HAMWORTHY Recreation made sure they left the Dorset Premier League with a double, as Kirk Grice’s champions added the Dorset Premier Cup to their cupboard, reports Ian Gilmartin

Rec will feature in the Wessex Division One after clinching the league title in April, but they were hunted for some time by a Merley Cobham side that proved a thorn in their sides again in the cup final.

In a rematch of last season’s final, Cobham were unable to retain the cup, eventually falling to a 5-3 defeat at Rec’s Magna Road home.

The game started at quite a pace, with Rec starting stronger, and they were one up inside four minutes when a lovely move was finished by the impressive Jack Satterley, who finished clinically from 19 yards.

There was hardly time to breathe as Cobham came straight back at Rec. A cross was flicked on into the mix by Lee Wilkins, and Ross Hampton-Brown was on hand to add the finishing touches from close range to tie the game up in the fifth minute.

Hamworthy Rec were playing the more creative football and the Cobham midfield appeared to be overawed by the occasion as their ball retention was poor, struggling to cope with Rec’s press. Frank Rosenwald, Sam Watson and Satterley were causing problems but the Cobham backline began to get the measure of them and keeper, Andy Knights, was largely untroubled.

Cobham gradually got into the game and looked dangerous when they got the ball wide, whilst Matt Groves was making life difficult for Liam Meldrum and David Legg with his hold up play.

last twenty minutes of the first half was even and Cobham had the best chance of the half when Groves was put through on goal, but he pulled his shot wide of the far post and both sides went in at half-time level.

Rec came out of the traps quickly in the second half and a poor clearance in the 47th minute eventually found Johnny Webb in space on the right flank.

His decent cross was finished well by Satterley.

Again, Cobham were struggling for a foothold in midfield. When Legg hit a ball for Watson to run on to in the 54th minute, he outpaced the Cobham backline and managed to slot the ball past the advancing Knights to put Rec firmly in the driving seat at 3-1. Ash Boyt made it four for Rec shortly after the hour mark, effectively wrapping up the game.

However, Cobham rallied again, as Josh Buck gave them a lifeline when Rec failed to deal with another cross.

Buck was first to it on the far post to make it 4-2.

Despite the game approaching the final 10 minutes, there were still goals for both sides.

Substitute Jacob Kelly restored Rec’s three goal lead, before some Cobham pressure eventually saw a cross diverted by Legg into the back of his net in the final minute.

With little time remaining, there was no chance for Cobham to complete a remarkable comeback.