TURTON’S Under-18s defied the odds in their last game together, hitting three late goals to win the cup and complete their double.

It was all going wrong for Matt Taylor’s men, who went 4-2 down to Charlestown and still trailed by that scoreline with less than 10 minutes to go.

But after Abdi Jabar headed in Hayden Taylor’s cross to give his side hope Dylan Winstanley hit his third and fourth of the match deep into stoppage time to seal a spectacular win.

The stunning clash was the highlight of the end of the Bolton, Bury and District Football League season, in which three finals took place at Atherton LR’s Crilly Park ground.

And Turton u18 manager Matt Taylor admits he felt his team’s last match together would end in disappointment.

“To be perfectly honest we had been second best, Charlestown were very good and they were in control,” he said. “I’m lucky to have a number of out-and-out winners in the team though, they have never given up for as long as I have looked after them.”

Taylor, who first joined the team as assistant manager a decade ago, has taken them from Section D to winning Section A and to cap off their time together off with victory gave him immense satisfaction.

But it needed something special for them to do it.

“We had needed some momentum,” he admitted. “We were behind two minutes in and 4-2 was a fair reflection of the game at half-time – they had passed it better and created a few chances.

“But when our third goal went in, a header from Abdi, you could see the lift it gave our players.

“Abdi chested down the ball for Dylan to equalise in injury-time too, it was a brilliant 20-yard chip that went in off the bar.”

There was no let-up in the excitement, however, as a goalbound Taylor header was handled on the line, earning the Charlestown defender a red card and giving Winstanley the chance to win it from the penalty spot.

“Dylan converted that, as I knew he would,” said Taylor. “I’m pleased for him and all the team, they are a great bunch and deserve their success.

“That was the last time this team would ever play together as a junior side and it was a spectacular way to finish, you couldn’t script it.”

Many of Turton’s young talent have already had a taste of first and reserve-team football and Taylor, who will take charge of the reserves next season, hopes the majority will still be at Thomason Fold come August.

Meanwhile, BBDFL secretary Gary Russell was impressed by the efforts of everyone involved in a fine final day as the season came to a conclusion.

“It was a fitting end to the season, particularly that game between Turton and Charlestown,” he said.

“It was appalling weather but there was some fantastic football on show, exceptionally high standard, which says a lot about the BBDFL.”

Turton’s victory set the scene for the day and was followed by the u21s Shield final, which went Hindley Juniors’ way with a 3-1 win against Whelley Alexandra.

The final match of the extended 2015/16 season, the u17s final, was an all-Leigh affair and Section A winners Leigh Genesis Alpha completed a double with a 5-0 victory over Leigh United, with three goals by Jack Leigh and one apiece from Hisham Jamil and Connor Bartley.

The league has suffered double the usual amount of postponements this season, not least when last month’s finals weekend was hit by inclement weather that has become commonplace throughout the campaign.

Although the season was finally completed on Saturday the teams involved were once again battling the elements, as well as each other.

“When you have a season like we have had credit must go to everyone involved,” said Gary Russell.

“To get through the season under the circumstances we have had to contend with and to finish when we did was an achievement in itself. It was only possible through hard work from the fixtures secretaries, club secretaries, managers, coaches, committee members and particularly the players and parents.

“Some of these teams have had three to four games a week to get through towards the end and it has taken a serious commitment from them.”