Published: Thursday, 15th May, 2008 12:00
Sean is tops in Wembley final
By Steven McArthur
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Man of the match: Greenock-born Sean Paterson celebrates as his team-mate Matt Walwyn scores.
Pic by: Albert Cooper and Andy Nunn
TURNED out in the pristine all-white of Real Madrid, youngster Sean Paterson produced a display worthy of gracing the Spanish side’s Bernabeu stadium.
But it was another of football’s most famous stadia, Wembley, that played host to the Greenock-born striker and his team Kirkham & Wesham in the FA Vase Final.
The 21-year-old produced a man of the match performance that inspired the Lancashire minnows to victory in their first crack at the competition.
Paterson, who scored in every round of the competition, except the fourth, up until the semis, said: “It doesn’t matter who scores the goals, I’m just as happy to win.
“It was a brilliant feeling when we scored the second goal, we knew they had no time to get back at the end. All my uncles and cousins came down from the Port to watch me — I’m very proud.”
Kirkham & Wesham, for whom Paterson signed from Blackpool, reside in the 10th tier of English football but, on an amazing run, managed to dispose of no less than 10 teams from the non-league set-up.
The final, against Lowestoft Town on Sunday, was attended by a crowd of just under 20,000, and they bore witness to a miraculous comeback instigated by Paterson.
Despite going 1-0 down early on, Paterson’s side ran the show, he himself rattling a resounding volley off the woodwork in an attempt to get level. As the game looked to be edging away, Kirkham sent on substitute Matt Walwyn, and it was not long before Paterson set up the 17-year-old to notch the equaliser.
Then, in stoppage time, it was Paterson again who unselfishly laid on Walwyn for the winner, sending their support into dreamland.
But Sean admits he isn’t partying too hard, and said: “We had an open top bus tour on Monday night, it was fantastic but I was back home by 10pm.
“Now it’s time for summer, then it’s right back for business.”
Celtic-mad Paterson’s grandparents, who live in Gourock, flew down to take in the occasion, before flying out to Spain to celebrate with the rest of the family.
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