2015 Football League Trophy Final

2015 Football League Trophy Final
The final took place at Wembley Stadium
Event 2014–15 Football League Trophy
Walsall Bristol City
0 2
Date 22 March 2015
Venue Wembley Stadium, London
Man of the Match Mark Little (Bristol City)
Referee Mick Russell
Attendance 72,315

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.

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][4]

The match was refereed by Mick Russell.[5]

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.[6] On 12 November, in the quarter-finals, Walsall hosted Sheffield United and again won by a single goal, from Romaine Sawyers.[7]

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.[8]

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.[9] A goalless draw 20 days later in the second game at the Bescot Stadium confirmed Walsall's place in the final.[10]

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.[11] 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.[12] 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.[13]

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.[14] 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.[15]

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.[16]

Synopsis

Bristol City gained the lead after 15 minutes, Aden Flint heading a Marlon Pack corner past Walsall goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell.[17] 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  15'
Little  51'
Attendance: 72,315
Referee: Mick Russell
Walsall
Bristol City
GK1England Richard O'Donnell
RB2England Ben Purkiss
CB15England James Chambers
CB6England Paul Downing
LB3England Andy Taylor
DM7England Adam Chambers (c)
DM8England Sam Mantom
RW27Republic of Ireland Anthony Forde 74'
AM10Saint Kitts and Nevis Romaine Sawyers
LW21England Jordan Cook 81'
CF9Wales Tom Bradshaw 62'
Substitutes:
GK13England Craig MacGillivray
DF4England James O'Connor
MF11England James Baxendale 81'
MF12England Michael Cain
MF17England Reece Flanagan
FW24England Ashley Grimes 74'
FW30England Jordy Hiwula 62'
Manager:
England Dean Smith
GK1England Frank Fielding
RB22England Luke Ayling
CB4England Aden Flint
LB3Republic of Ireland Derrick Williams
RM2England Mark Little
CM7England Korey Smith
CM21England Marlon Pack
LM23England Joe Bryan 87'
AM15England Luke Freeman 90'
CF18England Aaron Wilbraham
CF19England Kieran Agard 89'
Substitutes:
GK13Wales Dave Richards
DF17Republic of Ireland Greg Cunningham 87'
DF24England James Tavernier
MF8England Wade Elliott 90'
MF11England Scott Wagstaff
MF12England George Saville
FW10England Jay-Emmanuel Thomas 89'
Manager:
England 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]

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. ↑ "Bristol City 2–0 Walsall: Steve Cotterill's side ease to Johnstone's Paint Trophy victory thanks to Aden Flint and Mark Little goals". Daily Mail. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "Mick Russell to referee Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final". The Football League. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Rochdale 0–1 Walsall". BBC Sport. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Walsall 1–0 Sheff Utd". BBC Sport. 12 November 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "Walsall book JPT area final spot". Sky Sports. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Preston 0–2 Walsall". BBC Sport. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Scott, Ged (27 January 2015). "Walsall 0–0 Preston". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "Cheltenham 1–3 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  12. ↑ "Bristol City 2–1 Wimbledon". BBC Sport. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "Bristol City 2–0 Coventry". BBC Sport. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  14. ↑ "Gillingham 2–4 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  15. ↑ Chapman, Caroline (29 January 2015). "Bristol City 1–1 Gillingham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  16. ↑ "Bristol City and Rovers fans arrive at Wembley, after walking from Bristol". BBC News. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  17. ↑ "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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