2015 Football League Trophy final

April 2014 April 2014 2015 Football League Trophy Final Wembley Stadium, illuminated.jpg 200 The final took place at Wembley Stadium 2014–15 Football League Trophy Walsall 0 Bristol City 2 22 March 2015 Wembley Stadium London Mark Little (Bristol City) Mick Russell 72,315 2014 2016 The 2015 Football League Trophy Final was the 32nd final of the domestic cup involving the 48 teams from Football League One and Football League Two, the respective third and fourth tiers of English football. The final took place at Wembley Stadium in London on 22 March 2015 with Bristol City winning their third title with a 2–0 win over Walsall, who were making their first appearance at Wembley in their 127-year history. http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2015/walsall-book-first-ever-wembley-appearance-2235463.aspx Bristol City confirm Wembley date 29 January 2015 The Football League 5 March 2015 http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2015/walsalls-wembley-near-misses-2231940.aspx Walsall's Wembley near-misses 28 January 2015 The Football League 5 March 2015 The third win made Bristol City the most successful team in the history of the tournament. The match was refereed by Mick Russell. http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2015/mick-russell-to-referee-johnstones-paint-trophy-final-2278812.aspx Mick Russell to referee Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final 18 February 2015 The Football League 5 March 2015 Background At the time of the final, Bristol City were 10 points clear at the top of the League One table, 37 above Walsall. Bristol City had previously played at Wembley in 2008, when they lost the Championship playoff final to Hull City. Route to the final 2014–15 Football League Trophy Walsall Walsall, of League One, arrived in the final as winners of the Northern section. They were given a bye in the first round, and started in the second round on 7 October 2014 with a 1–0 away win over fellow League One team Rochdale at Spotland, Mathieu Manset scoring the only goal in the 23rd minute.Rochdale 0–1 Walsall https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29421067 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 7 October 2014 On 12 November, in the quarter-finals, Walsall hosted Sheffield United and again won by a single goal, from Romaine Sawyers.Walsall 1–0 Sheff Utd https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29421067 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 12 November 2014 On 9 December in the semi-finals, they travelled to Prenton Park to play League Two Tranmere Rovers, and trailed 0–2 at half time after conceding from Max Power and Kayode Odejayi. In the second half, they equalised with goals by Anthony Forde and Michael Cain. The score remained the same throughout extra time, and the game went to a penalty shootout, in which the first to miss was Walsall's Ashley Grimes, whose shot was saved by Tranmere's Owain Fôn Williams. However, Tranmere's Liam Ridehalgh hit the crossbar and Marc Laird's attempt was saved by Walsall goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell, then Paul Downing scored to put Walsall through.Walsall book JPT area final spot https://www1.skysports.com/football/live/match/329187/report 22 March 2015 Sky Sports 9 December 2014 In the Northern section final, Walsall played Preston North End over two legs. The first, away at Deepdale on 7 January 2015, was a 2–0 win for Walsall with late goals by a Forde free kick and Tom Bradshaw intercepting a backwards pass by Scott Wiseman.Preston 0–2 Walsall https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30640156 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 7 January 2015 A goalless draw 20 days later in the second game at the Bescot Stadium confirmed Walsall's place in the final.Scott Ged Walsall 0–0 Preston https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30891902 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 27 January 2015 Bristol City Bristol City, also of League One, were also given a bye in the first round of the Southern section, so began on 8 October in the second round away to League Two Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road. They won 3–1, with Wes Burns scoring the first goal and Korey Smith the other two.Cheltenham 1–3 Bristol City https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30891902 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 8 October 2014 On 11 November in the quarter-finals at Ashton Gate, they defeated another fourth-tier team, AFC Wimbledon, 2–1. Aaron Wilbraham scored two late goals, despite a consolation by George Francomb.Bristol City 2–1 Wimbledon https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30891902 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 11 November 2014 In the semi-finals on 10 December, again at home, Bristol City won 2–0 against Coventry City with a goal in either half from Derrick Williams and Wilbraham.Bristol City 2–0 Coventry https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30304921 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 10 December 2014 In the Southern final against Gillingham, Bristol City won the first leg 4–2 at Priestfield Stadium on 6 January 2015: Cody McDonald scored twice for the hosts, but Matt Smith netted four times for the visitors.Gillingham 2–4 Bristol City https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30629908 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 6 January 2015 In the second leg on the 29th, Matt Smith opened the scoring and Jermaine McGlashan equalised in the first half, but Bristol City nonetheless advanced 5–3 on aggregate.Chapman Caroline Bristol City 1–1 Gillingham https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30928521 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 29 January 2015 Match Pre-match Supporters of Bristol City and their local rival Bristol Rovers walked 100 miles to the match over four-and-a-half days, to raise money for private surgery for six-year-old mascot Oskar Pycroft. Pycroft has cerebral palsy and surgery could result in him being able to walk.Bristol City and Rovers fans arrive at Wembley, after walking from Bristol https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-32008123 22 March 2015 BBC News 22 March 2015 Synopsis Bristol City gained the lead after 15 minutes, Aden Flint heading a Marlon Pack corner past Walsall goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/mar/22/bristol-city-walsall-johnstones-paint-trophy-match-report Bristol City tick off their first objective with comfortable win over Walsall 22 March 2015 The Guardian 24 March 2015 Walsall then had chances to equalise by Sam Mantom and Andy Taylor. Five minutes into the second half, Mark Little, a winner in the previous season's final with Peterborough United, scored a second after O'Donnell had saved his header. Walsall's Jordan Cook hit the post, and Bristol City's Aaron Wilbraham had a goal disallowed for offside.Chapman Caroline Bristol City 2–0 Walsall https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31893144 22 March 2015 BBC Sport 22 March 2015 Details 22 March 2015 15:30 GMT Walsall 0–2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31893144 Bristol City Flint 15 Little 51 Wembley Stadium, London 72,315 Mick Russell _thin_blackhoops 000000 303030 000000 ccff00 ccff00 Walsall _bristolc1415h _bristolc1415h _bristolc1415h _bristolc1415hl FFFFFF Bristol City GK 1 ENG Richard O'DonnellRB 2 ENG Ben PurkissCB 15ENG James ChambersCB 6ENG Paul DowningLB 3ENG Andy TaylorCM 7ENG Adam Chambers (c)CM 8ENG Sam MantomRW 27IRL Anthony Forde 74AM 10SKN Romaine Sawyers 38 LW 21ENG Jordan Cook 81CF 9WAL Tom Bradshaw 62Substitutes:GK 13ENG Craig MacGillivrayDF 4 ENG James O'ConnorMF 11ENG James Baxendale 81MF 12ENG Michael CainMF 17ENG Reece FlanaganFW 24ENG Ashley Grimes 74FW 30ENG Jordy Hiwula 62Manager:ENG Dean Smith GK 1 ENG Frank FieldingCB 22ENG Luke AylingCB 4 ENG Aden FlintCB 3 IRL Derrick WilliamsRM 2 ENG Mark LittleCM 7 ENG Korey SmithCM 21ENG Marlon PackLM 23ENG Joe Bryan 87AM 15ENG Luke Freeman 90CF 18ENG Aaron WilbrahamCF 19ENG Kieran Agard 89Substitutes:GK 13WAL Dave RichardsDF 17IRL Greg Cunningham 87DF 24ENG James TavernierMF 8ENG Wade Elliott 90MF 11ENG Scott WagstaffMF 12ENG George SavilleFW 10ENG Jay-Emmanuel Thomas 89Manager:ENG Steve Cotterill Post-match Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill said that despite the gap between the two teams in the league table, Walsall were a difficult side to beat. He said that for a lot of his players, it would be the start of their careers. His Walsall counterpart Dean Smith expressed disappointment with his team's performance, saying that for reasons of height it was likely that they would concede from a corner. He added that nerves may have played a part in the defeat, as most of his players were young and had never played in front of such a large crowd before. References 30em 2015 Category:Sports events at Wembley Stadium Category:Walsall F.C. matches Category:Bristol City F.C. matches Category:2015 in sport in London Category:2014–15 in English men's football cups Category:EFL Trophy seasons Category:March 2015 sports events in the United Kingdom