Not so long ago and Wollaton Reserves were struggling, badly, a the foot of the division, losing matches, and conceding goals left, right, and centre, then, esteemed club chairman, Bill Fishwick, changed managers, and plumped for the experienced, Justin Eastman.

In doing so, Justin brought in new, fresh ideas, and a plan, one which, for its part, was achieved when recently his charges lifted the Euro Soccer Company Nottinghamshire Senior League First Division Cup,

The season just curtailed, it had begun with defeat, one which saw Justin also lose the core of his side, in one fail swoop; they regrouped however and, by the time did come to a crashing halt, Wollaton’s second string were sitting comfortably in mid-table.

“We were probably unlucky in the league earlier in the season,” began Justin.

“However, since we were allowed back, we’ve managed to put together something like fourteen-fifteen weeks’ worth of consistency.

“In fact, we started to click just before Christmas whilst working a lot on out fitness levels, something which showed during the final, in the latter stages, but I wasn’t expecting it finishing the way in which it did.”

As with most leagues, and their member clubs, once the great restart of the beautiful game was set up for early April, post-season tournaments were announced, alongside some quick-fire, warm-up friendlies.

The First Division’s cup competition, once drawn, pitted Wollaton Reserves with the trio of Beeston, Kimberley Miners Welfare, and Stapleford Town, with a 4-0 defeat early on, away to the latter, not half rocking the boat.

“There’s always something goes wrong when we’re away to Stapleford, and Adam Woolley ended up playing the rest of the tournament (his decision) in a face-mask following a facial injury,” explained Justin.

“However, when it got round to Beeston, at home (winning 6-2), everything just clicked into place; both that win, and the one over United Grays (3-1 in the semi-finals) were really good results for us.”

Following on from that win over Beeston, Luke Davies with three and Harry Archer two, Wollaton would then see off Kimberley, and be seen to avenge the opening group defeat to Stapleford, winning 6-1 at home, Davies with another hat-trick, and Luke Denham a brace.

They’d be results which meant that, by the time they faced Beeston for a second time, qualification for the final four was assured.

In seeing off United Grays in the semis, Preston Robinson at the double, a date with AFC Top Valley was put in place for the final, Wollaton going out and doing things the hard way, before succeeding, literally, at the death.

On cup final day, held at Basford United’s Greenwich Avenue, Top Valley were seen to dominate for most of the game, opening the scoring midway through the first period, one they would hold until the final quarter before goals from Davies, and Adam Wright, turned it around.

“We managed to equalise late on, but their goal still bothers me,” insists Justin as he looked back at the final.

“I’ve watched the footage well, and the referee was on the wrong side of what was actually a brilliant challenge, and he’s given a penalty, from which they score from.

“So, to go on and do what we did, how we did it, really does say a lot about this group of players.

“I genuinely believed we could win though, so long as they put the work in, which they did, and this, by far, is my biggest achievement in football, and I’ve won a few trophies down the years; you just can’t beat that buzz.”

Of the twenty-six goals in which they netted during their cup run, Luke Davies would help himself to nine of them, and Preston Robinson six, with plaudits also being afforded to what Justin Eastman refers to as being “a phenomenal, centre-half partnership,” as well as their being the presence of a 20-year-old left-back, Archie Wood, who, Eastman adds, “is an amazing talent who we want to see playing at a higher level, but we want him here as well.

“We’re on target though (for Eastman’s three-year plan at the club) and I’m now looking for a top-three finish, maybe even win the First Division championship, next season.”

As for that now elusive trophy, it’s already taken up residence, not with Chairman Bill Fishwick, or manager Justin Eastman, or even with any of the coaching or playing staff.

No, Wollaton’s local publican, a staunch supporter of the club, has laid claim to the silverware, for now at least.

Yes, that trophy currently resides with that of Stephanie Holecza-Blair, landlady of the Rose & Crown Public House in Lenton; maybe the club will get it back soon, but she’s enjoying it that’s for sure.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @JimBethell Wollaton Reserves in their final action.