A SEASON that started for Cinderford Town with the aim of staying in the Hellenic Premier ended with promotion after a play-off final win in Wiltshire on Tuesday (April 30).
Three goals from Ryan Hillier and one from Blaine Waugh earned the Foresters a 0-4 win at Royal Wooton Bassett.
The game at Royal Wooton Bassett’s Gerard Buxton Sports Ground was Cinderford’s sixth game in 20 days and they went into it as underdogs with the home side finishing seven points ahead of Town in the final Hellenic League table.
Manager Matt Driscoll and assistant Will Morford, who was in charge for Tuesday’s game, praised their team.
Speaking after the game, Will told Jules Evans of Dean Radio: “Just so proud of the lads. The boys went out and worked their socks off , executed the game plan and in the end they were good value for the win.”
When Matt arrived at the Causeway Ground from Gwent side Aberbargoed Buds in June last year, he had two players following an eand at the start of the season he had only ‘Morf’ on the bench.
Will said: “The conversations were around staying in the league.”
Matt said: “It’s been surreal this season, from the start to where we are now it’s like a film when the underdogs come in and they work hard and they get better and better and they win a cup or a league, it’s surreal.
“I’m blown away, the club deserve it, everyone deserves success, they’ve had a hard couple of years.
“The support they’ve brought up tonight has been unbelievable.
“From trying to get 11 players on, you’re playing Worcester City away, you have 11 starting players and only Morf on the bench and going step to step.
Whatever happened tonight it would have been success but when we were up here thinking “let’s do it” I’m unbelievably proud of that..”
“The boys, (chairman) Nick (Simmonds), everyone with the club is absolutely fantastic.
“It’s a massive club and it deserves to be in the Southern League.”
He said the aim for next season will be the same as it was at the start of this campaign: to stay in the league.
Town opened up a lead with two goals in two minutes around the half hour mark.
The first came after 29 minutes when Hillier pounced on a mistimed back pass to score.
A minute later Blaine Waugh spotted that the Wooton keeper was off his line and hit a sweet chip that doubled the lead.
The home side came out strongly but it was Town who extended their lead when Hillier scored his second to make it 0-3 after an hour.
Captain Craig Norman went close but the fourth went in on 80 minutes when a shot by Hillier was turned into the Wooton goal.
Tuesday’s promotion-winning team was: James Smallcombe, Adam Davies, Lewis Binns, Ben Vine, Drew Heffernam, Chris Knowles, Ethan Hayes, Ben Watkins, Ryan Hillier, Craig Norman (capt), Blaine Waugh. Substitutes: Mike Symons, Lewis Adams, Kerry Morgan, Charlie Davies, Josh Jones.