West Midlands Regional League Division One Cup Final

St Martins 5

Wrens Nest 3

St MARTINS signed off a successful season with silverware as they edged out Wrens Nest in an eight-goal thriller on Saturday.

Seven minutes in, Saints took the lead when Dave Easthope seized the opportunity to try a volley into the top corner from the edge of the box after the ball bounced up off a defender.

Saints were rampant; three minutes later, Callum Graybrook picked the ball up and played a quick pass out wide for Elliot Howes to run at, a low driven cross finds the feet of Shawn Melusi, whose composed back-post finish meant a dream start for St Martins.

Hopwever, Wrens next halved the deficit with a header and on 15 minutes grabbed an equaliser through a spectacular volley past George Austin.

?But Saints regained the lead on 20 minutes as Melusi found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper before coolly by rounding him and tapping the ball into the empty net to make it 3-2 at the break.

The Saints carried on from where they left off in the first half. The first chance came shortly after the start of the second half, some quick passing between Melusi, Harrison Millington and Graybrook, who got a shot off only to see it saved.

?Just past the hour mark and the Saints almost extended their lead. A quick counter attack from substitute Dave Hartshorn, from a ball over the top, saw himtsquare the ball to Millington but he got the ball stuck in his feet and couldn't get a shot on target.

Saints were made to pay as ?in the 71st minute, Wrens Nest grabbed their equaliser. They had been applying the pressure on the Saints back four, and it paid off when they drilled the ball past Austin from a quick counter after St Martins lost the ball in the middle of the pitch.

?However, the Saints showed why they were favourites five minutes later. They showed their attacking ability when Melusi pulled the ball back for Millington who got an early shot off, which was blocked but Brendon Price picked up the loose ball and fired it into the top corner to put the Saints into the lead with 15 minutes left.

?Seconds later and the ball was in the back of the net again. A fantastic counter attack from St Martins was finished by Price when Melusi squared the ball for him to tap home and earn Dan Stevens's men their reward for an explosive start.