British Army snatches Inter Services trophy from Royal Navy in title deciding upset

The British Army have won the men's Inter Services Football Championship title following a 3-0 upset against the defending champions, the Royal Navy.

After a storming 3-0 victory against the Royal Air Force a week ago, the Navy only needed to draw the Army to retain their Inter Services title.

The Army however, lead by head coach Al Brown, had a bigger hill to climb, and they needed all-out victory against the Navy if they were to get their hands on the Inter Services trophy.

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The Navy dominated the ball procession early, and it was Manny Roche who had an early chance, but as he struck the ball towards the net, it went too wide.

Soon after, Army keeper Luke Cairney successfully intercepted another chance for Gary Hird.

But the Army began to look threatening, and the men in red started to take their chances.

A corner taken by the Army’s Clay Bryant found its way into the net after a probable deflection by Navy keeper Loz McCormick, to which the Navy will have felt greatly aggrieved by, but in the end, the goal was eventually given to Bryant.

With a 1-0 lead, the Army began to step up the tempo, and Ryan Kenyon's chance was blocked by the Navy defence.

At half time, the Army sat pretty with a 1-0 lead. The Navy, however, needed to find that magic that got them that 3-0 win against the RAF a week ago.

But when the teams returned for the second half, the Army were still causing the Navy problems.

Navy Head Coach Chris James made some early second half substitutions, and before long the Army’s Jamie Turner had a look-in, but pitched the ball too wide.

The Navy’s Jake Walker brought down Ryan Kenyon which handed the Army a free kick.

Sean Wooley stepped up to take the free kick, curving the ball past the Navy wall to get the Army’s second goal of the game.

With the Navy 2-0 down, was the title beginning to slip through their fingers?

And as the clock began to tick closer to full time, that seemed to be the case as the Army’s Dom Creamer took advantage of the lack of Navy defence to tap the ball into the net for a 3-0 lead, with a goal that would confirm the championship.  

At full time, the Inter Services trophy would turn red as the Army win their long-awaited Inter Services title after years of disappointment.

The Royal Navy, which came into this final game as arguably the title favourites, had to accept defeat for this year.