The season started with a defeat against Thorns, the eventual champions of the 2nd Division. The POSTCHAISE then stuttered through the next couple of months. They recorded good wins over the Locomotion and the Boot and Shoe but suffered heavy defeats at the hands of the North Briton and the Black Horse. The POSTCHAISE did, however, play most of the game against the Black Horse with ten men due to Lee Taylor being sent off. They also gained revenge over the North Briton with a victory in Aycliffe.Defeats in the League Cup and the 2nd Division Cup followed, against Masons United and Broompark Loves respectively. The POSTCHAISE recorded two high scoring victories over Shildon Athletic and the Victoria in the League and an extra time victory against the Green Tree in the B&A Trophy, with Andrew Gibson claiming the winner in the dying seconds. November ended with a defeat at the hands of Masons United for the second time of the season, this time in the League.December brought the begining of both the clubs longest ever unbeaten run and longest ever winning streak. The former lasting thirteen games and the latter lasting eleven games. The highlights were undoubtedly the victories against 1st Division opposition in the cups. The Grand were beaten in the Invitation Cup, and the Salvins and Europa were dispatched in the B&A Trophy. After the semi final victory over Europa the dressing room was bouncing to the sound of the team singing "Que sera sera, whatever will be will be, we`re going to Spenny, que sera sera."During this unbeaten run the POSTCHAISE also recorded seven league wins and one draw, scoring thirty goals and conceding only eleven.
Due to a number of postponed games during January and February the POSTCHAISE had to play five midweek games in April and May. They drew two and lost three of them, including a surrender to Europa, in the Invitation Cup, and an embarrasing and humiliating defeat at the hands of Shildon Athletic, made worse by ex player Darren Dodds scoring the winner.Some pride was restored with a good win in the league encounter with B&A Trophy Finalists Broompark Loves. In the final league game of the season the POSTCHAISE recorded a victory against ten man Locomotion, with Andrew Wharton marking his farewell appearance with a commanding display.
With the league programme now finished all that was left was the B&A Trophy Final and a date with destiny.
.....PAUL DOLAN said "We can beat any team on our day. We`ve shown in the past that we can beat some of the leagues top teams, so we just have to perform like we know we can today and we`ll be in with a chance."
At 8:30am on Sunday 12th May 2002 the players and officials of the POSTCHAISE F.C.gathered in the PostchaiseHotel for breakfast.Cornflakes,Weetabix,toast,sausage,eggs and bacon duly eaten and washed down with tea and coffee, the players gathered in the lounge. The players who had not made the team were taken to one side and told so. Then the team was announced: Priestly, Beattie, Barker, Taylor, Weir, Mullen, Walton.R, Walton.P, Dowd, Stainsby, Greaves, subs: Walton.D, Price, Dowson, O`Connor, McGeary.
The team then boarded the coach and set off for the Brewery Field, Spennymoor. Upon arrival the ground was locked and they had to wait outside untill it was opened. Once the ground was opened the team headed for the Home changing room, then went out onto the "Hallowed Turf" to soak up the atmosphere. With kick off rapidly approaching the teams went back into the changing rooms to prepare for the game.The teams were called to the tunnel,and with nerves jangling and adrenaline pumping they ran out onto the pitch. Stainsby won the toss and elected to kick uphill first half. Within the first few minutes Mullen was booked for a late tackle. Minutes later the same player was caught out of position and, with a little hesitationfrom Priestly in goal, Hancock nipped in to make it 1-0 to the Loves. The POSTCHAISE managed to survive a first half onslaught,similar to the "ALAMO",to go in 1-0 down at half time.With bananas and Jaffa cakes in their bellies the POSTCHAISE return for the second half.Disaster strikes after only a couple of minutes when Weir concedes a panalty. Roffe converts it to put the Loves 2-0 up. Things seem even worse when Taylor concedes a penalty, but Loves fail to score. The POSTCHAISE begin to take control of the game, and when they get a free kick twenty five yards out Paul Walton steps up to make the score 2-1. With the Loves on the back foot, the POSTCHAISE pile on the pressure and eventually get another free kick thirty yards out. Paul Walton again places the ball down. He then curls a delightful shot over the wall and into the top corner of the net, leaving the keeper helpless. With the score at 2-2 the POSTCHAISE press on but can`t find a winner and the game goes into extra time. Neither team can find a breakthrough in extra time and the game goes to penalties.
The Loves win the game 3-1 on penalties.
Peter wier is named man of the match, for his heroic display, though it is scant consolation for losing out on the trophy.