Bradenham made the long journey to Corton knowing that both teams were safe though, both teams would gain a near mid table position by gaining three points from this fixture. Bradenham found themselves with a very serious player shortage amazingly with nearly 60 players signed on and a reserve team without any fixture, the team sheet looked very short of regular players.
Manager Les Tufts found himself having to start up front , with the Subs bench looking more like a veterans reunion, Mick Alcock, Nigel Garner and Chairman Dale Brown supplying the back up for the starting 11, with a combined age of 145 years, between them this was older the whole back line and half the midfield. Bradenham soon got into the game out passing the Corton midfield and making headway down the home flanks, Carl Bush sent in two early crosses that caused problems in the home defence and Olly Ramsbotham’s pace was causing havoc. Ricky Forder and Ryan Seabright forged a solid partnership in the middle of the park holding any Corton advance at bay. On 15 minutes the deadline was broken when the right foot of Les Tufts fired the ball past the bewildered keeper, after Les had turned the fullback inside out.
On 25 minutes it was again Les Tufts who wound back the years to demonstrate how to finish in front of goal, smashing the ball past the keeper after hi spilled save. The 2-0 score line really settled the travelling Bradenham team who really started stroking the ball round the park nicely. Corton probed towards the Bradenham goal and had several corners though skipper Richard Melton stood strong with his defence, Matt Miller, Ashby, Joe Steel and keeper Scott Cruikshank. Half time 2-0.
Bradenham continued to dominate into the 2nd half with Les Tufts managing to take on oxygen during the break at half time. On 58 minutes Les Tufts surged into the box nut megging the fullback and with two possibly intentional step overs left the centre back dazed to rocket the ball into the net from an acute angle, this sealed a wonderful hat trick for Les something for every to savour at his very mature age of ??. Les was remembered from the side line by a former Gt Yarmouth Town supporter who enjoyed watching Les score for fun for Yarmouth in the 70s. Les soon left the field of play for veteran Reserve team Manager Nigel Garner to bolster the diamond formation, demonstrating the drag back which never went out of fashion. On 70 minutes Tom Spalding who had worked tirelessly the whole game popped up to score another excellent goal. With just under 20 minutes left Mick Alcock slotted into the left back position adding balance to the rest of the back line, who looked a little one sided, Mick broke down a Corton Break to deliver the ball into the path of the energetic Ramsbotham who shot wide.
The game was breaking into an end of season canter with Ricky Forder showing signs of tiring, Manager for the day Alan Read made the decision to replace Forder and add some energy into the team, Chairman Dale Brown entered the field of play like an exited 16 year old but soon remembered he was 40 something and slowed the game down, opting for the long aerial game. The dying minutes saw a treble save by Bradenham Keeper Scott Cruikshank that would not have been out of place of any Premiership top flight game, truly outstanding and an excellent clean sheet. Final score Corton, 0 Bradenham 4, Congratulations to Les Tufts on his excellent hat trick and outstanding contribution to the game and the management skills of Allan Read for the result of the season with a team pulled together at short notice. The day owes itself to a bunch of friends out to have a good day out just how football used to be well done you Bulldogs, we all look forward to the break with the next season in the front of our minds.
