VT FC claimed the Senior Cup with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Hants 2004 leaders Mottisfont in front of nearly 1,000 supporters at St Mary's last night.
They led in the last minute of a fairly even first half that if anything Mottisfont had begun the brighter, writes Rod Sutherland.
VT keeper Sam Webb was the busier of the keepers early on, first punching clear under pressure from Al Bundy and then being well placed to deny John Cook whose turning volley from the edge of the box was gratefully swallowed up.
Following a Mick Colverson free kick, Paul Fielder in the Mottisfont goal was then sandwiched by Gary Biddle and James Thomson but managed to flick the ball clear despite taking a knock as V T began to show signs of what was to come. Mark Williams then played the unmarked Thomson through the middle of the park but Fielder rushed out of goal to quash the lively front man's chance just in the nick of time.
Motts' Phil Hunt then tackled a VT player on the ground which sparked a mini flare-up ably dealt with by referee Stuart Gemmell.
From the resulting free kick Thomson set off on a mazy run, beating his marker at the corner of the six-yard box but Fielder was again equal to it, bravely diving at his feet. But Thomson was not to be denied and, with first-half injury time declared, a Gary Biddle throw in was flicked onto the post by Lewis Wyeth and the ball fell perfectly for Thomson to slip the ball under the advancing Fielder.
With the second half barely started man-of-the-match Thomson doubled VT's lead, beating the Motts offside trap to blast home the second. A long shot from Gary Dugdale nearly caught Fielder out but he managed to palm the ball over. Moments later Gary Biddle made it three and, although a double substitution by Mottisfont gave them a glimmer of hope, in particular the lively Colin Morris, there was to be no miracle recovery as V T sub Nathan Lynch was felled by Fielder when through on goal.
Fellow sub Gary Male stepped up to beat Fielder from the spot kick. To add insult to injury V T added a fifth when Lynch headed home a corner by Paul Cartwright.
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