Scarborough Athletic beat Guisborough Town 3-0 in North Riding County FA Senior Cup final to seal double success

Before kick-off there was a minute's applause in memory of former Scarborough FC and York City striker Neil Campbell, who tragically passed away the previous Saturday, and the early stages of the match seemed rather flat, with neither side able to build up any momentum.

Winger Brad Plant sent a ball forward to Luca Colville, but Guisborough keeper Robert Dean saved at his feet, Will Jarvis fired past the far post, Will Thornton headed a long throw from Ash Jackson into the keeper's arms, and Jake Day laid off to Plant, whose shot was beaten away by the keeper.

For Guisborough, Keelan Wright-Simpson sent a 30-yard shot straight at Ryan Whitley, James Cadman deflected a low cross from Ben Simpson out for a corner, and the impressive Wright-Simpson cut in from the left before firing narrowly over.

The crowd, which included 1,100 Boro supporters was very quiet, but the game did liven up as the interval approached, with Plant battling and challenging, and Colville and Kieran Glynn both displaying their ball skills and trickery. Jarvis also began to shine, and he almost opened the scoring on the half-hour, racing down the left flank before shooting against the base of the far post.

Guisborough enjoyed their best spell of the game shortly before half-time, as Whitley gathered a couple of high balls into his area, and also saved at the feet of Luke Bartcliffe, then Louis Johnson raced through on goal, but was halted by a great tackle from Boro captain Thornton, as an evenly contested first half ended goalless.

Michael Coulson joined the fray for the second half, with Lewis Maloney also coming on early in the half, as Boro began to dominate possession and create chances.

Jarvis, who had a terrific game, shot wide, Coulson dinked a shot just past the post after a through-ball from Plant, and the lively Plant then passed to Glynn in the six-yard box, but keeper Dean blocked his shot.

Callum Martin shot wide in a rare Guisborough attack, before Boro went ahead on 54 minutes when Jackson forayed down the left and floated over a cross to the far post, which was palmed away by the keeper towards Plant, who drilled the ball into the net for a well taken goal.

Thornton twice flicked-on long throws from Jackson, but Guisborough cleared their lines both times, Glynn and Plant both fired inches over, while at the other end Thornton blocked a strike from Jason Blackburn.

Coulson's class shone through as he flicked a pass to Simon Heslop, who laid off to Plant, and his shot was saved by keeper Dean, before Boro went 2-0 up in the 71st minute, when Glynn raced forward and squared to an unmarked Jarvis, who had time to take a touch, and place his shot just inside the right-hand post.

Guisborough now had to press forward, but Boro centre-backs Thornton and Dylan Cogill were commanding at the back and keeper Whitley was rarely troubled, although Johnson did get in a shot, that was deflected into Whitley's arms.

A sublime piece of skill from Jarvis, saw him do a 'Cruyff turn' on the halfway line, before charging forward and striking a low shot that Dean saved low to left.

The game was really opening up now, and sub Ryan Watson made a great interception to halt the run of Johnson, while Kieran Cole twice sent shots flashing past the post.

Maloney limped off injured on 77 minutes, leaving Boro with 10 men for the last 13 minutes, but they continued to create chances,

Cogill blasted a 25-yard free-kick into the wall, then a superb run past three defenders by Glynn, saw him lay-off to Jarvis, who shot wide.

Boro added a third goal in the 90th minute, when Glynn passed forward to Coulson, who went on a run past two defenders, but was was then tackled, and the ball fell to Watson to lash his shot into the bottom right corner to seal the cup success, and round off a fantastic, history-making season for the club.

BORO: Whitley, Cadman (Watson 62), Jackson, Heslop, Thornton, Cogill, Plant, Colville (Maloney 48), Day (Coulson (46), Glynn, Jarvis

MAN OF THE MATCH: Brad Plant.

ATTENDANCE: 1,387