Platt Lift Trophy for Second Year

Platt Utd  4      Smarden  0

Platt United successfully retained their trophy after sweeping aside Smarden in a one-sided final at Maidstone United's ground on May Day Bank Holiday Monday.

After 10 minutes Joe Adu picked out former Millwall striker Jack Walker who put the holders 1-0 up.

Smarden, the Division Two East Champions, then showed why they had lost only one game this season playing some slick football.

Platt keeper Dave Varney denied Smarden an equaliser when he pulled off a wonderful save to keep out a shot destined for the top corner of the net.

Good defending by Sean Allen, Glenn Miller, Stewart Castro and the outstanding Andrew Skinner kept United in  the game, while their midfield of Richard White, Charlie Gill, Mick Perry and Paul Atkins began to assert themselves.

The pacy Adu, who came in for some harsh tackles, caused Smarden plenty of problems and he had the last word just before half-time scoring Platt's second goal. Having beaten a defender his shot took a deflection into the net.

After the break Adu raced clear but his shot hit the under side of the crossbar, The ball ran loose in the area and Paul Atkins slotted home Platt's third.

Platt should have been awarded a penalty when Adu was brought down in the area but the referee gave a goal-kick instead.

Then Walker put the game beyond Smarden's reach when he raced clear, dummied the keeper and slotted the ball into the left-hand corner of the net.