Saturday 4th May 2002
Heath Hayes 2 Westfields 2
Express & Star League Premier Division
At: Coppice Colliery Ground
Kick-off: 12:45 pm
Admission: £2; Programme: none
Attendance: 25 (headcount)
Weather: sunny spells
Duration: first half: 47:04; second half 48:18
The 2002 FA Cup Final took place, unusually, on the first Saturday of May before the last programme of Premier League games. As Stafford finished their 2001/02 fixtures last Saturday at Moor Green, I took advantage of a free Saturday to visit a previously unvisited ground not too far from home.
Following a goalless first half, Westfields looked to have opened up a match-winning advantage with two quick goals just after the hour mark. Matt Phillips got down the left in the 64th minute all the way to the bye-line. He pulled the ball back to Matt Beale who fired home a rising shot into the top right corner. The lead was doubled two minutes later through Paul Burton with a low short from 15 yards into the bottom right corner of the net.
Heath Hayes replied within a minute when David Egan got to the bye-line and found Andrew Tuck. His initial shot hit defender Phillips but Tuck got a second bite and sent the ball into the bottom left corner from six yards out.
In a glut of quick goals, partly was restored in the 71st minute to earn the home side a point, It was Justin Blakemore’s turn to pull the ball back from the bye-line. Westfields’ goalkeeper could only parry the cross and David Egan ran in to slot home from barely 3 yards out.
Egan could have scored the winner but Pugh got down to save.
Heath Hayes (blue and white stripes / blue / blue): 1. Chris Ward, 2. Elliott Blake, 3. David Brierley, 4. Andrew Jones, 5. John Crutchley, 6. Brendan Bird, 7. Andrew Tuck, 8. Stuart Turnbull, 9. Warren Instep, 10. David Egan, 11. Justin Blakemore. Subs: 12. Matthew Barker (for Instep, 78), 14. Richard Burrows (for Bird, 49), 15. Paul Kent (not used).
Westfields (sky and claret stripes / sky blue / sky blue): 1. John Pugh, 2. Robbie Weaver, 3. Matt Phillips (capt), 4. Kevin Jinks, 5. Darren Lynch, 6. Wayne Hoskins, 7. Derek Craddock, 8. Mark Hibbard, 9. Paul Burton, 10. Matt Beale, 11. Chris Jefferson. Subs: 12. Rob Cooper-Tomkins (not used), 14. Richard Legdon (for Craddock, 52), 15. John Williams (not used).
Referee: Mr Sharratt (Burton on Trent).
Goals:
0-1 Matt Beale (64)
0-2 Paul Burton (66)
1-2 Andrew Tuck (67)
2-2 David Egan (71)
Cards:
Heath Hayes: none
Westfields: Paul Burton (YC, 90)
