IT WAS arguably the most sensational comeback in Hampshire Hockey Cup history.

Trojans, 4-1 down with six minutes left, climaxing an amazing three-goal fightback with a last-gasp equaliser before beating Havant 4-2 on penalty flicks.

It has booked Trojans a cup final date against either City of Portsmouth or Hamble at Bournemouth's Chapel Gate complex on May 2.

However it left most of the sun drenched 250-plus crowd - the area's biggest hockey spectator gathering for many years - stunned.

Despite matching their fourth-placed EHA Premier Division 3 rivals for the entire first half and turning round level at 1-1, Trojans were, quite simply, were down and out.

They were deflated by a triple Havant burst, triggered initially by a ten-minute spell in the 'cooler' for Paul Hilton.

Reduced to ten men, Trojans had been hit by a Stuart Dickinson brace, either side of Ewan Hendry's reverse stick third. At 4-1 down and with Wayne Shepherd following Hilton into the sin-bin, there appeared no way back for the Regional League champions designate.

But Havant, who squandered a great chance of scoring a fifth soon afterwards, made the fatal mistake of going into cruise mode - and were ruthlessly punished in a sensational six-minute finale.

Shepherd, whose rasping first half penalty corner strike had been cancelled out by Warren Gilmour, returned to the fray to cut Havant's lead to 4-2. It appeared at first little more than damage limitation.

But, with the umpires glancing at their watches, Shepherd fired his short-corner hat-trick - and Havant were on the rack.

Trojans forced a stream of penalty corners, having one shot cleared off the line and another fizzing just wide.

With time called, Trojans forced one final short corner and, in an amazing melee, Duncan Stewart equalised and sent an amazing semi-final into a penalty shoot out.

The force was with Trojans - and, when it came to the flicks, they were the masters.

Hat-trick hero Shepherd, Colin French and Pete Wiles all scored either side of Steve Cole saving brilliantly from Havant's Andy Galliers and Rob Taylor hitting the post.

At 3-0, Dickinson replied and, after Stewart had fluffed his shot, Steve Few got Havant back into the contest at 3-2.

But Dave Cheeseman stepped up to score the winning penalty - and climax a quite remarkable Trojans comeback.

The cup win almost overshadowed Trojans 8-1 thrashing of London Wayfarers - a result which has all but mathematically assured the Stoneham club of the Hampshire/Surrey Regional League title.