ANGEL OF POOLE 0 DUKE OF ALBANY 6

WEYMOUTH Sunday League hotshots the Duke of Albany completed the first part of a possible cup double as they tore their Poole opponents apart in an emphatic Intermediate Cup final triumph at Dorchester’s Jewson Stadium.

The Park Street boys lifted the trophy at the very first time of asking and elated player-boss Luke Tomlin said: “Everything seemed to come off – it was a fully deserved victory.

“We made them look ordinary and we could have had a few more goals. The victory sets us up for what will prove a much bigger task on Sunday – our Len Mahoney Cup meeting with the Kingswood.”

The Duke got out of the blocks quickest and they stunned the Angel by taking a 2-0 lead inside the first 20 minutes to stamp an authority on the contest that they never looked like relinquishing.

Tomlin went close just six minutes in when his 30-yard free-kick very nearly skidded under Howard Richmond’s body but the Poole stopper could do nothing to prevent an own goal just four minutes later.

Marauding front-runner Russell North was tripped close to the left-side corner flag and when Tomlin curled the resulting free-kick to the back post Leigh Whittall, facing goal, got in a right mess and could only roll the ball into his own net.

The Weymouth side nearly made it 2-0 in the 19th minute when Richmond’s hashed attempted clearance fell straight to Tomlin 35 yards out and his first time lob would have netted under the bar had Craig Smith not got back in time to head over.

However, from the resulting Tomlin corner, North’s skewed effort from the edge of the box fell kindly to Josh Burton who smashed home from 12 yards. Five minutes later Mark Carter nearly caught the keeper napping when his sublime 35-yard quickly taken free-kick came back off a post.

The Weymouth boys were back on the attack as soon as the second period started and a horrible challenge by Marc Scammell on Tomlin allowed North to neatly tuck home a spot-kick.

Seconds later the Poole side squandered a great chance to get back in the game when Jon Bates contrived to jump over the ball just two yards out with the goal at his mercy. Then, on the hour, Carl Mutch ended the game as a contest when he fizzed a 20-yard free-kick through the wall and past Howard.

In the latter stages substitute Danny Andrews added a fifth and then Carter stroked a classy 18-yard free-kick into the top corner to complete the rout.

Duke of Albany: Luque, Sharpe (Porteus 76), Burton, Welch, Carter, Miles, Tomlin, Samways, Zima, Mutch (Andrews 62), North (Ansell 70). Subs not used: Spivey, Steele.