ALDERSHOT goal machine Gary Abbott scored with the last flick of the game to cap a Hampshire Senior Cup final sickener for Basingstoke Town at The Dell last night.
Abbott's 90th-minute flicked header sealed Stoke's 1-0 demise but Camrose chief Ernie Howe's only thoughts were with defender Toby Redwood, who was stretchered off with a broken leg after a stomach-churning 16th-minute challenge with Shots' former Bournemouth, Havant and Fareham midfielder Neil Champion.
Champion was red-carded by Isle of Wight referee Barrie Wade, much to the disgust of his manager George Borg and the massed ranks of Shots fans among a bumper 3,143 crowd, who were convinced it was a 50-50 clash.
But the severity of Redwood's injury clearly knocked the stuffing out of Basingstoke, who were outpassed and outclassed by the ten men of Aldershot.
In their defence, Stoke went into the final without 36-goal striker Ian Mancey who suffered a calf injury at Sutton on Saturday. What's more, they were denied a perfectly good goal on the stroke of half-time when Steve Harris got on the end of Paul Wilkinson's far-post corner, awarded after keeper Gary Phillips had tipped over Tony Cleeve's 35-yard blast.
The ball was well over the line before Phillips scooped it clear but, after a brief consultation with his linesman, Wade ruled 'no goal' and promptly blew for half-time.
Until then Aldershot had looked the likeliest scorers with Abbott's spectac-ular 18-yard volley narrowly clearing the bar and Harris blocking Abbott's shot for Steve Talboys to sweep the follow-up just wide.
Showing no signs of fatigue after Monday's extra-time exertions in winning the Ryman League Cup, Borg's boys dominated the second half and were never seriously threatened until the 89th minute when Colin Fielder intercepted Cleeve's goal-bound shot from a cross by Wilkinson.
A minute later it was curtains for Basingstoke when ace assassin Abbott diverted Ian Hathaway's centre past Vince Matassa for his 48th goal of an exceptional season.
l Wessex League champions Lym-ington & New Milton suffered their second penalty shoot-out heartbreak within 48 hours when they tumbled out of the semi-finals of the Russell Cotes Cup.
As in the JWL Cup final on Monday, two hours of football failed to produce a goal before Moneyfields triumphed 4-2 on penalties to earn the right to play Totton in the final at Testwood Park next Tuesday (7.45).
Holders Newport are without Navy duo Steve Riley and Dave Wilson for tonight's Isle of Wight Gold Cup final against Brading Town at Cowes Sports (7.30).
The Dr Martens League outfit start as hot favourites to lift the country's most valuable trophy.
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