Peterborough Secure Victory In Dramatic Bristol Street Motors Trophy Final
Peterborough United secured victory in the 2023/24 Bristol Street Motors Final after a dramatic end to the Wembley showpiece saw three goals scored in the final five minutes.
Peterborough had gone into the final bidding to maintain a 100 per cent record at the home of English football, whilst Wycombe Wanderers – themselves successful at the iconic stadium in the past – were bidding to lift the Trophy for the first time.
Despite the two sides having shared eleven goals in two games this season in League One, the final would prove to be a largely quiet affair for the most part as the two sides cancelled each other out on the pitch with little in the way of clear chances in the first half.
That’s not to say there weren’t any opportunities at goal, with Matt Butcher – scorer of the semi-final winner against Bradford City - curling a shot over the bar mid-way through the half for Wycombe, and Jadel Katongo having the best chance for Peterborough when he forced Franco Ravazzoli into a save just before the break.
Peterborough were very much on top in terms of possession with Wycombe playing on the break and it was a similar story in the second half before things started to open up as the match passed the hour mark.
Both Ravizzoli and Jed Steer were forced into saves to keep the scores level and extra-time appeared to be on the cards until five minutes from the end when Ephron Mason-Clark teed up Peterborough captain Harrison Burrows to fire in a left foot that was too powerful for Ravazzoli to keep out.
It sent the Posh fans into raptures and forced Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield into immediate changes to his line-up, and they paid off in dramatic fashion minutes later.
With the clock almost at 90 minutes, the Chairboys went on the attack and when the ball dropped kindly for sub Dale Taylor 20 yards out, he produced a stunning volley that beat Steer and nestled in the bottom corner of the net.
Once again, extra time was back the cards as the game moved into five minutes of injury time before Peterborough picked up a corner on the right hand side.
Burrows stepped up to take the kick was immediately cleared back out to him on the wing, and he launched a high swerving cross towards the back post that sailed over the head of Ravazzoli before dropping into the far corner.
It sparked delirium in one half of the stadium and despair in the other with Peterborough holding on through the final moments to secure victory – repeating their success from ten years ago when Darren Ferguson led his side to a 3-1 win over Chesterfield.
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