Published: 17/02/2010 09:30 - Updated: 17/02/2010 10:34

DOWN'ARD Kevin Clarke brought a sudden and shocking end to a gruelling days play at Clifton Mill — 38 years to the day after his father carried off the same coveted feat.

The surprise goal, at around 6.30pm, was one of the game’s truly historic and heroic moments which nobody saw coming after a slow but arduous battle in the town centre.

He told the News Telegraph: “I’m just dazed.

Even running towards the goal, at the back of my mind I thought someone will take this off me. It just hasn’t sunk in.

“I’ve waited so long for this moment and words just can’t describe how it feels.” It was a dramatic shock break by 16-year-old Adam Cundy, which saw the Down’ards sweep to glory. He was the one who scooped the ball in the darkness of the culvert and left everyone else dumbfounded by his lightning pace as he charged for Clifton.

The Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School pupil said: “It fell to me in the culvert, I kicked it a few times and scooped it up into my arms. When I turned back I was on my own so I just put my head down and sprinted. It was such a stroke of luck, I couldn’t believe it.

“It was last year’s goal scorer for the Down’ards — Steve Bloor — who came up on my shoulder closely followed by Craig Frith.

“They took over from me and they flew towards Clifton. The training we have been doing for months in advance has really paid off, it was only because of these sessions that Steve knew my face and didn’t stop me.” Dougie Marron, his son Joel, and Brian Thornley and his son Tom, were in the culvert at the time of the break.

 

Brian said: “Adam shot through the culvert like a bolt of lightning. It was amazing, you could hear the sound of him sprinting through the darkness.” Ryan Clarke-Kellow, 15 and Joe Mansfield, 15, were also instrumental in breaking the stalemate when they made a courageous break close to Sainsbury’s by tackling a lone Up’ard, ripping the ball from his grasp, and ensuring play continued in the direction of Clifton.

The day started under a grey sky, with a swarm of Up’ards and Down’ards gathered at the plinth. The buzz of anticipation was palpable.

And as MP Patrick McLoughlin hurled the prized leather into the air at 2pm it was Down’ard Sam Hollinshead who surfaced from the sea of hands to get the first touch of the ball.

The hug swirled wildly with numbers far exceeding last year’s turn out, the weather and the half term break attracting a record number of spectators.

Within 10 minutes a break saw players and followers race towards the recreation ground.

However, a siege of players stopped the leather being launched into the memorial gardens and the hug rocketed back up Park Road.

A free-for-all kicking spree ensued between both Up’ards and Down’ards as the play turned the right-hand corner towards Station Street.

A battle royal continued, until a mini break down an alley in to Compton at 2.30pm, as the temperatures began to plummet and a flurry of snow showered the town.

The hug swirled around the town, chaotically circling around the streets. By 2.50pm the hug was lodged outside the Coach and Horses, in Dig Street, and then The Bridge — but things started moving again when Darren Waring and Mark ‘Harry’ Harrison dived kamikaze into the centre of the hug.

Yet by 3.20pm the ball had hardly made any distance towards either goal, disappearing down the back of the White Hart pub alleyway.

Play bobbed in and out of the river before being slung back out onto the Compton bridge.

At 3.50pm it was back in the river.

A small number of ardent Shrovetiders dashed under the culvert, where according to Kevin Clarke the Up’ards attempted the use of stealth tactics with a plastic bag, but the attempt was foiled and the hug emerged from the culvert to rapturous applause of the spectators.

The hug became wedged to the memorial garden side of the culvert wall. The Down’ards had gathered at the railings beckoning to their team mates to haul the ball from the depths of the hug.

It was Mark Ratcliffe who dangled into the hug’s nucleus, held by Rob Parker and Gavin Clarke as he tried desperately to release the ball from the clutch of the hug.

However, Up’ard Jamie Jack tried to pounce on top of Mark Ratcliffe but a player in a Leeds shirt hurled him backwards. But undeterred the battle continued as Jamie Jack got primed into position for yet another pounce attack on the ball.

This time the ball popped up to Rob Parker, but it was knocked from his grip and darted straight back into the depths of the hug.

By 4.30pm the hug was edging towards the Up’ards territory on the Fish Pond field, but still the ball bobbled around the Rec — with neither side dominating the play.

At 5pm the hug had crossed the river countless times and still the battle for possession continued.

The plumes of steam grew exponentially as the soaking hug swirled around the fishpond area, with seemingly no sign of tiring.

There were now only a few ways this frustrating gridlock could be solved — the ball could either be sent back through the culvert or popped out of the hug and run to one of the goals. The culvert won the day and the ball was back underground out of sight.

It emerged moments later at the bridge and players reassembled, ready to put an end to the town centre play and take advantage of the dispersing crowd who were giving up in the failing light.

It was at this point when the Down’ards capitalised on the open play and made their break for Clifton.