2015 Football League Trophy final

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2015 Football League Trophy Final
Wembley Stadium, illuminated.jpg
The final took place at Wembley Stadium
Event 2014–15 Football League Trophy
Walsall Bristol City
02
Date22 March 2015
Venue Wembley Stadium, London
Man of the Match Mark Little (Bristol City)
Referee Mick Russell
Attendance72,315
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The 2015 Football League Trophy Final was the 32nd final of the domestic cup involving the 48 teams from Football League One and Football League Two, the respective third and fourth tiers of English football.

Contents

The final took place at Wembley Stadium in London on 22 March 2015 with Bristol City winning their third title with a 2–0 win over Walsall, who were making their first appearance at Wembley in their 127-year history. [1] [2] The third win made Bristol City the most successful team in the history of the tournament. [3]

The match was refereed by Mick Russell. [4]

Background

At the time of the final, Bristol City were 10 points clear at the top of the League One table, 37 above Walsall. Bristol City had previously played at Wembley in 2008, when they lost the Championship playoff final to Hull City. [3]

Route to the final

Walsall

Walsall, of League One, arrived in the final as winners of the Northern section. They were given a bye in the first round, and started in the second round on 7 October 2014 with a 1–0 away win over fellow League One team Rochdale at Spotland, Mathieu Manset scoring the only goal in the 23rd minute. [5] On 12 November, in the quarter-finals, Walsall hosted Sheffield United and again won by a single goal, from Romaine Sawyers. [6]

On 9 December in the semi-finals, they travelled to Prenton Park to play League Two Tranmere Rovers, and trailed 0–2 at half time after conceding from Max Power and Kayode Odejayi. In the second half, they equalised with goals by Anthony Forde and Michael Cain. The score remained the same throughout extra time, and the game went to a penalty shootout, in which the first to miss was Walsall's Ashley Grimes, whose shot was saved by Tranmere's Owain Fôn Williams. However, Tranmere's Liam Ridehalgh hit the crossbar and Marc Laird's attempt was saved by Walsall goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell, then Paul Downing scored to put Walsall through. [7]

In the Northern section final, Walsall played Preston North End over two legs. The first, away at Deepdale on 7 January 2015, was a 2–0 win for Walsall with late goals by a Forde free kick and Tom Bradshaw intercepting a backwards pass by Scott Wiseman. [8] A goalless draw 20 days later in the second game at the Bescot Stadium confirmed Walsall's place in the final. [9]

Bristol City

Bristol City, also of League One, were also given a bye in the first round of the Southern section, so began on 8 October in the second round away to League Two Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road. They won 3–1, with Wes Burns scoring the first goal and Korey Smith the other two. [10] On 11 November in the quarter-finals at Ashton Gate, they defeated another fourth-tier team, AFC Wimbledon, 2–1. Aaron Wilbraham scored two late goals, despite a consolation by George Francomb. [11] In the semi-finals on 10 December, again at home, Bristol City won 2–0 against Coventry City with a goal in either half from Derrick Williams and Wilbraham. [12]

In the Southern final against Gillingham, Bristol City won the first leg 4–2 at Priestfield Stadium on 6 January 2015: Cody McDonald scored twice for the hosts, but Matt Smith netted four times for the visitors. [13] In the second leg on the 29th, Matt Smith opened the scoring and Jermaine McGlashan equalised in the first half, but Bristol City nonetheless advanced 5–3 on aggregate. [14]

Match

Pre-match

Supporters of Bristol City and their local rival Bristol Rovers walked 100 miles to the match over four-and-a-half days, to raise money for private surgery for six-year-old mascot Oskar Pycroft. Pycroft has cerebral palsy and surgery could result in him being able to walk. [15]

Synopsis

Bristol City gained the lead after 15 minutes, Aden Flint heading a Marlon Pack corner past Walsall goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell. [16] Walsall then had chances to equalise by Sam Mantom and Andy Taylor. Five minutes into the second half, Mark Little, a winner in the previous season's final with Peterborough United, scored a second after O'Donnell had saved his header. Walsall's Jordan Cook hit the post, and Bristol City's Aaron Wilbraham had a goal disallowed for offside. [3]

Details

Walsall 0–2 Bristol City
Report
  • Flint Soccerball shade.svg15'
  • Little Soccerball shade.svg51'
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,315
Referee: Mick Russell
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body thin blackhoops.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Walsall
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body whitecollarplain.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks whitetop.png
Kit socks long.svg
Bristol City
GK1 Flag of England.svg Richard O'Donnell
RB2 Flag of England.svg Ben Purkiss
CB15 Flag of England.svg James Chambers
CB6 Flag of England.svg Paul Downing
LB3 Flag of England.svg Andy Taylor
CM7 Flag of England.svg Adam Chambers (c)
CM8 Flag of England.svg Sam Mantom
RW27 Flag of Ireland.svg Anthony Forde Sub off.svg 74'
AM10 Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg Romaine Sawyers Yellow card.svg 38'
LW21 Flag of England.svg Jordan Cook Sub off.svg 81'
CF9 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Tom Bradshaw Sub off.svg 62'
Substitutes:
GK13 Flag of England.svg Craig MacGillivray
DF4 Flag of England.svg James O'Connor
MF11 Flag of England.svg James Baxendale Sub on.svg 81'
MF12 Flag of England.svg Michael Cain
MF17 Flag of England.svg Reece Flanagan
FW24 Flag of England.svg Ashley Grimes Sub on.svg 74'
FW30 Flag of England.svg Jordy Hiwula Sub on.svg 62'
Manager:
Flag of England.svg Dean Smith
GK1 Flag of England.svg Frank Fielding
CB22 Flag of England.svg Luke Ayling
CB4 Flag of England.svg Aden Flint
CB3 Flag of Ireland.svg Derrick Williams
RM2 Flag of England.svg Mark Little
CM7 Flag of England.svg Korey Smith
CM21 Flag of England.svg Marlon Pack
LM23 Flag of England.svg Joe Bryan Sub off.svg 87'
AM15 Flag of England.svg Luke Freeman Sub off.svg 90'
CF18 Flag of England.svg Aaron Wilbraham
CF19 Flag of England.svg Kieran Agard Sub off.svg 89'
Substitutes:
GK13 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Dave Richards
DF17 Flag of Ireland.svg Greg Cunningham Sub on.svg 87'
DF24 Flag of England.svg James Tavernier
MF8 Flag of England.svg Wade Elliott Sub on.svg 90'
MF11 Flag of England.svg Scott Wagstaff
MF12 Flag of England.svg George Saville
FW10 Flag of England.svg Jay-Emmanuel Thomas Sub on.svg 89'
Manager:
Flag of England.svg Steve Cotterill

Post-match

Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill said that despite the gap between the two teams in the league table, Walsall were a difficult side to beat. He said that for a lot of his players, it would be the start of their careers. [3] His Walsall counterpart Dean Smith expressed disappointment with his team's performance, saying that for reasons of height it was likely that they would concede from a corner. He added that nerves may have played a part in the defeat, as most of his players were young and had never played in front of such a large crowd before. [3]

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References

  1. ↑ "Bristol City confirm Wembley date". The Football League. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Walsall's Wembley near-misses". The Football League. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Chapman, Caroline (22 March 2015). "Bristol City 2–0 Walsall". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Mick Russell to referee Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final". The Football League. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "Rochdale 0–1 Walsall". BBC Sport. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Walsall 1–0 Sheff Utd". BBC Sport. 12 November 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Walsall book JPT area final spot". Sky Sports. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "Preston 0–2 Walsall". BBC Sport. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Scott, Ged (27 January 2015). "Walsall 0–0 Preston". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  10. ↑ "Cheltenham 1–3 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "Bristol City 2–1 Wimbledon". BBC Sport. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  12. ↑ "Bristol City 2–0 Coventry". BBC Sport. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "Gillingham 2–4 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  14. ↑ Chapman, Caroline (29 January 2015). "Bristol City 1–1 Gillingham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  15. ↑ "Bristol City and Rovers fans arrive at Wembley, after walking from Bristol". BBC News. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  16. ↑ "Bristol City tick off their first objective with comfortable win over Walsall". The Guardian. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
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