KINGSWOOD 0 DUKE OF ALBANY 1

A SOLITARY strike five minutes into the second half by Duke’s Jason Pearce was enough to see his side retain the Len Mahoney trophy.

The Duke started brightly and on five minutes Simon Shapcott was on hand to make a last-ditch block as Pearce shaped to shoot.

Darren Samways entered the referee’s notebook four minutes later for a rash foul on Kingswood’s Paul Lambert.

Steve Lambert fired over from 20 yards on the quarter-hour and brother Paul tried his luck from 25 yards just after but with the same result.

Kingswood had the better chances and more possession but Clint Coltart, in the Duke goal, was untroubled during this spell.

The Wood continued to create openings with Anthony Crane firing wide on 26 minutes and Coltart keeping out Paul Lambert’s ambitious effort soon after with a spectacular one-handed save.

At the other end the lively Danny Andrews worked an opening for himself but pulled his shot wide and just after Samways’ cross found Pearce at the back post, but he too screwed his shot wide when well placed 10 yards out.

The Kingswood finished the half stronger with winger Jimmy Hallett firing over after a jinking run and Shapcott seeing his shot saved at point blank just before the interval.

Kingswood finished the half having a goal chalked off. Paul Lambert found the net but the whistle had already gone for a push on Coltart by Ricky Limm.

The game’s defining moment came on 50 minutes when a Kingswood attack broke down and a long ball forward was misjudged by Brendan King, allowing Pearce to run through and give Duke the lead.

Josh Burton saw his volley from 20 yards well saved by Nick Gregg on 65 minutes and Pearce should have doubled his side’s advantage on 75 minutes but he headed over from eight yards.

The Kingswood threw everything forward and Hallett had shot saved by Coltart on 78 minutes with Limm failing to convert the rebound.

That was to be the last chance of the game before Jarvis and Sharpe both received yellow cards for fouls, as Duke broke up play and bowed out of Sunday morning football with their second cup of the season.

Man of the Match: Darren Samways (Duke of Albany) Kingswood (4-5-1): Gregg, A Crane, King, Shapcott, M Lambert, Hallett, S Crane, Williamson (Magee 85), S Lambert (McDonald 68), Limm (Stone 79), P Lambert.

Duke of Albany (4-4-2): Coltart, Sharpe, Wellman, Carter (Jarvis 66), Porteous, Tomlin, Samways, Burton, Zima, Pearce, Andrews (Spivey 85).