The Valley end on a high with Marisa Trophy final victory against Heslerton

Friday evening saw the end of the newitts.com Beckett Football League season with the Marisa Trophy final at Ryedale Sports Club.

It was an all-Division Two affair as fifth-placed Heslerton took on promoted Valley FC.

The Valley, pictured celebrating their Hospital Cup final win, end on a high with Marisa Trophy final victory against Heslerton

placeholder image — The Valley, pictured celebrating their Hospital Cup final win, end on a high with Marisa Trophy final victory against Heslerton

Heslerton got off to the worst possible start, a hurried clearance from inside their box by Jack Burnett cannoning off a fellow teammate to fall kindly for Rich Tolliday to finish from close range and give the Scarborough outfit an early lead.

The lead was short-lived however. After a strong tackle down the left by 16-year-old full-back Jake Allardice, he fed Morgan Kendrew who sent over the perfect cross to George Ridler on the right, whose shot from just inside the box could only be parried by the Valley keeper, into the path of Jordan Anderson who finished calmly to level.

Heslerton's Jake Allardice wins this aerial battle with Richard Tolliday of The Valley FC

Valley stepped up a gear and Heslerton were grateful to stalwart keeper Gareth Driver, standing in for the injured Simon Clark, to roll back the years with a string of fine stops.

Up the other end Anderson had another great chance, but could only shoot into the keeper’s arms after Ridler had flicked on a Kendrew long throw.

With ten minutes of the opening half remaining Valley would go ahead.

Ten minutes into the second half the Sand Lane boys were once again level. A fine ball out of defence found Anderson whose forward ball saw striker Jack Pinder beat the offside trap to finish clinically past the exposed Valley keeper.

Jake Allardice, an ever present in his first senior season was joined in defence by Man of the Match Corey Wiles and Tommy Palmer, all three 16-year-olds natured by Heslerton's fine Junior set-up.

The Blues would then lose Burnett to injury with his replacement another 16-year-old, Tommy Palmer.

This period of the game would see Heslerton threaten with a string of corners, Rob Ruston heading over on a couple of occasions and when captain Ollie Stanton met a Kendrew ball it looked like a sure goal, only for the Valley stopper to pull an outstanding save out of the bag.

Valley were dangerous on the counter, and though full-back Corey Wiles, the man of the match, gave as good as he got against Tyson Stubbings the latter would grab the vital goal.

Driver made a fine save but when the loose ball fell towards defender Nathan Poole he instinctively cleared the danger with his hand, giving Stubbings the opportunity from the penalty spot, which he duly accepted.

Heslerton pushed on for a third equaliser but inside the final 10 minutes Valley added a fourth.