Apart from their magnificent run to the first round proper of the FA Cup, Clevedon Town’s recent record in all cup competitions has been very mediocre.
Despite earlier successes in Somerset Cups, there are still happy memories of their most recent cup success which was less than nine years ago.
It came in the prestigious Southern League Cup, known as the Red Insure Cup when they won it in April 2012.
The cup was first competed for in 1933 and Clevedon join the list of some illustrious winners now playing in the Football League including Cheltenham Town, Wimbledon, Crawley Town, Gillingham, Colchester United and Burton Albion.
It was Clevedon’s second appearance in the two-legged final when as a Premier Division side they started as favourites against mid-table Division One side Hillingdon Borough.
After drawing the away leg 1-1 they were well beaten at home 3-0, but Clevedon turned the tables in the 2012 final when the Seasiders, by then back in Division One, overcame Premier Division Banbury United.
What made it all the more remarkable was the fact Clevedon finished just outside the relegation places and four out of the five games in the rounds leading up to the final were away.
Having won only nine league games all season they played a total of 15 cup games, winning 12 and also reached the final of the Somerset Premier Cup where they lost to lost rivals Weston.
The Red Insure Cup run started on a bright sunny October afternoon in the Forest of Dean before a sparse crowd at Cinderford Town, managed by ex-Clevedon favourites Steve Peters and Danny Haines, when goals in added time at the end of each half gave Clevedon the win in a match dominated by the home side.
Next up was a home game against local rivals Paulton Rovers, containing six former Seasiders, and Town took an early lead through Ashley Kington.
After Paulton drew level on the half-hour mark, Clevedon progressed with a Chas Hemmings goal immediately after half time.
It was on the road again in the third round to league leaders and eventual Division One South and West champions Bideford and two goals from recent young Bristol City loan signing Henry Muggeridge and one from Lee Edwards-Samuels delivered a hard fought 3-2 victory against a side who remained unbeaten at home in the league and only lost four times in total.
The reward was a disappointing quarter-final draw at Thatcham Town and, on a freezing February night in Berkshire, the last thing another sparse crowd of 65 wanted was extra time.
But that was what they got and it was Clevedon who warmed the hands of the away support with three goals in the extra period to run out 4-1 winners.
So far Clevedon had been fortunate to meet four sides from the lower division, but remarkably the cup ties were the only games Town won against those sides with all four teams getting their revenge with league doubles against the Seasiders.
With Town now the only lower division side left in the competition alongside three Premier Division top-half sides, a home draw would have been more helpful than away to second-placed AFC Totton which they ended up with.
But Clevedon brought their cup form with them, took an early lead through Hemmings on eight minutes and doubled it before half-time through Reeko Best.
Hemmings looked to have sealed it 10 minutes from time, but Totton gained a lifeline from the penalty spot and although a second in added time was harsh on Town, it didn’t stop them progressing to the two-legged final and gaining revenge for an earlier defeat by Totton in the FA Cup.
The first leg was at the Hand Stadium and the teams were led out by mascot Sam Bell, who is now in the first-team squad at Bristol City and the son of Town boss Micky, who said: "He turned out to be a decent player too!"
A cagey first half with few clear-cut chances finished goalless but Town enjoyed a strong start to the second half, before Banbury came closest to a winner when Dion Angus grazed the bar with a header.
Banbury celebrated the draw on the night but with a clean sheet Town fans recognised there was still everything to play for.
Although gates were sparse for the early rounds there was still a cup to be won and nearly 200 turned up at the Hand and double that at Banbury.
Before the game at Banbury, there was a dispute when home keeper Andy Kemp appeared with the same colour shirt as Town keeper Jason Mellor and had to wear an old Seasiders grey jersey.
Clevedon historian Paul Davis said: "It was an amazing error by Banbury and maybe that grey keeper’s shirt was our lucky omen on the night!"
As in earlier ties Town took a vital early lead when Muggeridge played a quick one-two with Hemmings and slipped his shot under Kemp for a vital away goal.
Banbury now had to score twice to win and they quickly got back in the game with a Josh Cole header after 23 minutes, with both sides having chances to take the lead before the interval.
Clevedon bravely took the game to their Premier Division opponents in the second half and were rewarded with 15 minutes left when a defensive slip left Hemmings with a clear run on goal and he calmly took the ball round the keeper to score.
Banbury now needed another two goals if they were to win, but never really threatened and Town almost added a third when Kemp blocked an Ollie Clarke shot.
The on-pitch presentation of the cup to skipper Mellor was followed by wild celebrations from the large contingent of Seasiders fans and players and generous applause from the home crowd for the deserved cup winners after an epic seven-game winning cup run.
Manager Bell remembers it fondly, adding: "It was a great run of games by another very young Clevedon team. I remember the players were fantastic in every round, not only in winning the games, but also playing some excellent, free-flowing football and scoring some brilliant goals along the way.
"The final was a much tighter affair and after the 0-0 at home, it was one of the best performances away from home in all my time managing the club.
"We dominated the game and the players to a man were outstanding and although I never thought at any stage we were going to lose, the game, my only moan was that they didn’t make it a more comfortable scoreline!"
*With thanks to Paul Davis and Steve Small for their help.
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