Brading Town booked their place in the Memorial Cup final after a pulsating semi-final at Vicarage Lane on Saturday 28th March was decided in the most dramatic fashion.
Kicking down the slope in the 1st half, the Romans came flying out of the blocks and nearly made it count on 7 minutes when Luke Glynn sent an overhead kick crashing against the crossbar.
Bembridge goalkeeper Ballinger was called into action on 24 minutes with a sharp save, but he was picking the ball out of his net moments later. Caleb Dyer seized possession on halfway, surged forward and coolly slotted past Ballinger to make it (1-0).
Brading kept their foot firmly on the pedal, with Jake Keetch powering a header onto the crossbar on 37 minutes, while a string of late corners had Bembridge under heavy pressure at the end of the half.
Half Time: Brading Town 1-0 Bembridge & Vectis
The Romans nearly doubled their lead just 2 minutes after the restart when Niall Powell fired narrowly wide, but the contest soon turned on its head.
Kirby went close on 56 minutes before Bembridge found the equaliser a minute later, Symes forcing the ball home after it had been cleared off the line to level the scores at (1-1).
Momentum swung fully in the visitors’ favour on 64 minutes when Michael Brown produced a moment of real quality, lifting a superb 30-yard lob over Kieran Williams to make it (1-2).
Bembridge threatened to take control completely, with Symes striking the corner of the post and upright on 66 minutes, while Ballinger produced a superb save to deny Scott Lawson on 79 minutes as Brading searched desperately for a way back.
The game then took a dramatic turn late on.
Bembridge & Vectis were reduced to 10 men when Aaron Shepherd was shown a red card, before Sibbick was also dismissed in stoppage time, leaving the visitors down to 9 men as the clock ticked into added time.
And with the final seconds slipping away, Brading found their moment.
Jake Keetch rose highest to power home a dramatic header on 90+2 minutes, hauling the Romans level at (2-2) and sending Vicarage Lane into celebration as the tie went to penalties.
Full Time: Brading Town 2-2 Bembridge & Vectis
In the shootout, Brading held their nerve, converting all 4 penalties through Lawson, Bennett, Keetch and Knowles.
The defining moment belonged to Kieran Williams, who saved Bembridge’s 2nd penalty twice after it was ordered to be retaken, before also denying the 4th effort to seal the win.
Penalties: Brading Town 4-2 Bembridge & Vectis
Brading Town: K. Williams, Powell, Collins, Dalimer, Knowles, Lawson, Keetch, Dyer, Glynn, Bennett, Vale. Subs: Glynn, Johnson, Fallon. Man-of-the-Match: Kieran Williams
Bembridge & Vectis: Ballinger, Sibbick, Barratt, Hutcheson, Shepherd, Shaw, Symes, Snow, Brown, Malin, Kirby. Subs: Jackson, Newham, Furness
After the game, Brading manager Dan Partridge said:
“Immensely proud of the lads. The way they kept going till the end to dig out the result. Then to keep our cool in the shootout and huge credit to Kizza (keeper) for a superb shootout performance.
To make it to a final in my first year here is a very proud moment but more so for this fantastic group of players.”
Bembridge & Vectis said via social media:
“Very frustrating day as we deserved to win after the second half performance, and difficult to take when we’re not even getting the correct rules applied.
“Very proud of our team’s performance.”
Brading will now face the winner of West Wight and Whitecroft & Barton Sports in the Memorial Cup final, with the Romans now just 1 win away from lifting the trophy.
W&B advanced to the semi final at the expense of East Cowes Vics Reserves, who were unable to raise a side.
In the Junior B Cup…
Binstead & COB Reserves 4-1 Bembridge & Vectis A
Binstead Reserves booked their place in the Junior B Final with a superb 4–1 comeback win over Bembridge & Vectis A. After a slow start and going 0-1 down, a second-half turnaround – sparked by key substitutions – changed everything. Ryan Marchbank equalised from the spot after a handball incident which saw a Bembridge player red carded, before Sam McInnes struck twice, and Alfie Woodhouse sealed it in style with a stunning 90th-minute finish.
In Harwoods Division 1…
High Park 3-0 Northwood SJ
Matt Ogden, Harry Taylor and Harry Bell Gregory were on target for 6th-placed High Park as they saw off Northwood at Wootton Rec.
Shanklin 4-1 Oakfield
4th-placed Shanklin won their final game at the County Ground this season by beating 2nd-from-bottom Oakfield thanks to a brace from Lewis Parsons and further goals from Pete Wilson and Rory Day.
In Harwoods Division 2…
Binstead & COB 2-0 Newchurch
3rd-placed Binstead beat 2nd-from-bottom Newchurch in tough conditions at the Molehill. After a frustrating first half, George Downer grabbed his first goal for the home side early in the 2nd half, with Tyler Thorne later wrapping up the win. A crucial goal-line block from Daz Powell helped preserve the lead as Binstead dug in to secure all 3 points.
Niton 3-0 Seaview
Jack Barsdell bagged a brace with James Evans also on the score sheet as 6th-placed Niton comfortably beat bottom club Seaview at Springhead.
Sandown & Lake 4-1 Newport Reserves
Leaders Sandown & Lake remain unbeaten after knocking 4 past Port Reserves at the Fairway Sports Complex. Robbie Shepherd had given the visitors a goal advantage at half time before a brace from Ethan Dicker and further goals from Wilf Roberts and Dylan Andrews saw Sandown to victory.
Scorers provided where known.
Isle of Wight football results for Saturday 28th March
Memorial Cup semi final
Brading Town 2-2 Bembridge & Vectis
Junior B semi final
Binstead & COB Reserves 4-1 Bembridge & Vectis A
Harwoods Division 1
High Park 3-0 Northwood SJ
Shanklin 4-1 Oakfield
Division 2
Binstead & COB 2-0 Newchurch
Niton 3-0 Seaview
Pan 0-4 Ryde Saints
Sandown & Lake 4-1 Newport Reserves
Combination 1
ECS Reserves 4-1 Sandown & Lake Reserves
Osborne Coburg Reserves 5-2 High Park Reserves
West Wight Reserves 1-4 Brading Town Reserves
Combination 2
High Park A 1-3 West Wight A
