The Jersey Cup

Referee: N. Slatter Linesmen: J. Hayes Sgt Ratcliffe

Middle Barton: M. Hazell G. Cox A. Smith J. Schroder J. Bolton R. Cox B. Jarvis R. Gascoigne W. Dempsey D. Jarvis P. Bauckham

Middle Barton Scorers: B. Jarvis 2 Derek Jarvis 1 P. Buackham 1 W. Dempsey 1

Brill United: R. Rolfe D. Nappin P. Dodwell D. Blake R. Wheeler R. Busby C. Higgs C. Blake F. Bransby I. Mills R. Pullin

Brill United Scorers: C. Blake 1

The 1,500 crowd, which flocked into Bicester Sports Ground to see the 60th Lord Jersey Cup final on Easter Monday saw a flop.

The final, which promised much, produced little except a ridiculously easy 5-1 victory for mighty Middle Barton over a nervy and bewildered Brill United. It is harsh to describe what is for local soccer fans, the match of the year as a flop? Not really. Monday’s final fizzed out midway through the first half, when Middle Barton slammed four goals in less than 10 minutes.

After that it was merely a question of the crowd waiting for the final whistle. Brill never recovered from that 10 minute battering and although they got a consolation goal early in the second half, there was never any doubt that the trophy would board the Barton Bus.

Two words described Barton’s victory and Brill’s defeat, class and experience. Barton had both. They had the ability to win and they knew it, and, equally important the big match atmosphere provided by the large noisy crowd did not worry them at all.

Brill were a bundle of nerves. True, they had the better of things in the opening quarter of an hour, but when goalkeeper Rolfe failed to hold a harmless shot from Bauckham, the rot set in.

Brill are a young side with a promising future and will almost certainly be seen at Bicester on Easter Monday during the next few years. Victory for Barton underlined the part they have played in local village soccer during the past six years. From 1954 onwards they have been absent from only one Jersey Cup final. What a record! They beat Marsh Gibbon in 1954, lost to Heyford Athletic in 1956, swamped Croughton the following year, and went down to Steeple Aston in 1958.

Monday’s crowd of over 1,500 was the largest for years. How Bicester Town officials must envy the drawing power of this popular village competition, which was founded in 1888.

The match opened quietly enough with an eager Brill trying to snatch an early goal. Barton‘s close marking defence resisted the pressure and their forwards made one or two dangerous raids into Brill territory.

Then came those ten fantastic minutes. Barton winger Bauckham came through from the corner flag and sent in a shot, which lacked both power and direction. Rolfe stooped to gather the ball, let it slip from his gloved hand, and B. Jarvis strode in to grab a simple goal. Two minutes later Barton scored again. A weak goal-kick from Rolfe landed at the feet of Barton skipper Derek Jarvis. He laid on a text-book pass for Bauckham who nipped smartly round Nappin and crashed the ball passed Rolfe.

Brill collapsed completely as Barton moved in for the kill. Derek Jarvis connected with a right-wing cross to make it 3-0 and B. Jarvis got the forth goal from a Bauckham centre. Thus, with the game not yet half-an-hour old, Barton had their hands on the cup with a 4-0 lead. Brill tried to find themselves but the four goal deficit was to heavy a burden for them. Barton made it 5-0 just before the interval when Dempsey scored.

The second half was dull. Brill hopes flickered a little when C. Blake ripped in a neat goal in the 50th minute, but Barton played strongly enough to stop any prospect of a Brill revival.

Things deteriorated after that, and the last half-hour was spoilt by a spat of unnecessary fouls, with Barton the chief offenders.

The trophy and medals were presented by Mr G. Penn of Bicester, who won a Lord Jersey Cup medal with Launton in 1913. He was introduced by Mr Eric Roderick, chairman of the Lord Jersey F.A.

A record collection of just over £16 was made during the match for the Oxon F.A. Benevolent Fund.