy Final
Aston Villa FC, Birmingham
Sunday, 23rd May 2004

Hednesford assistant player manager Chris Brindley went from zero to hero by netting a stunning late winner after earlier scoring an own goal.

Brindley, 34, fired in on the half-volley from the edge of the area with just four minutes remaining to help underdogs Hednesford claim the FA Trophy for the first time in their history.

It was a thrilling finish to a roller-coaster game in which Canvey had stormed back after trailing at half-time.

Hednesford, who finished in the bottom three in the Dr Marten's League, took the lead on 27 minutes when Anthony Maguire turned the ball into the empty net after Danny Potter had produced a superb save.

It was a shock to Canvey who were favourites to lift the Trophy for the second time in four years after blazing their way to the Ryman League title this season.

But the Essex side came out storming after the break and grabbed two goals within 47 seconds to take the advantage.

First, prolific striker Lee Boylan headed in unmarked just six yards out from Chris Duffy's pinpoint cross from the left.

And before Hednesford could recover they had conceded again as Brindley bundled into his own net as he attempted to keep out Boylan's exquisite chip over goalkeeper Ryan Young.

However, Les Hines levelled it up again at 2-2 on 52 minutes with a fantastic curling free-kick into the top corner of the net.

Carl Palmer then went close for Hednesford, but extra-time looked a certainty before defender Brindley somehow found himself on the edge of the box during a swift attack and rifled his shot into the net.

"I've been playing for 20 years and never hit one like that before," publican Brindley admitted after the game. "I doubt I'll ever hit one like that again, so I guess it's a good time to do it!

"I was feeling really guilty because I had a nightmare with Canvey's two goals. The first one I was caught ball-watching and then I bundled in the second myself. And I didn't want extra-time because my legs had gone.

"I'm sure everyone in my pub was laughing at me at half-time, but they'll be having a big party on me tonight."

Canvey Island manager Jeff King said: "I'm upset we didn't win, but Hednesford got a great goal to win it.

"I thought we'd turned it around when we went 2-1 up and I felt we would then be on top. But we gave away a free-kick on the edge of the box and got punished for it.

"My players have been magnificent all season, though. We've won our league title, but it just was not to be today."

Canvey Island Goals: Boylan 46, Brindley (og) 47

Hednesford Town Goals: Maguire 27, Hines 52, Brindley 87