The former Jersey under-18 team captain hooked home a loose ball on 25 minutes then headed in his and St Clement’s second 19 minutes from the end for a deserved 2-1 win over holders St Saviour.
Craig Leitch had levelled the scores, shortly before the break, when he got between two defenders to lift the ball over outrushing goalkeeper – Danny Evans having come some 30 yards from his goal-line.
St Clement’s second success in five years ended St Saviour’s hopes of a hat-trick of wins in the Channel Islands’ longest running football competition.
Dave Melton, St Clement’s manager, said: ‘I had the belief that if we played football we would win and we did.
It was a game of contrasting styles, we were patient and played football while they knocked it long.
‘I was disappointed with the goal we conceded but we came back well from it.
‘Young Craig Russell battled well for us in attack; we created a lot of chances and on the night we deserved to win.’ St Saviour manager Ian Corfield said: ‘It was a good game and the best team on the night won.
Our back four were outstanding and the team never game up.
Unfortunately we went behind when we only had ten players on the pitch because a player had just received treatment and we didn’t see the referee’s signal for him to come back on.
‘Luke Watson was outstanding for St Clement in midfield and he was the difference between the sides.’ There was little between the teams in a well-contested first half when St Saviour squandered the best two chances.
Luc Le Mière, who later went off injured after landing awkwardly and turning his ankle, lifted an effort over the crossbar after exchanging passes with Leitch on the 18-yard line.
After Leitch had equalised the same player had a forceful goal-bound shot well blocked by Jerry O’Shea.
Joel Speight never put a foot wrong in St Saviour’s defence despite St Clement taking the game to St Saviour after the break.
Danny Craven squandered two very good opportunities early on, both orchestrated by Scott Healey, while later getting ahead of his marker to lift the ball onto and over the crossbar.
Dave Le Roux also had two good efforts saved by St Saviour goalkeeper Max Jouan before Watson’s second goal decided the issue.
Team-mate Chris Carter might have gone down in the hope of gaining a penalty, following Chris Young’s challenge, but honestly stayed on his feet and his cross into the middle was nodded down by Watson between two defenders who were standing on the goal-line.
Coca-Cola Combination president Tim Darwin presented the medals (twice to some St Saviour players after mistakenly handing them winners’ plaques) and the Shield to St Clement captain Jerry O’Shea
