The Cherry Godfrey Centenary Muratti final replay against Guernsey had everything that is good in the game and much, much more.
Six goals and numerous incidents played out at a fantastic pace in front of an appreciative, passionate crowd of around 3,000 made this one of the great finals.
But two goals from Ross Crick and a great header from defender Stuart André were not enough to lift the Vase for the fourth year in a row.
Coach Dave Matthews’ boys will, instead, be in a daze this morning after leading twice in a 3-3 draw, then losing a penalty shoot-out 3-2.
Said a shattered Matthews: ‘I think if we would have turned them over 4-2 at full time it would have been a fair result.
But if you don’t score you don’t win games and it’s cruel, it’s really, really cruel – but that’s football, isn’t it?’ Well though Guernsey played in a pulsating match, it should have been Jersey celebrating victory at the end of normal time.
Or, if not after 90 minutes, then certainly at the end of extra time.
But twice the Sarnians came back from the dead, the last occasion being the cruellest, in the dying seconds of extra time.
For Jersey were certain they had sealed the most dramatic of 3-2 victories with Crick’s second.
But when the irrepressible David Rihoy – unlucky not to win the man-of-the-match award – conjured up more magic on the left, his cross found its way to the far post where the ball bounced up invitingly for substitute Jon Veron to lash past Jersey’s James Styles.
The players had barely time to draw breath before the final whistle and the realisation that penalties, for the first time in 100 years, were going to decide the Muratti.
Jersey will hope it’s another 100 before it happens again.
Nathan Pattimore, taking guard at the end where he had been the target for a small allotment’s worth of carrots thrown by the Jersey fans, made his tormentors suffer badly.
Three times he saved kicks, from Dave Brodie, Chris Andrews, and, lastly, from André to secure victory.
Jersey were always behind in the sequence, despite James Hayward and Crick, with his third of the day, being on target.
Guernsey’s kicks, from Ollie McKenzie, Steve Bréhaut and Dominic Heaume (Veron’s effort, the fourth, was saved by Styles and their fifth kick was not required) led to wild and totally understandable celebrations.
But it should have been Jersey captain Andrews receiving the Vase from the Bailiff, Sir Philip Bailhache, not Guernsey’s old warhorse John Nobes.
Having trailed in the ninth minute – André’s superb goal-line clearance from Heaume counting for naught when Duffy rifled home the rebound from 12 yards – Jersey equalised two minutes later.
A long-ball from Brodie found Crick charging through on the right.
The striker kept calm, rounded Pattimore, and tucked home a low shot.
Guernsey had done most of the early pressing, but with Matthews having set out his side to gain width – playing strikers Dave Le Roux and Craig Leitch wide of Crick and Jimmy Reilly, it was clear that Jersey would create problems for a Guernsey side that initially tried to defend high up the pitch.
The Sarnians had had eight attempts, of varying quality, to Jersey’s one in the first 20 minutes, but the home side soon turned that around with André forcing a low diving save out of Pattimore, and Leitch and Brodie having efforts blocked.
Jersey took the lead on 25 minutes from the second of a brace of Leitch corner kicks on the right.
The first had been cleared at the near post, but the second invited classy defender André to rise high at the far post and head powerfully through Pattimore’s flailing arms.
A comedy of errors by the Guernsey defence in the 40th minute should have seen Jersey 3-1 up, but Leitch eventually fired wide.
The game was delightfully open and played in a sporting manner, although Jon Fitzmaurice was booked for a tackle from behind in first-half stoppage time.
Jersey started the second determined to improve on their 2-1 lead – and in their best period of the match they had glorious chances to do so.
A long ball, headed on by Reilly, put Crick clear in the box but he missed the chance by trying to take the ball round Pattimore as he had for his first.
Le Roux, Brodie and Leitch were providing excellent service into the box, but the vital two-goal cushion would not materialise.
Crick created an opportunity for Leitch but the youngster’s shot lacked conviction; Reilly just failed to get a touch from a Brodie free kick, then wanted far too much time to shoot following a great cross from Leitch.
Jersey’s chances came …
and they went.
And, yes, they were to be punished.
On 66 minutes a long throw-in from the right by Darren Martin was headed on by Duffy and when the ball reached the eager Heaume he joyfully tucked it home past Styles.
Jersey still created the better openings, with the industrious Andrews forcing Pattimore to turn his powerful shot over the bar after good work from Crick.
But now it was anybody’s game.
Sam Cochrane was booked for a foul on Reilly as tiredness started to become a problem with several players – hardly surprising, given the relentless pace.
But they weren’t to be spared extra time, despite good efforts from Brodie and Heaume to decide it one way or the other.
At the end of 90 minutes the stats declared that both sides had had 18 attempts on goal.
The difference between this and the initial goal-less and thrill-less draw at Foote’s Lane could hardly have been more marked.
Jersey, however, had undoubtedly had the clearer chances and it was to their credit that they still did the pushing for the additional 30 minutes.
Guernsey sub Matt Le Cras was booked for an altercation with Leitch after the latter had attempted to block a long throw in, but the match hadn’t been niggly and was once again well refereed by Championship official Phil Joslin.
Great work from Brodie and Fitzmaurice created a near post chance for Andrews, but the captain fired narrowly wide.
Brodie was increasing his influence on the game as the players around him tired.
In the second period of extra time Chris Carter came on for his Muratti début in place of the exhausted-looking Leitch, who had given his all.
John Nobes was booked for coming through on Crick and Guernsey boss Steve Ogier then looked to his son Etienne for fresh legs, bringing him on to replace Cochrane.
Luc Le Mière won his first Muratti cap when he replaced Le Roux who had hurt himself while making a tackle.
He only had six minutes to make an impression, but he did so immediately.
Wide on the right, he slung over a cross that Nobes looked certain to clear, but the Guernsey fans were horrified when their captain let the ball slip under his body and into the path of Reilly.
Reilly took the ball on to the left of ‘keeper Pattimore and looked to have missed the opening by going too wide.
But if his legs were tired his brain wasn’t and a back-heel found Crick with time and room to pick his spot from five metres.
Guernsey were shattered.
Or so one of the noisiest crowds ever heard at Springfield imagined.
But they recovered in impressive style to launch their final attack – and produce the first drawn replay in Muratti history since 1937, with Veron’s cruel strike.
Sixty-eight years ago, following 2-2 and 3-3 draws, the trophy was famously shared.
But Dave Matthews and his gallant Jersey side were not destined to enjoy even that – though it was the very least they deserved.
