Harborough Town finally claimed the silverware after two years of cup heartbreak, losing on penalties in the 2008 final and going out in the semi-finals, ironically to a Bugbrooke side last year.

Indeed, it was Harborough who started the game the brighter, creating the first chance of the match on 10 minutes. Dean Humphries floated over a free kick which had Bugbrooke ‘keeper Mark Billingham scrambling to cover the far post, before it drifted harmlessly wide. Sustained pressure by Harborough, begun by Aaron Watts, culminated in a chance for Barnes Gladman, who blazed the ball over the bar, when all around expected him to score.

It was a warning for Bugbrooke, which went unheeded. On 20 minutes Humphries hit a deep cross into the area from the left-wing. The attempted clearance from the Bugbrooke defence was ill-timed and only succeeded in flicking the ball on to youngster Gladman who fired home on the half-volley.

Inspired by the goal that their pressure deserved, Harborough pressed for a second. Watts again provide the creative spark, bursting down the wing as the defence retreated like a flock before the sheepdog. His vision picked out Gladman again who was unfortunate to see his effort narrowly go over.

Shortly before the half-hour another searching cross from Watts found Tom Bott free in the area. Goalkeeper Billingham could only parry the shot at the near post, but nobody from Harborough could capitalise before he claimed it at the second attempt. Possession was given away almost immediately, and frontrunner Gladman tried to turn provider, cutting the ball back after being forced wide, but the lack of support meant the chance went begging. Man of the match Watts repeated the feat two minutes later, yet once again, the lack of players gambling on the chance meant it was wasted.

Ten minutes before the break, and with virtually their first attack of the game, Bugbrooke did manage to get the ball in the net. A long throw-in caused difficulty in the area, and Harborough ‘keeper Andrew Kinnaird spilled the ball under pressure from Simon Steele. Steele tapped home the loose ball but it was for naught, as he was adjudged to have barged Kinnaird in the process.

In the second half, Harborough eased off the pressure, as the pitch became increasingly slippery with the constant drizzle. Two chances came and went within the space of a minute for Gladman and Harborough, as his first effort was tipped onto the bar, and his second smartly saved by Billingham. The game went quiet until Bugbrooke’s lone frontman Steele fashioned his first clear chance. His efforts until that point had proved fruitless as a lack of support allowed the Harborough defence to snuff out every attack he tried to create. Picking up the ball from a corner he hammered it goalwards. Off balance, Kinnarid could only thrust out a foot, and managed to clear the ball to safety in doing so.

Save for one further effort for Harborough in stoppage time, that proved to be the last attack worthy of note, as Harborough held on to lay to rest the spectre of their spot-kick failure two years before.