QUALIFYING table-toppers Temple Guiting beat holders St James in a thrilling Cotswold Floorball League ‘B’ team final.
Their previous encounter was won 1-0 by Temple Guiting, who last claimed a title in the first running of the championship in 2006.
This time they won 7-6 after extra-time in an enthralling encounter, in which keepers Will von Wedel and St James’ Sonny Nangle proved to be the stars.
Saints took an 11th-minute lead, in an even first period, when Malachy Jones scored after a weak clearance.
George Moore had an effort disallowed for stepping in the keeper’s area but it only took a minute for him to net twice in the second period from Angus Thombs’ passes.
But St James’ bid for a fourth straight ‘B’ team title was scuppered by the devastating forward partnership of Henry Bell and Kyle Chilton. In less than two minutes, Bell’s hat-trick from Chilton’s crosses and Chilton’s goal from a Bell centre gave Temple Guiting a 4-3 lead.
Jones passed to Oliver Watts for the equaliser but then Bell struck from Chilton’s pass to make it 5-4.
The keepers took centre stage before Bell cleverly slammed home Temple Guiting’s sixth goal from Luke Wilkinson’s clearance.
However, Moore robbed the defence to pull a goal back and create a frenetic final five minutes.
With just over a minute left, Moore again benefited from a Thombs pass to equalise and he smashed a shot off the bar late on.
In sudden-death extra-time, Bell hit the bar early on but, soon after, he crossed for Chilton to score the winner for Temple Guiting at the second attempt.
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