Sevenoaks Town Res   2   Platt Utd Res   0        Report courtesy of Paul Hart

Holders Sevenoaks Town Reserves retained the Sevenoaks Charity (Junior) Cup at Greatness Park last Thursday night and at the same time ended Platt's dream of the double.

Two goals in as many minutes on the stroke of half-time settled an undistinguished and at times dull final.

For Sevenoaks this second successive final victory crowns a highly successful season having also finished runners up in Reserve Division One of the Nuclear Electric Kent County League.

Platt, who are left to concentrate on their Reserve Division Two championship aspirations, played with plenty of spirit but were no match for the superior and slicker Town side who proved too strong.

Town's line-up comprised players nearly all of whom have played for the first team at some stage and their greater experience proved to be the difference between the two sides.

The game was originally scheduled to be played on Good Friday, but a fixture backlog caused by the wet winter weather and problems with sides fielding ineligible players combined to cause a headache for the competition organisers.

While the attendance was below that which could have been expected had the game been played on a Bank Holiday, there was still a fair turnout although the occasion lacked the excitement that finals normally generate.

Platt started brightly and won a free-kick just outside the Sevenoaks area in the fourth minute after a handball by Ian Godfrey but Colin Sullivan's effort was tipped away by Town keeper Peter Cresswell.

Then a good ball down the left flank by Godfrey put the lively Keith Welling through on goal but as Platt keeper Dennis Hughes came out the young forward overran the ball.

Town almost broke the deadlock in the 21st minute when Andre Pignalt latched onto Mark Holmes' knock down but his shot struck the woodwork.

At the other end Town's right-back Lawrence Maxfield received the yellow card for a foul on James Petty, who had a clear run on goal, while Platt substitute Stuart Fisher picked up a booking late in the game.

A Godfrey free-kick from 25 yards flew narrowly over the bar and from another Micky Miles shot straight at the keeper. Pignalt also curled a free-kick agonisingly wide.

The deadlock was broken in the 44th minute . Keeper Hughes seemed slow to react to Godfrey's well struck free-kick and midfielder Mark Holmes nipped in to head home. Within 60 seconds it was 2-0 when Pignalt scored from close range to effectively kill off the game as a contest.

At the start of the second-half a neat move involving Keith Bushby and Pignalt set up Welling whose shot flew wide of the far post. Keeper Hughes was penalised in the 55th minute and the hastily taken free-kick knocked to Pignalt who missed a sitter from close range.

Content to sit back and soak up the pressure Platt never looked like scoring despite the efforts of the hard-working Stan Faulkes up front with the Town defence well marshalled by skipper Micky Miles. He received good support from the experienced Godfrey whose probing passes and free-kicks always posed a threat, while Mark Lewis and Holmes were industrious in midfield.

Town's victory could have been even more emphatic but Bushby wasted a good chance and Holmes headed wide from close range.

Team: D.Hughes, D.Weller, D.Nicholls, C.Sullivan, M.Shooter, M.Allen, J.Petty, S.Arnold, S.Faulkes, D.Andrews, D.Prowse, S.Fisher, P.Faulkes, A.Tappin.