HMS HERON Take 3-2 victory in Navy Cup

There was one certainty about this year Navy Cup final At the Royal Navy School of Physical Training, HMS Temeraire on Burnaby Road in Portsmouth, and that was the Navy Cup would be going to Somerset. 40 Commando Royal Marines based in Taunton and HMS Heron from the Yeovilton airbase would ensure the trophy would be toasted with Scrumpy! It was to be a classic encounter, Sailors against Marines.

40 Cdo RM were making there debut in the final, and the Marines Captain Ed Middleton almost gave them a dream start, his goal bound header was cleared off the Heron line early in the match. But 40 Cdo were soon back into the contest when Stu Gould broke clear and smashed in the opener. 1-0 to the Marines.

However a controversial equaliser helped Heron back into the contest with the Marines keeper failing to make much distance with his attempted to punch the ball clear, Robert Rae header was adjudged to have crossed the line, much to the sailors delight and 40 Cdo’s annoyance. Fortune was now on the Navy’s side and a Tom Ardley’s cross met Craig Seamark’s foot and he slotted it home for a 2-1 lead at the break.

Soon after the break the Commando’s were looking strong and a volley towards goal bounced off the cross bar into the waiting arms of Frosty Frost, the Heron keeper. Then parity was restored when the eventual Man of the Match Ed Middleton scored and set up a tense finale to the contest, 2-2.

But it all came down to a reckless challenge from Richie Garman of 40 Cdo. The young left back saw red from the referee as the game entered the final 10 minutes and he swapped his place on the pitch for a seat on the sidelines. Jamie Turnball smashed home the winner for the Somerset airmen three minutes from the whistle. This sweet strike started the celebrations for HMS Heron and they held on for another Navy Cup, this is the sixth time Yeovilton have been crowned Navy Champions, the last in 2007.

Leading Air Engineering Technician Stuart Isaksen, HMS Heron Captain said, “We got the third goal and then just closed the game down for the last three minutes. They were down to ten men and we didn’t look like losing from then.”

The cider was flowing and the Somerset bragging rights go to HMS Heron.