Sparten 0 Bounty United 4.

North Hants Junior Cup Final.

Two clinical strikes from former Hampshire County cricketer Mitchell Stokes helped Basingstoke League side Bounty United pick up the North Hants Junior Cup on Tuesday night at a dank Whitchurch United FC.

Strike partner Matt Love weighed in with a brace of his own as Bounty took the cup despite a battling performance from lowly Andover League Sparten who were in the game for an hour before three goals in seven minutes killed them off.

Sparten looked lively up front in the first half and Chris Robinson caused plenty of problems for Bounty who rode their luck when Andrew Wilkie had a goal chalked off for offside on 20 minutes then crashed a header against the bar soon after.

Bounty took full advantage as five minutes from the break Love curled in a free-kick from 20 yards with Sparten keeper Anthony Barnes rooted to the spot.

Barnes kept his side in the game with a superb save from Mike Gilham then at the other end Lee Burgell brought an equally good stop from Andrew Darmody in the Bounty goal.

Once Bounty had survived the early onslaught with Robinson and Charlie Flack going close they broke away and Stokes finished well from 20 yards to double the lead.

Wilkie headed another free-kick just wide before two goals in two minutes either side of the hour mark secured the cup. Wiltshire Minor Counties all rounder Stokes again showed composure to make it 3-0 and with Sparten struggling Love slid in to convert a cross for the fourth.

Kerry Miller