SEASON YIELDS SEVEN TITLES FOR STOCKPORT
STOCKPORT have plenty to savour after one of the best season's
in their history, which has yielded no fewer than seven titles.
The Beech Road club have seen two of their teams win league
and cup doubles this term, with the final pieces of missing
silverware won over the course of a memorable weekend at this
year's Daily Telegraph Flags Festival in Rochdale.
Having already won the Men's North of England League Premier
Division title for the first time since 1999, Stockport's
first team defeated Heaton Mersey in this year's Daily Telegraph
Senior Flags final at Bridgefold Road on Sunday.
It was the Cheshire club's second Senior Flags crown in as
many years, their sixth title in the last 30 years.
But not content with that success Stockport A won the Junior
Flags crown again, courtesy of an 11-8 victory over Oldham,
their second honours of the season having won the Division
2 title.
The only disappointment, in an otherwise memorable weekend,
was when Mersey beat Stockport 8-2 in the Boy's Under-16 Junior
& Schools Cup final.
However, Stockport won't be grumbling having seen their Under-19s
also taste success. The teenagers won a historic title-treble,
with honours in the Norman Barber Knockout Cup, Floodlit Conference
League and Ted Donnet Trophy.
"It's been a fantastic season for the club," Anton
Bryant, the Stockport chairman, said. "We have shown
a real strength in depth throughout the whole club."
The highlight of the Festival Weekend was the Senior Flags
final which saw a repeat of last season's final between Stockport
and Mersey.
Mersey trailed 6-0 last year but were only beaten 14-13 in
overtime. It was a close affair again with Mersey having the
better start, but having led 6-4 three quick goals saw the
defending champions edge 7-6 ahead.
And despite a brave performance from the challenges - champions
last in 2002 - there was no way back after they lost the third
quarter 5-0.
Co-captains Paul Fullerton and Chris Bland led from the front
for Stockport with hat-tricks, while James Morris (2) Owen
Jones (2), Richard Wilson (2), Keith Gosnay and Thomas Gosnay
were also on the scoresheet.
Midfielder Sam Dunwoodie hit a hat-trick for Mersey, Chris
Battersby and Dan Heighway grabbed doubles, with Andy Ellison,
American attacker Matt Florio and Steve Grace also on the
mark.
"It was a great team performance," praised Fullerton.
"When we needed to be strong, we were. It was neck and
neck at the start but we showed a lot of character to win.
"James Morris was fantastic in the face-off, he won lots
of ground balls, and our defence was fantastic as well."
Mersey co-captain Nick Gilmore praised his team for a battling
display, but was understandably disappointed with defeat.
"We started off well but didn't perform in the third
quarter," admitted Gilmore. "It's always going to
be hard to win when you go five goals behind."
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