Mark Willers smash and grab goal sealed cup triumph for league new-boys FC Higham in the Division 4 final. Opponents Walgrave Amber had dominated the game for the most part but could not turn their dominance into goals.

Walgrave had the first meaningful attack of the game on 3 minutes surging through after good work from Jamie Jackson played in Billy Ling who sent a fizzing effort wide of the post. Jackson continued to provide the creative spark for Walgrave throughout the first half, and his side were unfortunate not to take the lead on 10 minutes. A low drive bounced awkwardly off a divot in front of Higham ‘keeper Steve Munt who did well to readjust himself mid-dive and gather the ball in.

The Higham defence played very deep in the face of the Walgrave onslaught, leading to a series of corners as a result. Walgrave really ought to have taken the lead on 28 when one of the corners was whipped to the near post, but Ling headed over the bar.

The profligacy was punished less than ten minutes later when Higham earned their first corner of the game. Paul Hakin led a Higham breakway after a quick throw-out from the keeper before laying the ball off to Tom Cronin whose effort was turned around the post by Walgrave keeper Adam Burti.  The corner was taken quickly and short and a low cross played into the box led to penalty area pinball. Centre half Mark Willers reacted quickest and thumped the ball in from close range.

Immediately after scoring Higham sat back, happy to defend the lead and encouraging Walgrave to bring the game to them. This tactic was almost punished just before the break, but Steve Munt - underlining his man-of-the-match credentials - produced a smart near-post stop to deny Ling the equaliser.

After the break, Higham set out much the same way, allowing Walgrave to expend their energy desperately chasing the equaliser. That seemed to have come on 83 minutes when Joseph Gartland lashed home from the edge of the area after a neat cut-back. The celebrations were cut short however, as attention was drawn to an offside flag from earlier in the move. The resulting free kick was poor, as possession was given straight back to Walgrave and Munt was called into action for his third crucial save of the game, a sharp one-handed effort to steer the ball away. His punch from the subsequent corner launched his side on a carbon –copy of the counter that led to their first goal, but this time they were denied by Burti.

The drama was not done however as Higham’s Tom Cronin saw red for needlessly lashing out two minutes from time, before Walgrave were awarded a penalty on the stroke of full time. Gartland stepped up to take it, and  Munt guessed the right way, but it was not necessary as the ball went sailing past the outside of the post.