Blewitt bags the last-gasp winner (From Echo)

Blewitt bags the last-gasp winner

6:10pm Thursday 12th May 2011 in Junior Football

MAN of the match James Blewitt slid the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal with the final kick of the game to give Rayleigh Town a 2-1 victory over Runwell Hospital in the Essex Olympian Senior Division Cup final.

The first half swung from end to end with Runwell hitting the crossbar three times and Rayleigh having a shot headed off the line.

It was not until the 38th minute that Jay Hansell picked up the ball just inside the Runwell half, ran towards the penalty area and rounded a defender to smash the ball into the goal from 18 yards to give his side a 1-0 half time lead.

Runwell started the second half in a determined fashion and repeated attacks resulted in several corners being awarded.

On 63 minutes a free kick wide on the right was floated to the far corner where Matt Baker rose into the air to head the ball back across the goal into the bottom corner and make the score 1-1.

Further attacks by Runwell, who were the dominant side in the second half, were thwarted with one close-range shot crashing against the crossbar.

But, in the 90th minute, a break down the left wing resulted in a cross into the goal area and the winning goal from Blewitt.

This was the third time Rayleigh had won the cup, which was presented by sponsors ProKit UK after the match at AFC Hornchurch’s Bridge Avenue ground.

It was a thoroughly entertaining final which left Runwell runners up for the second time this season after they also lost out in the Essex Premier Cup final.