Drama, controversy, a lead that changed hands three times and the obligatory blood, sweat and tears marked the final of the Duston Garage Division Three Cup Final between Corby Albion Vikings and Corby United. The Vikings path to the final was arguably the tougher of the two, beginning with a derby against Hellenic Fisher, facing resurgent Wilbarston in the quarter-finals and then eliminating runaway league leaders Borough Alliance to seal the final place. The run is all the more remarkable given that they only conceded once in the competition so far to Wilbarston. For Corby United, reaching the final was a milestone of a different kind. At the end of the 2011-12 season the existing first team walked away with the Reserves taking their berth this time out. Despite initially struggling the side proved their worth by reaching the final.

Despite the chilly night at Bowdens Park, there was plenty of decent play on the field to keep those in attendance entertained. Based on league position and form, the Vikings began as favourites for the trophy although their opponents did not play like a team languishing at the wrong end of the table and looked sharp too. Ultimately it was the Vikings who struck first after 19 minutes. An attempted lob was blocked and cleared away for a corner. The ball was swung in and Callum King rose highest to thump home a header from 15 yards.  Despite conceding, United were not deterred and continued to pass the ball around. A nasty yet completely accidental collision saw the game stopped for several minutes with a United player coming off worse and needing stitches, while tape and bandages accounted for the Danesholme recipient. Both sides exchanged full-on challenges and free-kicks but neither could find a breakthrough until the stroke of half-time. A booming ball over the top found Matthew Garscadden free outside the area.  A superb thigh trap – that would go viral and have kids attempting to imitate it in the playground if it found its way onto YouTube – brought the ball into his control. One bounce later and he lifted the ball over the head of the advancing Viking’s keeper and into the net.

Four minutes after the restart United went ahead through skipper Pete Davis. A squared ball form the left came across the face of the six yard box and Davis stretched out a leg on the ground to tap home. From then on it was almost all United, who with a buoyed sense of purpose and confidence threatened to run away with the tie, but were only denied by an equally confident display from Peter Reilly in the Vikings net.

Nine minutes from time it was the Vikings turn to score an equaliser. Callum King received the ball in space and hit an angled side-footed strike that was all but unstoppable, and in the context of the game as a whole, not entirely undeserved.

Into extra time and the rigours of the match began to take their toll on all involved. Slack defending allowed Callum King to receive the ball inside the left hand angle of the penalty area, before he was flattened by a defender who going over the top of him attempting to win the header. The referee spotted the foul, yet indicated it was outside the area, and awarded the Vikings a free-kick. Alex Dickson stepped up to take the kick, and curled it home through a gap in the wall, turning any protests about a penalty into shouts of celebration as the Vikings held on to lift the Division Four Cup.