ALMONDSBURY TOWN ended their season on a high after securing the SBJ Insurance Brokers League Challenge Cup on Bank Holiday Monday. After finishing six points behind eventual Hellenic League winners Hungerford Town in the race for the league title, the Almonds secured some silverware with a 1-0 win over Oxfordshire outfit Carterton.

After winning his first trophy as a manager following three runners-up medals, Paul Weeks said: “We dominated this game apart from a 15-minute spell in the second half.

“If we had taken all the chances we created, we could have won 4-0.”

The game was played at Shrivenham in Berkshire and a healthy crowd of just under 400 were there to see a very one-sided game. With Brad Andrews, Paul Fowler, John Lock and Simon Heal missing, it was an unfamiliar Almonds team that lined up.

Assistant Manager Steve Peters partnered Lee Bridston in the centre of defence while Dave Biggs slotted in at right back. On a very bumpy and hard pitch, the Almonds dominated possession in the first half as Carterton were reduced to hitting long hopeful balls pumped forward to relieve the pressure on them. Chances fell for Kane Ingram, Adam Cole and Kris Davis only to see James Domm in the Carterton goal make several good saves to keep them in the game.

On 31 minutes, the Almonds were awarded a penalty as a driving run into the box by Davis saw him brought down by a desperate a challenge.

Kane Ingram converted the spot kick with a drive straight down the middle to put the Almonds 1-0 up.

Five minutes later and another clumsy challenge left the referee with no option but to give another penalty.

Ingram repeated the earlier penalty by going straight down the middle, only to see the keeper stand his ground and make the save. As the whistle went for half-time the Almonds went in with a 1-0 lead knowing the margin should have been more.

The second half was more of the same as the Almonds again dominated possession as they went in search of the second goal.

Paul Chenoweth, Paul Milsom, Ingram, Cole, Sahr Kabba and Davis all had shots saved by the keeper before Ingram saw a shot come off the top of the crossbar. Carterton had their moments and chances, albeit two of them, when from a corner, a free header from the busy Dureden went unpunished after going narrowly wide. With five minutes to go, a lack of concentration in the Almonds defence saw Michael Dureden presented with a great chance to equalise but he scuffed his effort wide. At the final whistle, there could be no complaints about the Almonds deserving this win, but Carterton made them battle for it in the second half. The squad celebrated in style after the game and the Almonds round off their season on Friday at the official club presentation evening.