Emerald Colour 2 Basingstoke & NH Cricket Club 1

EMERALD Colour won a cup final for the second Sunday running when they collected the Kelvin Cup at the Camrose Ground.

But the favourites, who won the Andover President's Cup seven days before, were pushed all the way after taking a ninth-minute lead.

Martin Turner lost possession 35 yards out. Brian Cook seized on the error and ran through to hit an unstoppable 18 yard-shot past Mark Gifford.

Cricket Club could have been level three minutes later when a clever back-heel by Andy Waugh-Bacchus found Nick Bearne but his shot was blocked. The equaliser followed in the 25th minute after some tricky play by Mario Nurse. His good centre from the right eluded the many defenders in the box and Mark Spittles ground-shot found the net.

Dean Robinson, the Emerald Colour sweeper and man-of-the-match shot just wide from a free-kick and, in the 40th minute, a neat chip from Robinson hit the crossbar with Gifford well beaten.

Clive Augustus also had a good effort blocked as Emerald pressed.

Ben Ions, who came on as substitute after half-time livened up the Cricket Club attack and, with Andy Neal also dangerous on the break, they went close with a shot from Ions while Waugh-Baccus shot over the bar after Ions had caused Emerald a problem.

Emerald finished the stronger side, however, with Gary Jones forcing Gifford to tip a 25-yard shot over the bar.

Then, in the 80th minute, came the winner. A free-kick awarded out on the right was taken by Jones and ended up in the top corner of the net with Gifford well-beaten.

The cup and awards were presented by Mick Davis, the Sunday League chairman.

Emerald Colour: Nick Stones, Mark Fox, Peter Pike (sub Colin Jackson), Dean Robinson, Lee Hughes, Paul McNab (sub Wayne Barber). Nigel Chambers, Brian Cook, Clive Augustus (sub Danny Winterbourne), Gary Jones, Paul Roffey.

Cricket Club: Mark Gifford, Nick Bearne, Dan Burgess, Martin Turner, Steve Lampkin, Jamie Brown, Jamie Morgan (sub Ben Ions), Andy Waugh-Bacchus, Andy Neal (sub Darren Lyons), Mark Spittles (sub Mark Freer).

Referee: John Balcombe. Assistants: Paul Gary and Steve Lavender. Fourth official: Ron Hanley.