ALEX Frankling hit a hat-trick as Kingsclere brushed aside the challenge of Overton United A to lift the North Hants Saturday Junior Cup with a 4-1 win in the final at Longmeadow last Tuesday.

Kingsclere, who play their football in the Andover League, played up the slope in the first half but still enjoyed plenty of the ball, with Dan Cicchetti forcing a good save from Overton goalkeeper Andy Grice and also going close with an overhead kick.

It took some brave defending from Ben Evans and Lee Corson to hold the dangerous Kingsclere front line until two minutes before the break, when Frankling produced a fine shot on the turn to beat Grice.

The second half was just three minutes old when Frankling doubled the lead, scrambling home from inside the six-yard box.

The same player completed his hat-trick soon after, finding the net with the rebound after Sam Hamilton had seen his effort hit the post.

The game looked over but Overton refused to give up and pacy striker Siyanni Thomas gave the Basingstoke and District League side some hope with 56 minutes on the clock.

He had missed an earlier chance, but made no mistake when put through by John Gurney, beating Kingsclere goalkeeper Andy Merritt to give his side a foothold in the game.

Thomas could have got a second on 66 minutes, when he was put through again, but Merritt made the save, while John Sayers fired over the crossbar as Overton fought back.

However, Kingsclere put the result beyond doubt with 15 minutes to go, Chris Hawthorne firing the loose ball into the net after Grice had mishandled a corner taken by player/manager Michael Simpkins.

There are two cup finals taking place in the coming week, with the first being the Basingstoke Junior A Cup.

This will see Basingstoke Royals take on Hook at the Winklebury Football Complex on Saturday night (6.30pm).

Then, on Tuesday evening at Whitchurch FC’s Longmeadow ground, it is the final of the North Hants May Cup, with Hampshire Irons facing Twentyten (7.30pm).