Five-star Scarborough Athletic sink Brid Town to claim Dave Holland Memorial Trophy win

Visitors Brid almost went ahead in the first minute, when Lewis Dennison pounced on a sloppy back-pass and fired just wide, but Boro soon got on top, dominating possession and a Lewis Maloney cross to the far post was headed wide by the trialist centre-back, writes Steve Adamson.

They opened the scoring midway through the first half when Ash Jackson passed forward to the trialist striker, who cut inside and fired into the bottom right corner, to net his fourth goal in three games for the club.

Luca Colville had a strike blocked by Benn Lewis and the superb Alex Brown twice forced diving saves from keeper James Hitchcock.

But Brid had a great chance to equalise on 34 minutes when Andy Norfolk was clipped from behind on the edge of the area, but Dennison’s fierce spot kick was brilliantly saved by Joe Cracknell who dived to his right to beat away the ball.

The leveller did arrive seven minutes later when Norfolk fed Dennison inside the area, and he slotted past Cracknell, and just before the interval Frank Mulhern fired straight at Hitchcock, then the Brid keeper saved at the feet of Boro’s trialist midfielder.

Both sides made a host of substitutions for the second half, as Boro remained on top, but the Brid defence, led by centre-back James Williamson and right-back Ellis Barkworth battled valiantly to keep them at bay.

Harry Green set up Mulhern, who fired narrowly wide, before Boro regained the lead when Maloney’s low free-kick from the left was saved at his near post by Hitchcock, but Will Thornton slammed in the rebound.

Alex Brown shot over for Boro, then Tom Algar’s corner was headed wide by skipper Williamson for Brid, before Boro went 3-1 up as Dom Tear cut in from the left and passed inside for Jake Charles to side-foot past the keeper.

Colville, who had a fine game, headed inches wide, but then Green and Brown exchanged a series of passes down the left, before the latter’s ball into the goalmouth was sliced into his own net by Benn Lewis as he attempted to clear.

Brid carved out a couple of chances, with Norfolk shooting straight at Matt Bancroft, and Max Ezard flashing a shot past the right-hand post.

Boro added a fifth goal late on, when the familiar trialist midfielder crashed a thunderous left-foot shot into the far bottom corner.

And the hosts could have added further goals, as Green had a shot blocked by Barkworth, a Tear effort was deflected over the bar, and Colville’s last-minute header drifted wide.BORO - Cracknell, Brown, Jackson, Trialist A, Gooda, Trialist B, Maloney, Purver, Trialist C, Mulhern, Colville. Subs used - Bancroft, Weledji, Thornton, Green, Tear, Charles, Trialist D.

GOALS - BORO - Trialist B 23, Will Thornton 50, Jake Charles 69, Benn Lewis 74(og), Trialist D 83.

BRID TOWN - Lewis Dennison 41.

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Brown.

REFEREE - George Roberts.

ATTENDANCE - 511.