TOM Ireson lifted the Adver Cup for Old Town Wanderers at Hunts Copse on Saturday, and then admitted the pre-match verbal volley of Queensfield player-manager Pete Smith had provided his side with all the motivation they needed.
A brace from Dean O’Hagan and further efforts from Ian Fawkes and Dave Rendle resulted in a shock 4-0 triumph for the newly-formed Swindon & District League Division One outfit against their Premier Division counterparts, preventing United from securing a league and cup double.
Smith had told the Advertiser that his team were favourites to win Saturday’s final and a jubilant Ireson admitted after the final whistle: “I think Pete’s words in the paper on Friday spurred us on a little bit.
“It geed us up because a lot of them know each other anyway, so it saved me a lot of talking.”
He added: “It wasn’t a 4-0 result, it was a lot closer, but we took our chances and defended well.
“Everyone pulled together and did what they had to, and to be fair it was probably the best we’ve played all season.
“I think we deserved the win with the way we defended and all over the pitch everyone gave 100 per cent.”
It was Queensfield who started the better and Old Town stopper Stuart Hanley was twice called into action early on, before Wanderers took the lead on 19 minutes.
Striker O’Hagan received the ball on the counter-attack and turned the covering defender inside out before firing high into the net.
The advantage could quite easily have been increased but Fawkes glanced a free header past the far post, and Rendle twice spurned chances when clean through on goal.
Queensfield were an improved side at the start of the second half and Roger Munday tested Hanley with a fizzing drive, before the same man could only slide Adam Jack’s chipped through-ball past the upright.
The Premier Division side’s task was then increased as O’Hagan grabbed his second just short of the hour, the front man deftly lobbing goalkeeper Liam Gooch to double the lead.
The result was all but wrapped up in the 67th minute when Fawkes curled a beauty of a free kick into the top right corner.
And with the minutes counting down, Rendle cut inside in the area and smashed across Gooch to put the seal on a memorable cup victory for Old Town, who only formed as a team at the start of the season.
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