MANGOTSFIELD United finished the season with some silverware after beating Pershore Town to lift the Hellenic League Cup.
After the first leg ended 0-0 at Cossham Street in a tight affair, Pershore, flying high at the top of the Hellenic League First Division, were aiming to win the trophy in front of their own supporters.
But it was the Mangos who would lift the cup, for the first time ever, thanks to two goals from Jaydn Crosbie, who fired them ahead on 36 minutes.
There were chances at both ends after that, but Pershore could not break down our defence, and it was curtains for the hosts late in the second half when Crosbie beat the offside trap and the advancing keeper to make it 2-0.
There are only so many trophies to go around at all levels of football each season, so to win some silverware was a great moment for the club, following a number of lean years both on and off the pitch, and gave everyone some hope that better times lie ahead.
In the league the Mangos won three of their last six games to finish 11th in the Hellenic Premier division.
A 2-0 away win at Wantage Town, three days before the cup triumph, saw Oli Jenkins and Jaydn Crosbie net second-half goals.
Days after the cup win Corsham Town visited Cossham Street, and maybe it was just one game too many as Mangotsfield never really got going, losing 3-0 in front of a good crowd of 279 on what was dubbed Non-League Day, due to the international break.
The next game ended 1-1 away to Roman Glass St George. Oli Jenkins scored after 6 minutes and, after the hosts levelled on 34 minutes, the Mangos put in a battling performance and thoroughly deserved the away point.
Next up was the Mangos’ first-ever visit to Shrivenham, a very decent game. The Mangos led 2-1 at half time, courtesy of early goals by Louis Short (12) & Oli Jenkins (22). Jaydn Crosbie made it 3-1 with 13 minutes to go before the hosts got another goal back on 85 minutes.
The season ended with two home games, the first a 2-1 defeat at home to Malvern Town, who were chasing a play-off spot after being top of the division for a long spell earlier in the season. A thundering header from Oli Jenkins had levelled the game on 49 minutes but the visitors scored a winner with 5 minutes remaining.
The season ended with a 2-0 home win over Lydney Town, with Luke Bence breaking the deadlock after 64 minutes and Jaydn Crosbie sealing the three points with an individual effort in the second minute of added time.
Dave Smale