TEAM Solent successfully defended their Southampton Senior Cup crown with a sensational 5-0 victory over Sydenhams Premier Division rivals Blackfield & Langley in the final at St Mary’s tonight.

Tobi Adekunle struck once in either half while Pip Nolan, Martin Johnson and Jesse Waller-Lassen netted one apiece on a very memorable night for Solent at St Mary’s – and one that Blackfield & Langley will want to forget fast.

Considering the Watersiders’ ground backs on to Fawley Oil Refinery you’d have thought they’d have been more capable of dealing with slicks.

However, The Students’ slick movement and pace was far too much for the Wessex Premier Division’s second-placed side to handle.

James Taylor’s youthful team completely obliterated any game plan that Glenn Howes, the Blackfield boss, may have had before half-time as they cruised into a 3-0 lead.

Star man Waller-Lassen, who netted the winner in last season’s final, turned on his swagger for the opener with just nine minutes gone.

He dinked the ball into the box for the industrious Matt Sheedy to slam low at goal. Nolan was then on hand to crash home the rebound after Blackfield stopper Lloyd Thomas had saved well but spilt.

The opener was then followed by a superb header by Johnson from Waller-Lassen’s floated cross. It was probably the pick of the goals for its sheer spectacle.

The striker’s impressive flicked header was made even more attractive as it pinged off the inside of the bar/post and nestled inch-perfect in the top right of the net past a helpless Thomas.

It was also the second knee-slide celebration of the evening as Solent made the most of the carpet-like St Mary’s pitch.

Howes went back to the drawing board at that point, hauling off a clearly disgruntled Dan Munday for youngster Josh Buck.

Little good it did as the Southampton Solent University outfit struck their third seconds later on 38 minutes.

Ex-Sholing wideman Adekunle slammed low into a packed box and watched on as the ball zipped straight through and into the net from the edge of the box on the half volley.

B&L then made another change as former AFC Totton midfielder Dave Allen was taken off for Liam Green.

The Gang Warily side brightened up a little after that, but, in reality, it was all over.

Just to make sure Adekunle curled home his second from the right soon into the second period. He cut off his flank and curled  a shot at goal from a narrow angle, which caught Thomas unsighted and it slipped through into the goal.

A consolation wasn’t even forthcoming – although Rico Wilson did fire narrowly wide of George Passingham’s post before slamming straight into the Solent goalkeeper from close range.

Waller-Lassen, Solent’s hotshot striker who later picked up the man of the match award, then pitched in with his own goal late on as he streamed through into the box and slotted home in style.

The students were sent sliding across the turf again at that point with a whole-team Klinsman celebration.

  • TEAM CHECK

Team Solent: George Passingham (gk), Adeoye Olumuyiwa, Pip Nolan, Myles Burrows, Ellis White, Tobi Adekunle, Sam Byles, Jemal Wiseman (Lewis Pitts 20), Martin Johnson (Olly Goddard 78), Jesse Waller-Lassen (c), Matt Sheedy (Steve Black 63). Unused substitutes: Dion Gibbs (gk), Josh Brimacombe

Blackfield & Langley: Lloyd Thomas (gk), Hugh Dathan, Liam Robinson, Joe Byrne, Sam Poole (c), Dave Allen (Liam Green 40), Dan Munday (Josh Buck 38), Sam Lanaman (Jesse Gould 54), Rico Wilson, Imanuel Soetan, Carl Preston. Unused substitutes: Dan Cann, James Ford