Wallingford Town’s season ends in style

Wallingford Town manager Lee Matthews said he’d be ‘living on his nerves’ prior to the Combined Counties League Division One play off final with Hilltop.

Wallingford won 2-1 but it’s fair to say he may well have been at the very end of them as Wally secured promotion to Step 5 in extra time.

Wallingford became somewhat of a specialist knockout side this season with their run in the FA Vase and a never beaten attitude that saw them past Step 5 opposition like Bishop’s Cleeve and Ascot United.

On the day against Hilltop, who finished second in the regular season, Wally had to come from behind as Ricardo Benjamin equalised from the penalty spot in the 80th minute and Lawrence Aitchison got the winner in the 20th minute of injury time.

Wallingford’s promotion is confirmation the club will return to Step 5 next season for the first time since 1989 but will have a slightly different name after Matthews confirmed the club is to merge with Crowmarsh Youth to become Wallingford & Crowmarsh FC.

Congratulations to everyone at Wallingford from all of us at Football in Berkshire.