GFA Minor Cup Final

Frampton Athletic A 1-6 Thornbury Baptist Church FC

HAT-tricks for Ash Tuck and Jimmy Cooke lit up an extraordinary second half display from Thornbury who were a goal down on 21 minutes but turned this final round to romp to a spectacular 6-1 win in the last 20 minutes.

It was Thornbury's second GFA Final win in three years but with the game nervously poised at 1-1 as late as the 70th minute, this was a blistering last twenty minutes about fitness, pace and clinical finishing.

It was a special night at GFA Headquarters in Almondsbury, a place where Thornbury have now played three won three but this far from as easy as the scoreline suggests. Frampton started the better side and with both sides feeling the nerves Frampton compiled a neat move down the left and squared the ball back for the midfield man whose shot was drilled straight at Nick Tymko's right hand and the referee deemed that sufficient to award a penalty.

1-0 down Thornbury looked fragile but were solid in defence with Tymko in particular, determined that the penalty decision would not be the defining moment. The Baps grew into the game and a cross from Jimmy Cooke fizzed across goal with Ash Tuck unable to connect. Reward came on 43 minutes though and it was crucial. John Braid fed Ash Tuck down the right flank and he beat his man before delivering a pinpoint cross for Jimmy Cooke to head home an equaliser and the Thornbury faithful to go wild in the main stand.

It felt like a huge change in momentum but yet even after the break it was Frampton who had the lion's share of possesion. They were unable to penetrate the Thornbury defence though and Thornbury were continuing to grow into this final and always looked the fitter, more capable side.

The game turned on 71 minutes when Nick Tymko took a 40 yard quick free kick to Steve Clare who fed John Cordle and his pinpoint pass found Ash Tuck who cooly flicked the ball past for the onrushing keeper for Thornbury to take what proved to be an unassailable lead.

No-one would have predicted the onslaught that was to come but Thornbury were buoyed with confidence and Frampton suddenly looked a broken side. On 83 minutes Cooke was fouled just outside the box and when Sam Nichols fired against the bar, the ball fell straight to Tuck who nodded home Thornbury's third. He completed a sublime hat-trick just moments later when a Cooke header fell to his feet and with Frampton pushing forward, there was a welth of space for him to invade and he smartly lobbed the ball over the keeper. It was his fifth goal in two finals and in his dual role as fitness coach for the club, he has every reason to be proud of this accomplishment.

On 87 minutes Cooke collected a loose ball on the edge of the area and beat his man before unleashing a powerful left-foot drive that beat the keeper at his near post.

He wasn't to be denied his own hat-trick but it was a bizarre hand ball that gifted him the penalty when the centre-half seemed to pick the ball up on the assumption of a mysterious whistle. Cooke rolled home the penalty and Thornbury were left to cruise to a very special victory. The travelling support from Thornbury was a sight to behold and as Cooke lifted the trophy for the second time in three years and the scenes were no less tame in the skipper's house after hours. Manager Chris Beddoes praised the character of his squad and the fantastic support from the Church and friends of the Club. 'The lads gave all I could ask of them, we were up against it early on but the response was immense, they're a great bunch of lads and I'm chuffed for them'.