Having only beaten them on penalties in the cup last year and having grabbed two very late goals to win 3-2 in the league two weeks ago, Sevenoaks Hurricanes knew they faced a stiff test to try and win a CDJFL cup for the first time in Sevenoaks illustrious history.
In blustery conditions on a bumpy pitch, the game set off with Sevenoaks in their unfamiliar green away kit, soon in command. However, a combination of alert keeping from Jake Garrett in the Wateringbury goal and some superb defending from Ethan Goodyer kept the Hurricanes at bay. With the unlucky Vinnie Collard hitting the post, it looked like the sides would go in level at half time. The Hurricanes then unleashed one of their many set piece moves with another prodigious throw from Jake Mears being nodded into the six yard box by Will Grinstead (the Sevenoaks captain) for Ben Graham to coolly slot home. 1-0.
However, Wateringbury came out fighting in the second half with the wind at their backs and had equalised within two minutes of the restart. A free kick by Obi Wyril from the half way line cleared the aerial battle for the ball on the edge of the box and Ollie Pryal nipped in to poke it past the onrushing Joseph Keeler in the Sevenoaks goal. 1-1. Despite good build up play, Sevenoaks were struggling to carve out many opportunities whilst Wateringbury continued to make incursions and looked far more menacing.
The Sevenoaks backline and keeper have one of the best defensive records in the league this season and again were proving hard to break down. Then out of nothing, with 15 minutes left, Joe Houghton picked the ball up in midfield and from 40 yards hit an absolute screamer that went in off the cross bar leaving the keeper with no chance. 2-1 Wateringbury.
Sevenoaks tried to find a way through and started to push players up in a bid for an equaliser. With just three minutes to go, they again reverted to a long throw which again landed on the edge of the six yard box and was well shielded by Zac Austen before a turn, swivel and shot in off the far post. 2-2 and all to play for. The game was already in injury time when Will Grinstead found himself in left midfield and instinctively knocked a majestic 40 yard cross field ball for Max Novell to run onto and strike first time. The Wateringbury keeper had little time to set himself and could only parry the ball into the net. One minute later Joseph Keeler calmly caught the last shot of the match and it was full time.
The disappointment of losing in the final on penalties the previous year was forgotten and the Hurricanes had ended a barren run in the competition for Sevenoaks Town JFC.
